James Roday (born April 4, 1976), is an American actor. He is currently starring in the USA Network hit television series Psych as faux-psychic Shawn Spencer.
Born in San Antonio, Texas on April 4,1976, as James David RodrÃguez, James Roday attended Taft High School in San Antonio. He studied theatre at New York University's Experimental Theatre Wing, where he earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts. He is also co-artistic director of RED DOG SQUADRON, a Los Angeles theatre company he co-founded with Brad Raider. He is the son of Jim Rodriquez, who works for Boardwalk Auto Group.
He has been dating Psych co-star Maggie Lawson since 2006. The two also starred in the first episode of Fear Itself, titled "In Sickness and In Health."
He has acted in various theatrical productions, including The Three Sisters, Twelfth Night, A Respectable Wedding, Severity's Mistress, and Sexual Perversity in Chicago with his theatre company, RED DOG SQUADRON. He has also starred in the 2003 film Rolling Kansas and appeared in the 2005 film adaptation of The Dukes of Hazzard as Billy Prickett, and in the 2006 film Beerfest. Behind the scenes, Roday and writing partners Todd Harthan and James DeMonaco wrote the screenplay for the upcoming film Skinwalkers and he will direct the film Gravy, which as of mid-2006 is in pre-production.
Roday's television credits include starring roles on NBC's Miss Match in 2003 as "Nick Paine" and 2001's First Years as "Edgar 'Egg' Ross". The July 7, 2006 series premiere of USA Network's original series Psych (airing following the season premiere of USA's other comedic success, Monk) was the highest-rated scripted basic cable TV show premiere of 2006. Psych returned for a second season on July 13, 2007 and a third season on July 18, 2008.
He also can be seen as a groom in an episode of Fear Itself entitled "In Sickness and in Health," in which his bride is played by Psych co-star and real life girlfriend Maggie Lawson.
In 2006, James Roday was nominated for the Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical for Psych by the Satellite Awards. He was also included in People Magazine's "100 Most Beautiful People" issue in 2007.
In 2008, has been nominated for Outstanding Actor In a Drama Television Series for Psych by the NCLR ALMA Awards.
