WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.819 Welcome to the Deep Dive. Our mission, as always, 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.099 is to cut through the noise, get you the core 00:00:06.099 --> 00:00:08.599 knowledge you need, and today we're taking on 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:13.160 a real modern phenomenon, James Corden. He really 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:15.259 is the definition of a multi -hyphenate actor, 00:00:15.480 --> 00:00:18.920 comedian, writer, producer, singer, TV host. 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.199 The list goes on. It really does. And the sources 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:24.239 we've looked at, they really push us to examine 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:26.780 not just his success, but also, you know, the 00:00:26.780 --> 00:00:29.620 huge pressure and the, well, the very mixed reactions 00:00:29.620 --> 00:00:31.899 that come with that kind of global fame. Yeah, 00:00:31.899 --> 00:00:33.619 what's fascinating right off the bat is how Corden 00:00:33.619 --> 00:00:36.240 seemed to exist in like two totally separate 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:38.380 worlds of fame. Totally. If you're in the UK, 00:00:38.579 --> 00:00:42.200 you know him primarily as the co -creator and 00:00:42.200 --> 00:00:44.820 star of Gavin and Stacey. Hugely beloved character 00:00:44.820 --> 00:00:47.539 -driven sitcom. A classic. Right. But if you're 00:00:47.539 --> 00:00:49.420 pretty much anywhere else, you know him as the 00:00:49.420 --> 00:00:51.719 host of The Late Late Show, the guy who defined 00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:54.939 that whole viral high production era of American 00:00:54.939 --> 00:00:56.700 late night TV. It's almost like two different 00:00:56.700 --> 00:00:59.079 people, professionally speaking. Exactly. And 00:00:59.079 --> 00:01:01.380 trying to reconcile those two identities. Well, 00:01:01.500 --> 00:01:03.359 that's why we need this deep dive, isn't it? 00:01:03.380 --> 00:01:06.560 Absolutely. So our task today is really to unpack 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:10.120 that kind of dizzying transition. We need to 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:13.540 explore how he went from British. regional theater 00:01:13.540 --> 00:01:16.400 and TV comedy to, well, transatlantic stardom, 00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:18.780 looking at the huge highs, the Tonys, the Emmys, 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:21.540 all of that, but also facing up to the, you know, 00:01:21.540 --> 00:01:24.060 the significant critical lows and the public 00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:26.159 incidents that became part of his story, too. 00:01:26.219 --> 00:01:28.519 It's all there in the source material. Definitely. 00:01:28.659 --> 00:01:31.739 So to start, let's lay down the basics. James 00:01:31.739 --> 00:01:33.739 Kimberly Corden, born in Hellington, London, 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:36.819 1978. Grew up in Hazelmere, Buckinghamshire. 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:39.140 And his background is interesting, not really 00:01:39.140 --> 00:01:41.540 showbiz at all. His dad was a musician in the 00:01:41.540 --> 00:01:43.980 Royal Air Force Band, later sold Christian books 00:01:43.980 --> 00:01:47.040 and Bibles. His mom was a social worker, pretty 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:50.079 grounded middle class upbringing. Yeah, not the 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:52.459 usual path into performance, perhaps. And that 00:01:52.459 --> 00:01:54.879 early recognition in the UK, it really says something, 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:57.900 doesn't it? Getting an OBE in the 2015 New Year 00:01:57.900 --> 00:02:01.319 Honors. For services to drama. That serious institutional 00:02:01.319 --> 00:02:03.799 recognition back home. It shows they saw him 00:02:03.799 --> 00:02:05.959 as more than just a celebrity, right? Or a real 00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:07.799 contributor to British art. Absolutely. It's 00:02:07.799 --> 00:02:09.780 a significant honor. Okay, so let's track this 00:02:09.780 --> 00:02:12.479 career right back to the start. The UK scene, 00:02:12.659 --> 00:02:17.180 the foundations, say 1996 to 2006. Right. The 00:02:17.180 --> 00:02:20.560 very first steps are... Pretty humble, actually. 