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People Are Grossed Out After Finding Out Who James Marsden Is Dating
People have been left ‘grossed out’ after discovering who James Marsden is currently dating.
Hollywood has never been short of controversial relationships, and the internet has never been short of opinions about them.
It seems like every few months another actor finds himself at the center of a heated debate.
The latest star to find himself under scrutiny? James Marsden – and fans have a lot to say.
If you grew up watching movies in the early 2000s, chances are Marsden’s face is deeply familiar, even if you can’t always place it immediately.
“That’s weirdddddd,” wrote one user bluntly. Another was more personal in their disappointment: “Mad disrespect – gross – I used to adore him. This is sad.”
Others kept it brief: “Weird for sure.”
Who is James Marsden?
The Oklahoma-born actor has been a steady presence in Hollywood for over two decades, racking up an impressive and genuinely diverse body of work that spans superhero blockbusters, romantic dramas, and sharp comedic performances.
He played Cyclops in the original X-Men franchise, competed for Rachel McAdams’ heart in The Notebook, and earned widespread critical praise for his role in HBO’s Westworld.
More recently, he starred in Jury Duty, the mockumentary series that became one of the most talked-about TV projects in recent memory and introduced him to an entirely new generation of fans.
He is, by any measure, one of the more quietly impressive actors of his generation — charming, versatile, and with the kind of looks that have aged extremely well.
Marsden has been open about his philosophy on relationships, telling Cosmopolitan: “I find as I get older I’m more traditional and old-fashioned. I prefer face to face conversation as opposed to texting.
“You need to go out of your way to spend good time with one another, you need to have a date night. Whether you have kids or a career or whatever, for a relationship to thrive, it’s about making time for each other.”
His previous relationships
Marsden’s personal life has been lived largely away from the tabloids, which is no small feat for someone of his profile.
He was previously married to actress Lisa Linde from 2000 to 2011, and the two share son Jack, 25, and daughter Mary James, 20. He also has a son, William Luca, 13, with former partner Rose Costa.
He has spoken warmly and frequently about fatherhood, telling Men’s Health that it is his single proudest achievement. “Of all my achievements in life, being a father is the one thing I’m most proud of. It is the most fulfilling,” he said. “I’m always self-deprecating, but I don’t have a problem saying that I am a great dad.”
He has spoken about the importance of teaching his children resilience and character.
“It takes seeing the hero mess up or fail at something to become a man,” he said. “It’s integrity and substance of character – it’s like when sh*t happens to you in hard times, who do you become because of that? Your kids look at you and that’s how they define who and what they’re supposed to be.”
The new relationship
Marsden’s latest relationship has recently attracted significant online attention.
He was spotted on lunch dates and walking hand-in-hand with his new love, and they made their official red carpet debut together at the Emmys.
The pair have been linked since October 2023, when they were first photographed kissing in New York City.
The couple keep things notably private. Neither has posted about the other on social media, though the two do follow each other on Instagram. She also follows Marsden’s son Jack.
Beyond the occasional paparazzi sighting, very little is known about the details of their relationship – which, given the reaction their coupling has provoked online, is probably a wise approach.
Frederique Brons is a Dutch model who previously studied psychology at Utrecht University before leaving to pursue modeling full-time, per Hello.
She is signed to Skins, an Amsterdam-based agency, and Muse Models in New York City, and has been featured in publications including Elle Japan and Glamour Bulgaria.
She describes herself as a ‘Dutch full-time model’ and, despite her globe-trotting career – which has taken her to Italy, Spain, the Canary Islands and across the US – still refers to Amsterdam as home.
She is an avid traveler, a dog lover with a Bernese mountain dog named Bella who makes frequent appearances on her social media, and by all appearances a thoroughly private person who has shown little interest in capitalizing on her relationship with a famous face.
In 2023, she was featured in the Dutch book Dear Future Me, which contained photographs of 28 women alongside letters written to their future selves – a detail that paints a picture of someone thoughtful and uninterested in the transactional side of celebrity adjacency.
The relationship that has divided the internet
Here is what has caused the stir. Marsden is 52. Brons is 26. That is a 26-year age gap – and once that figure began circulating online, social media did what social media does.
One framed it in the most relatable terms possible: “This is me and my dad’s age. That’s wild.”
The reaction is part of a broader cultural conversation that has been gathering momentum for years – one in which the longstanding Hollywood norm of older men dating significantly younger women is increasingly being called out rather than simply accepted.
Marsden finds himself in company that includes not only DiCaprio and Penn but a growing list of actors whose romantic choices have become as much a part of their public image as their filmographies.
Not everyone, however, has lined up to cast judgment. Several commenters pushed back on the pile-on, offering a more measured perspective.
“They are consenting adults and she will probably never do better,” wrote one. “Granted he’s a lot older but he’s good looking, famous, rich and could be a great guy. Who are we to judge?”
Related Article: Couple With 37-Year Age Gap Answers The Question That Everyone Is Always Asking
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