James Corden is fresh off of a Tony win for his over-the-top role in One Man, Two Guvnors, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg for the hilarious British actor. He’s almost done filming Can a Song Save Your Life? with Keira Knightley, writing a TV series for the BBC, preparing for another film role as unlikely opera star Paul Potts, being father to 16-month-old son Max, and that’s not all.
“Oh yeah, when I get home next month, I host a TV show, which only takes two weeks, and then I get married,” Corden recently told the New York Times, as he prepares to play his final One Man performance on September 2. “So all my dreams are coming true. Some people would say, ‘You can’t do all those things.’ I don’t know why. They don’t really give an answer. I think they’re probably wrong.”
Corden got his big break playing Timms in The History Boys on stage and then screen, and went on to become a household name in Britain as the co-star and creator of hit sitcom Gavin & Stacey. He signed on to do One Man before the script was even written, jumping at the chance to reteam with his History Boys director Nicholas Hytner.
Though his life of late is certainly hectic, Corden credits fiancée Julia Carey with keeping things in perspective. “Our baby was born five days before we started rehearsals,” he said. “So anytime I’d come home and say I was tired, it wasn’t met with a pleasant look.” The work itself is just as motivating. “To be honest, I haven’t felt nearly as tired as I thought I would, because I’ve found it incredibly energizing,” he explained. “I mean, who knows, these are all transient things, purple patches of success, and they will come and they will go as quickly as they arrive, so it’s important to make the most of it.”