00:02:20.699 --> 00:02:24.639 His first stage appearance, age 18, 1996, just 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:27.180 one line in the musical Martin Gare. Just getting 00:02:27.180 --> 00:02:29.840 a foot in the door. Exactly. And his first TV 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:32.699 reporter gig, kind of funny, was on the BBC's 00:02:32.699 --> 00:02:35.099 Good Morning with Ann and Nick interviewing Meatloaf. 00:02:35.360 --> 00:02:38.900 Meatloaf. Wow. An early lesson in handling celebrities, 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:41.099 I guess. You could say that. And those early 00:02:41.099 --> 00:02:43.699 steps quickly built into, you know, solid UK 00:02:43.699 --> 00:02:47.379 TV work, bits in Boys Unlimited in 99, a small 00:02:47.379 --> 00:02:49.439 part in Hollyoaks. Oh, yeah, Hollyoaks. And then 00:02:49.439 --> 00:02:51.740 a decent role in Teachers from 2001 to 2003. 00:02:52.020 --> 00:02:54.460 But the real foundational TV work, the sources 00:02:54.460 --> 00:02:56.500 point to Fat Friends, right? Yeah. Playing Jamie 00:02:56.500 --> 00:02:58.879 Reimer from 2000 to 2005. Yes, that was key. 00:02:59.020 --> 00:03:01.560 Not just a guest spot, but five years of sustained 00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:03.699 character work. It was about people in a slimming 00:03:03.699 --> 00:03:06.240 group, so lots of focus on vulnerability, body. 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:08.439 image. And that got him noticed early on. It 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:11.740 did. He got a nomination for a Royal Television 00:03:11.740 --> 00:03:15.379 Society Award in 2000 for network newcomer on 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:18.599 screen. It put him on the map as this reliable, 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:22.400 relatable actor. Okay. So TV actor established, 00:03:22.740 --> 00:03:26.939 but then comes this huge ensemble theater success 00:03:26.939 --> 00:03:29.800 that really changes things. We're talking the 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:31.939 History Boys. Alan Bennett's play, yeah. This 00:03:31.939 --> 00:03:34.080 was massive. Debuted in 2004, and it was like 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:37.360 this multi -year acting academy for him. He played 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.840 Tims alongside a whole cast of future stars like 00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:42.659 Dominic Cooper. And the key thing, the source 00:03:42.659 --> 00:03:45.120 of stress is the international scope of it. Absolutely. 00:03:45.530 --> 00:03:47.449 He wasn't just in London. He went with the production 00:03:47.449 --> 00:03:51.509 to Broadway, Sydney, Wellington, Hong Kong. That's 00:03:51.509 --> 00:03:53.930 a huge commitment. And then, of course, he was 00:03:53.930 --> 00:03:56.509 in the 2006 film adaptation, too. So this proves 00:03:56.509 --> 00:03:58.669 his early career was really built on serious, 00:03:58.930 --> 00:04:01.449 acclaimed, collaborative stage work. It really 00:04:01.449 --> 00:04:03.669 sets up that duality we need to track, doesn't 00:04:03.669 --> 00:04:06.449 it? Corden, the serious stage actor, versus Corden, 00:04:06.509 --> 00:04:09.590 the viral TV guy. Exactly. And that international 00:04:09.590 --> 00:04:11.430 exposure with the History Boys, that was like 00:04:11.430 --> 00:04:13.449 a test run for America, really. It showed he 00:04:13.449 --> 00:04:15.900 could handle Broadway. Which leads us straight 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:18.620 into part two, the breakthrough and that big 00:04:18.620 --> 00:04:22.139 theatrical pivot, roughly 2007 to 2014. Right. 00:04:22.220 --> 00:04:24.639 This is the Gavin and Stacey era, the thing that 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:26.600 just changed everything for him in the UK. Totally. 00:04:26.660 --> 00:04:29.600 And it came from collaboration. From 2007 to 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:32.860 2010, he didn't just star in it. He co -created 00:04:32.860 --> 00:04:36.000 and co -wrote it with Ruth Jones. Playing Smithy, 00:04:36.019 --> 00:04:39.040 an iconic character. Absolutely. And the show 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:41.379 just hit this perfect balance of, like, very 00:04:41.379 --> 00:04:44.319 specific British humor and real emotional depth. 