Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty
James Marsdenalmost spoiled theJury Dutysecret forRonald Gladdenwith one disgusting slip-up.
The Freevee court comedy centered on good-natured regular guy Gladden, who was selected for jury duty in Los Angeles — or so he thought. In fact, every single person around him — including Marsden, who played a ramped-up, egotistical version of himself — were actors playing out an elaborately set up comedy series that blended scripted throughlines and improvisation to keep up the ruse.
While filming an episode when Marsden clogged his costar’s hotel bathroom toilet with a huge (fake) bowel movement, Gladden’s 49-year-oldEmmy-nominatedfellow “juror” nearly blew the whole operation when he got a little too overzealous with scented spray in hopes of making the dump-and-dash believable.
“Marsden was spraying more and more," showrunner Cody Heller toldEW’sThe Awardistpodcast. “He’s like, ‘I don’t think it smells enough.’ He’s spraying more and more. And then right before Ronald came back in, he was like, ‘It doesn’t smell enough.’ So he sprayed a little bit more right on the doorframe."
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“That night I get a text from Marsden in the middle of the night and he’s like, ‘Oh my God, I’m really worried. I think I sprayed some of the liquid poo right on the doorframe. And what if they didn’t clean it, and Ronald realizes it, and he smells that it’s on the doorframe?'" Heller added.
To Marsden’s relief, Gladden never noticed. That can be added to a whole list of things Gladden believed were real — from the wacky jurors he met on the job to the almost unbelievable case itself.
Of course, at the end of it all, Gladden was let in on the joke. And while ittook him “months” to processthat such a huge trick had been played on him, he’s been rewarded for his good nature — he instantly became a fan favorite, areal-life friendto the show’s cast and crew, and he’ll likely get to attend the upcomingEmmy Awardsin support ofthe show’s and Marsden’s nods.
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Season 1 ofJury Dutyis now streaming in full on Freevee.
source: people.com
