James Marsden and Sterling K. Brown sang old-school R&B 'constantly' on set of “Paradise”
Both Marsden and Brown have some velvet pipes, which they put to good use in between takes.
Disney/Ser Baffo
Sterling K. Brown, James MarsdenSterling K. Brown and James Marsden might have a complicated relationship on Paradise, but off screen, the two worked together in perfect harmony.
Marsden, who has starred in musicals like Hairspray, is known for his mellifluous voice and anyone who's spent any time in Brown's presence knows he can't resist breaking out into song. So, while the actors were making Paradise, which premieres on Hulu on Jan. 28, they liked to pass the time making music.
Brian Roedel/Disney
James Marsden, Sterling K. Brown"We sang all the time," Brown tells Entertainment Weekly. "James sings all the time, and he's a much better singer than I am, because he can harmonize. I said, 'James, I can just do the melody.' He is like, 'Okay, do the melody.' And then James drops in that sweet, sweet harmony and it makes me sound like I'm a better singer than what I actually am."
As for what songs were in the mix — no, it wasn't classic showtunes, though fans have heard Marsden do plenty of that. Instead, the guys had classic '90s R&B in heavy rotation. "We did a lot of R&B," Brown explains. "There's a lot of Sade, there's a little JoJo going on there. James knows every song. He was part of a band growing up in Oklahoma, and so, the dude has every song at his beck and call."
On the show, the actors' dynamic is not quite so simpatico. Brown stars as Xavier Collins, a secret service agent to Marsden's former U.S. President, Cal Bradford. When Cal is found dead in his home, Xavier becomes the prime suspect in his murder — and he finds himself mired in intrigue and betrayal.
Related: Paradise review: Sterling K. Brown powers through Hulu's wobbly political thriller
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The show is the latest from This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman, reuniting him with Brown in what the actor calls "a family reunion."
"It's a political thriller,” Fogelman previously explained of the show. “It's edge-of-your-seat [viewing] with a lot of plot and twists and turns. On This Is Us, the plot was determined by a series of conversations and feelings. This one has a lot more plot. Where there's similarities, is the show delves into a lot of backstories and relationships. Ultimately, it’s about families and the lengths we go to take care of one another. But they're very different shows with Sterling and I being a little bit of connective tissue.”
Disney/Ser Baffo
Sterling K. Brown, James MarsdenEven though Brown and Marsden didn't share any connective tissue, they quickly built some through their impromptu acapella sessions.
"We had a blast," gushes Brown. "He is one of those people that you have on set that you look forward to seeing on set because he lifts the energy of the room. Love me some Marsden."
The first episode of Paradise is streaming now on Hulu. The first three episodes will premiere on Jan. 28.
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