00:04:44.730 --> 00:04:47.129 And the awards came thick and fast. Corden himself 00:04:47.129 --> 00:04:49.449 won a BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance 00:04:49.449 --> 00:04:52.430 in 2008. And the show won the Ogdens Award BAFTA 00:04:52.430 --> 00:04:54.790 that year, too. It wasn't just a hit. It was 00:04:54.790 --> 00:04:57.250 critically loved. Yeah. And its legacy is just 00:04:57.250 --> 00:04:59.730 huge. Think about that 2019 Christmas special. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:02.959 Years after it finished, it got the highest Christmas 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:05.819 Day viewing figures in the UK for over a decade. 00:05:05.939 --> 00:05:07.680 Incredible. That shows a real cultural connection, 00:05:07.860 --> 00:05:09.420 doesn't it? It's part of the fabric over there. 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:11.560 It really is. Now, something often overlooked 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:14.500 from this time, but it kind of hints at his US 00:05:14.500 --> 00:05:17.120 future, is that musical thing he did. Oh, yeah. 00:05:17.180 --> 00:05:19.899 The single with Dizzy Rascal. Shout. Number one 00:05:19.899 --> 00:05:23.139 in the UK in 2010. It showed early on he could 00:05:23.139 --> 00:05:26.500 blend celebrity, comedy, music, and make it work 00:05:26.500 --> 00:05:29.680 commercially. That's a good point. But here's 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.220 where the story gets a bit more complicated. 00:05:32.939 --> 00:05:35.439 The sources talk about a checkered period professionally. 00:05:36.019 --> 00:05:38.959 Even while Gavin and Stacey was massive, his 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:41.480 other projects weren't quite landing. Right. 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:44.000 It's weird, isn't it? Straight after BAFTA success, 00:05:44.459 --> 00:05:48.319 he has the sketch show Horn and Corden with Matthew 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:51.100 Horn. Yeah, 2009. Tried to build on their chemistry, 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:53.620 but it only lasted one series and got, well, 00:05:53.699 --> 00:05:56.699 hammered by critics. Ouch. Classic case, really. 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:58.420 Trying to take character chemistry and make it 00:05:58.420 --> 00:06:01.379 work in a broader sketch format, it just didn't 00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:02.860 connect. But what's interesting is what Corden 00:06:02.860 --> 00:06:05.000 said afterwards. Yeah, he was quite candid. Admitted, 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:07.899 the absolute truth is I wasn't good enough. Own 00:06:07.899 --> 00:06:10.939 the failure. That vulnerability, it pops up again 00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:12.879 later, doesn't it? It does. And then there was 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:15.579 the film Low Point, too. Lesbian vampire killers. 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:18.699 Oh, dear. Yeah, 2009 again. Critical and commercial 00:06:18.699 --> 00:06:21.199 flop. Definitely didn't help his film career 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.680 at that point. So it suggests maybe he was brilliant 00:06:23.680 --> 00:06:27.000 as a co -writer and ensemble player, but... Those 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:29.939 early attempts at being the main solo comedy 00:06:29.939 --> 00:06:32.899 star, maybe a bit premature. Seems that way. 00:06:33.259 --> 00:06:35.000 But during this time, he was building another 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:38.939 crucial skill, hosting. Ah, yes. A league of 00:06:38.939 --> 00:06:41.459 their own. Right. The Sky One Comedy Sports Panel 00:06:41.459 --> 00:06:44.519 Show. Hosted that from 2010 right up to 2019. 00:06:44.699 --> 00:06:47.920 That requires quick wit, improv. Good training. 00:06:48.100 --> 00:06:50.000 And he hosted the Brit Awards, too, multiple 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:53.720 times. Yeah, 2009, 2011, 2014, handling big, 00:06:53.899 --> 00:06:57.899 live, celeb -packed shows, building that hosting 00:06:57.899 --> 00:07:00.300 muscle. So gaining hosting experience while maybe 00:07:00.300 --> 00:07:02.519 licking his wounds from the created setbacks. 