'X-Men' Star James Marsden Claimed His Divorce From Ex Lisa Was Scary And Sad, 'Lost My Equilibrium'

James Marsden is all set to reprise his role as 'Cyclops' in 'Avengers: Doomsday.' Amid this, he recalled that his 2011 divorce from his ex-wife was really scary and hard.

It's been nearly 25 years since X-Men was first released and eventually became one of Hollywood’s biggest superhero franchises. Amid this, James Marsden, who played ‘Scott Summers’ a.k.a. ‘Cyclops’, is hogging all the attention after the actor reunited with the franchise’s original stars at San Diego Comic-Con. 

What made his appearance even more special is that this was ahead of his highly anticipated return in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday. As fans wait, here's a look at James Marsden’s personal life and when he opened up about his divorce. 

James Marsden on how his split from his ex-wife, Lisa Linde, was “the hardest thing” in his life 

In an interview with Men's Health, James Marsden reflected on his 2011 divorce from his ex-wife, Lisa Linde. He claimed that it was “by far the hardest thing” that he had to endure in his life. According to him, his life before this was not filled with struggle or particularly sad. However, it all changed with his divorce. James was quoted as saying:

“A lot of shit went well for me my whole life and came easy to me. Being a white male, you’re born with certain unearned privileges. My life hasn’t been filled with sorrow and deep struggle. When the divorce happened, it was the first time I felt I lost my equilibrium.”

Following his divorce from Lisa, the actor admitted that he had to pull everything into focus. Doing so is what made James who he is today. He said, “It was scary and sad and made me pull everything into focus. I needed to focus on what was important. So that's who I am now because of that. I know regrets can be catalysts for good things.” 

For those who don't know, James and Lisa separated after 11 years of marriage. Together, they had welcomed two kids, Jack and Mary James. James explained that he and Lisa were “really young” when they got together, and with time, they eventually grew apart. In his words: 

“It’s sad and heartbreaking. I was separating not only from my wife but also my kids and the bonds of home and family. Those are things you’re painfully reminded of every day. It’s like, shit, what lesson is this? What’s to come from this?”

During the same conversation, James confessed that despite his failed marriage, the one thing he is proud of is his parenting skills. In addition to his two children with Lisa, the actor also has a son named William Luca with his ex-girlfriend, Rosa Costa. William was reportedly born in December 2012. James and Rosa were first linked shortly after his marriage ended, with William being born a little over a year after Lisa filed for divorce. He said:

“Of all my achievements in life, being a father is the one thing I’m most proud of. It is the most fulfilling. I’m always self-deprecating, but I don’t have a problem saying that I am a great dad.”

James Marsden to reprise his role in Avengers: Doomsday

On July 25, 2026, the original X-Men, including James Marsden, were joined by Black Panther’s Tenoch Huerta as well as the Thunderbolts stars Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, and David Harbour. They teased their upcoming collaboration in Avengers: Doomsday. 

As you can guess from this, the upcoming film will unite the X-Men with the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and Wakanda’s heroes. Together, they will try to stop “Doctor Doom,” a threat to the multiverse. 

What are your thoughts on James Marsden claiming that his divorce from Lisa Linde was scary and sad? Let us know. 

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