On a recent episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," James Marsden made an appearance to discuss his role in the new show "Jury Duty." Marsden, known for his roles in films like "Enchanted," "Sonic the Hedgehog," and "Westworld," plays a sensationalized version of himself in the show.
The concept of "Jury Duty" is an intriguing one, combining elements of "The Truman Show" and "The Office." Marsden's character finds himself on a manufactured and fake jury, surrounded by improvisational actors who are in on the ruse. However, one actor genuinely believes the show is real, adding an extra layer of hilarity to the series.
During the interview, Marsden expressed his gratitude to Colbert for creating the show, as it provided him with a much-needed distraction. Marsden revealed that he and his wife binge-watched all eight episodes in one sitting, thoroughly enjoying the hilarious and unique concept.
Describing his character, Marsden explained that he plays a heightened and entitled version of himself, poking fun at the Hollywood industry. He expressed that the role allowed him to let his true self shine, saying, "It's nice to see my true self come out finally after 30 years of faking the good guy thing."
The show heavily relies on improvisation, with minimal scripted dialogue. The cast, including Marsden, discussed how far they could push the boundaries without giving away the fact that the whole show was a prank on one unwitting actor. Marsden admitted that it was exciting for him to lampoon the absurdity of Hollywood and to be given permission to say and do the most unsavory things in character.
To maintain the illusion, the cast went to great lengths to make the show seem as real as possible. They spent hours each day in boring court sessions to make everything else seem more believable. The only person who remained unaware of the prank was the one actor who genuinely believed he was participating in a documentary about jury duty.
Marsden also praised Ronald Gladden, the unwitting actor at the center of the show. Gladden's pure-hearted and kind nature added an extra layer of depth to the series, giving viewers faith in humanity. Marsden credited Gladden's ethical choices throughout the show as the reason why "Jury Duty" has gained such quick popularity.
With its unique and hilarious concept, "Jury Duty" has quickly become a hit among viewers. Marsden's ability to play a heightened version of himself and the talented improvisational actors make the show an entertaining and engaging watch. If you're in the mood for a comedy series that pokes fun at Hollywood and provides some genuine laughs, "Jury Duty" should be on your watchlist.