00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:05.339 But the real game -changer, the thing that pivoted 00:07:05.339 --> 00:07:08.379 him back towards America, wasn't TV. It was the 00:07:08.379 --> 00:07:11.129 stage again. One man, two governors. Oh, this 00:07:11.129 --> 00:07:13.490 was a phenomenon. Based on an old Italian comedy, 00:07:13.610 --> 00:07:15.970 but just a masterclass in physical comedy. Improv, 00:07:15.970 --> 00:07:18.589 talking straight to the audience. Corden is Frances 00:07:18.589 --> 00:07:21.089 Henshell, starting June 2011. And the reviews 00:07:21.089 --> 00:07:23.209 were ecstatic. Universal acclaim. The Guardian 00:07:23.209 --> 00:07:26.110 called it a triumph. One of the funniest productions 00:07:26.110 --> 00:07:27.850 in the National's history. High praise indeed. 00:07:28.129 --> 00:07:30.470 That sounds like Corden firing on all cylinders, 00:07:30.610 --> 00:07:33.209 totally commanding the stage. Absolutely. And 00:07:33.209 --> 00:07:34.850 when that production transferred to Broadway 00:07:34.850 --> 00:07:38.610 in 2012... That was the launch pad. That was 00:07:38.610 --> 00:07:41.189 the moment he went from British sitcom guy to 00:07:41.189 --> 00:07:44.269 serious international contender. The Tony Award 00:07:44.269 --> 00:07:46.870 sealed it. Best performance by a leading actor 00:07:46.870 --> 00:07:49.470 in a play. Exactly. Winning a major American 00:07:49.470 --> 00:07:52.629 award for proper stage acting. It just completely 00:07:52.629 --> 00:07:55.290 redefined his profile overnight. Suddenly, he 00:07:55.290 --> 00:07:58.230 wasn't just Smithy. He was a Tony winner. And 00:07:58.230 --> 00:08:00.529 that led directly to Hollywood film roles, didn't 00:08:00.529 --> 00:08:03.339 it? Specifically musicals. Yep. He got cast as 00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:05.420 the baker in Disney's film Lassonheim's Into 00:08:05.420 --> 00:08:09.180 the Woods in 2014. That really cemented his transatlantic 00:08:09.180 --> 00:08:12.259 identity. Hollywood saw he could act, sing, hold 00:08:12.259 --> 00:08:14.019 the screen. And even with all that going on, 00:08:14.060 --> 00:08:16.620 he was still writing back home The Wrong Men's. 00:08:16.660 --> 00:08:19.759 Right. Co -created, wrote, and starred in that 00:08:19.759 --> 00:08:22.939 BBC Two Hulu comedy thriller from 2013 -2014. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:25.680 It shows that even as his star was rising globally, 00:08:25.959 --> 00:08:28.779 he still valued that deep, collaborative, creative 00:08:28.779 --> 00:08:32.200 work. So that perfect storm stage triumph, high 00:08:32.200 --> 00:08:34.700 profile film role, proven hosting skills. It 00:08:34.700 --> 00:08:36.559 was like the ultimate audition tape for what 00:08:36.559 --> 00:08:39.360 came next. Precisely. Which brings us to part 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:42.500 three, The Late Late Show and Global Stardom, 00:08:42.539 --> 00:08:46.899 2015 to 2023. Taking over from Craig Ferguson 00:08:46.899 --> 00:08:51.039 at CBS in March 2015, a massive move, relocating 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:54.309 his family to L .A. Huge. And he's joked since 00:08:54.309 --> 00:08:56.049 then about thinking he might get fired in six 00:08:56.049 --> 00:08:58.690 months. You can tell he knew translating British 00:08:58.690 --> 00:09:00.970 fame to US late night was a massive challenge. 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:03.600 And the sources give us a glimpse into the mindset 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:06.240 needed for that five nights a week grind. He 00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:08.340 told David Tennant on his podcast. Oh, yeah, 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:10.559 I remember this. That he hoped the onscreen persona 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:13.700 was a close strain to his real self, someone 00:09:13.700 --> 00:09:16.200 trying to find joy. But he's also really honest, 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:18.399 saying you're not ever really being yourself 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:20.659 on screen like that. That's such a critical point. 00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:23.460 It confirms the cheerful, spontaneous host persona 00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:26.529 is. you know, a performance, a carefully calibrated 00:09:26.529 --> 00:09:28.830 one designed to connect with guests and a huge 00:09:28.830 --> 00:09:30.750 American audience. And that persona definitely 00:09:30.750 --> 00:09:33.289 helped his signature segments take off. Oh, absolutely. 00:09:33.509 --> 00:09:35.370 Especially the biggest one, the one that completely 00:09:35.370 --> 00:09:37.610 changed late night economics by generating views 00:09:37.610 --> 00:09:40.710 way beyond the TV broadcast. Yeah. Carpool Karaoke. 00:09:41.070 --> 00:09:43.429 And the origin is key, isn't it? It wasn't invented 00:09:43.429 --> 00:09:46.809 for CBS. No. It started as a red -nosed day sketch 00:09:46.809 --> 00:09:49.610 for Comic Relief back in 2011 with George Michael. 00:09:49.870 --> 00:09:53.049 That charity, low -stakes, singing -in -a -car 00:09:53.049 --> 00:09:55.649 vibe was perfect. Intimate. Intimate. So when 00:09:55.649 --> 00:09:57.429 he brought it to the Late Late Show, it just 00:09:57.429 --> 00:10:00.429 exploded. Perfect viral content. Completely. 00:10:00.450 --> 00:10:03.850 That one segment with Adele, January 2016. Yeah. 00:10:03.950 --> 00:10:05.850 The sources confirm it was the biggest YouTube 00:10:05.850 --> 00:10:09.070 viral video of the entire year. Yeah. Just staggering 00:10:09.070 --> 00:10:12.110 for a late night TV clip. Wow. And the list of 00:10:12.110 --> 00:10:14.509 people who did it just shows the power of the 00:10:14.509 --> 00:10:17.110 idea, giving these huge stars a relaxed, fun 00:10:17.110 --> 00:10:19.970 setting. singing their own songs. He got access 00:10:19.970 --> 00:10:21.850 to people who rarely did traditional interviews. 00:10:22.090 --> 00:10:24.370 Like who? The sources mentioned. Sir Elton John, 00:10:24.570 --> 00:10:27.090 Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Madonna, J -Lo, 00:10:27.190 --> 00:10:29.529 Harry Styles, Katy Perry. I mean, mega stars. 00:10:29.789 --> 00:10:31.769 A segment got so big it spun off into its own 00:10:31.769 --> 00:10:34.250 show on Apple TV plus Lyric. Apple Karaoke. Yeah. 00:10:34.289 --> 00:10:36.389 This series, yeah. Yeah. But the absolute peak, 00:10:36.549 --> 00:10:38.750 critically speaking, was that special with Paul 00:10:38.750 --> 00:10:41.549 McCartney. Ah. When Corden met McCartney live 00:10:41.549 --> 00:10:43.870 from Liverpool, that was something else. It really 00:10:43.870 --> 00:10:45.769 was. More than just a clip. It was like a 70 00:10:45.769 --> 00:10:49.049 -minute documentary. Music, biography, nostalgia. 00:10:49.470 --> 00:10:51.789 Yeah. It deservedly won the Primetime Emmy for 00:10:51.789 --> 00:10:54.710 Outstanding Variety Special in 2019. And the 00:10:54.710 --> 00:10:56.830 details made it so special. They didn't just 00:10:56.830 --> 00:10:59.250 sing Beatles songs in the car. No, they visited 00:10:59.250 --> 00:11:02.169 McCartney's childhood home, sang Penny Lane on 00:11:02.169 --> 00:11:03.830 Penny Lane. And they signed the street sign. 00:11:04.029 --> 00:11:06.230 They did. It felt like a genuine, really moving 00:11:06.230 --> 00:11:09.649 pilgrimage. Unforgettable TV. And all this success 00:11:09.649 --> 00:11:12.129 led to him hosting everything, didn't it? Tonys, 00:11:12.210 --> 00:11:15.710 Grammys. Hosted the Tonys twice, 2016 -2019, 00:11:16.110 --> 00:11:18.370 played to his theater roots. Hosted the Grammys 00:11:18.370 --> 00:11:22.169 twice, 2017 -2018, capitalizing on those carpool 00:11:22.169 --> 00:11:24.590 karaoke music connections. And the awards piled 00:11:24.590 --> 00:11:26.870 up for him personally, too. Oh, yeah. Over the 00:11:26.870 --> 00:11:29.570 eight years, 29 primetime Emmy nominations, won 00:11:29.570 --> 00:11:31.730 12 in total for the Late Late Show and Carpool 00:11:31.730 --> 00:11:34.570 Karaoke, plus that BAFTA Britannia Award for 00:11:34.570 --> 00:11:37.190 British Artist of the Year back in 2015, right 00:11:37.190 --> 00:11:39.529 as he started in the U .S. So that period, 2015 00:11:39.529 --> 00:11:42.850 to 2023, it was just intense, high volume, high 00:11:42.850 --> 00:11:45.590 visibility, constantly producing content. He 00:11:45.590 --> 00:11:49.090 was everywhere. Absolutely everywhere. But that 00:11:49.090 --> 00:11:52.690 level of exposure inevitably leads to intense 00:11:52.690 --> 00:11:55.669 scrutiny and some pretty significant critical 00:11:55.669 --> 00:11:59.289 failures, which brings us to part four, critical 00:11:59.289 --> 00:12:01.940 reception and the public incidents. Right. This 00:12:01.940 --> 00:12:04.340 is where the narrative takes a turn. If the stage 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:07.100 and late night were mostly triumphs, the sources 00:12:07.100 --> 00:12:09.679 are pretty clear that his film roles during this 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:12.399 time, well, they became a real problem critically. 00:12:12.940 --> 00:12:15.179 Let's start with the most notorious one, Cats, 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:18.740 2019. Oh, boy. The film itself got panned for 00:12:18.740 --> 00:12:21.360 the interesting visual effects. But Corden's 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.340 performance as Bustopher Jones was singled out, 00:12:23.419 --> 00:12:25.679 he got the Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor. 00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:27.600 And didn't Andrew Lloyd Webber say something? 00:12:27.940 --> 00:12:30.320 He did. The composer himself openly criticized 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:32.039 the performance, said he begged for it to be 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:34.360 cut. You can't get much harsher feedback than 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:37.539 that. Wow. Okay. But maybe even more complex 00:12:37.539 --> 00:12:40.120 was the reaction to his role in The Prom in 2020. 00:12:40.360 --> 00:12:42.679 Yeah, this one had layers. He played Barry Glickman. 00:12:43.019 --> 00:12:45.320 A gay man. Now, the sources note he got a Golden 00:12:45.320 --> 00:12:47.820 Globe nomination for it. Right. Best actor in 00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:50.340 a musical or comedy. But the performance drew 00:12:50.340 --> 00:12:53.720 widespread criticism, especially from film critics 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:56.779 and the LGBTQ community. And the criticism was 00:12:56.779 --> 00:13:00.840 about? The feeling was that it relied on broad 00:13:00.840 --> 00:13:04.000 kind of offensive stereotypes of gay white men. 00:13:04.419 --> 00:13:06.659 That it was caricature rather than character, 00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:09.059 which felt really often a film trying to celebrate 00:13:09.059 --> 00:13:11.080 that community. Vanity Fair had that brutal. 00:13:11.769 --> 00:13:13.870 One of the worst performances of the 21st century. 00:13:14.049 --> 00:13:16.730 It suggested he'd lost the subtlety he had in 00:13:16.730 --> 00:13:19.389 History Boys or Gavin and Stacey. That's a really 00:13:19.389 --> 00:13:22.090 interesting insight. Maybe that big, high -energy 00:13:22.090 --> 00:13:24.730 host persona just didn't translate well into 00:13:24.730 --> 00:13:27.590 nuanced film acting. It became caricature. It 00:13:27.590 --> 00:13:30.549 seems plausible. And that sort of misstep arguably 00:13:30.549 --> 00:13:33.850 continued with Cinderella in 2021, which he produced 00:13:33.850 --> 00:13:36.750 and starred in as one of the Mice James. What 00:13:36.750 --> 00:13:39.370 was the issue there? The criticism was more about 00:13:39.370 --> 00:13:41.860 the film's overall tone. The Independent called 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.820 it a hashtag girl boss fairy tale only a voracious 00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:47.120 capitalist could love. Kind of suggesting it 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.700 felt corporate and hollow, prioritizing celebrity 00:13:49.700 --> 00:13:52.039 over story. So the critique wasn't just film 00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:54.820 roles. Even bits on his own show came under fire. 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:58.159 Spill your guts or fill your guts. Right. That 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:01.340 segment got called out in 2021 for being, well... 00:14:01.559 --> 00:14:04.700 Culturally insensitive, maybe even racist. Using 00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:07.259 foods like baluts or chicken feet as things guests 00:14:07.259 --> 00:14:10.220 found disgusting and had to eat to avoid awkward 00:14:10.220 --> 00:14:13.220 questions. Yeah, I remember the backlash. Critics 00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:15.399 argued it played into harmful stereotypes and 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:18.539 food shaming. To his credit, Corden did respond. 00:14:18.860 --> 00:14:21.200 He acknowledged the criticism and agreed to change 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:24.200 the foods used in the segment. Okay, so all this 00:14:24.200 --> 00:14:27.600 intense public -focused films, TV segments, it 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:29.320 eventually spilled over into his personal behavior 00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:31.960 too, didn't it? That restaurant incident in 2022. 00:14:32.419 --> 00:14:35.299 Yeah, yes. Balthazar in New York. The owner, 00:14:35.460 --> 00:14:37.720 Keith McNally, publicly banned him temporarily. 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:41.379 Said Corden had been abusive and extremely nasty 00:14:41.379 --> 00:14:43.500 to staff over a mistake with his wife's order. 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:46.019 Not a good look. No. It showed maybe the pressure 00:14:46.019 --> 00:14:48.360 getting to him. The ban was lifted pretty quickly, 00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:50.879 but only after Corden apologized privately and 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.200 then publicly on his show. He admitted he'd been 00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:56.259 ungracious. It really highlights how tough it 00:14:56.259 --> 00:14:58.480 must be living under that constant spotlight 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:01.570 for eight years straight. Absolutely. And maybe 00:15:01.570 --> 00:15:03.710 that whole accumulation, the film criticism, 00:15:03.990 --> 00:15:06.929 the segment issues, the public incident, maybe 00:15:06.929 --> 00:15:09.269 it all fed into his next big move. Which was 00:15:09.269 --> 00:15:13.049 leaving the show. Exactly. April 2022, he announced 00:15:13.049 --> 00:15:16.049 he'd be leaving the Late Late Show in 2023. Wrapping 00:15:16.049 --> 00:15:18.029 up that eight year run seemed like a natural 00:15:18.029 --> 00:15:20.269 time to step away from that high pressure, high 00:15:20.269 --> 00:15:22.769 output role. So with the late night chapter closed, 00:15:22.950 --> 00:15:25.600 what's next? Let's get into part five. Looking 00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:28.840 forward, post -2023 and his personal life, what's 00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:31.679 the focus now he's out of the celebrity machine? 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.399 Well, the sources show a very clear, very deliberate 00:15:35.399 --> 00:15:38.539 pivot back to his roots, back to the stage, back 00:15:38.539 --> 00:15:40.820 to long -form writing. It doesn't feel like a 00:15:40.820 --> 00:15:42.659 retreat, more like a strategic return. He saw 00:15:42.659 --> 00:15:44.419 that straight away with his return to the London 00:15:44.419 --> 00:15:47.779 stage, right? Yep. Summer 2024, June to August, 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.679 he starred in a new political drama, The Constituent, 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:54.460 at the Old Vic. That serious, demanding, non 00:15:54.460 --> 00:15:56.600 -musical drama. And he's got another big stage 00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:59.220 role lined up. He does. He's set to star in art 00:15:59.220 --> 00:16:02.000 on Broadway in 2025. Another prestigious play. 00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:04.600 Choosing these shows really signals a preference 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:07.759 for character work over, say, big film spectacles. 00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:11.460 And the big one for UK fans. The return of Gavin 00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:14.379 and Stacey. The final episode. Yeah. He and Ruth 00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:16.659 Jones wrote it, starred in it. Scheduled for 00:16:16.659 --> 00:16:20.899 Christmas Day 2024 on BBC One. 17 years after 00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:22.980 it first started. That feels hugely significant. 00:16:23.259 --> 00:16:25.340 A return to that co -creation, that character 00:16:25.340 --> 00:16:27.259 focus. The thing that launched him initially. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:30.100 It really does. It emphasizes collaboration over 00:16:30.100 --> 00:16:33.059 hosting. And his upcoming film work seems lower 00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:36.659 key too. Mostly voice acting. Like in the Smurfs 00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:39.460 movie for 2025. Less scrutiny than live action 00:16:39.460 --> 00:16:41.759 musicals. Okay, and quickly on his personal life. 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:44.159 Just to ground him outside the fame. Married 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:47.100 to Julia Carey since 2012. Three kids. And had 00:16:47.100 --> 00:16:49.070 a nice connection back to his earlier days. He 00:16:49.070 --> 00:16:51.250 met his wife through Dominic Cooper, his old 00:16:51.250 --> 00:16:53.889 flatmate and History Boys co -star. Ah, brings 00:16:53.889 --> 00:16:56.309 it full circle. Kind of does. He's also a big 00:16:56.309 --> 00:16:59.049 football fan, supports West Ham United. And interestingly, 00:16:59.429 --> 00:17:01.490 he's part of the ownership group for Angel City 00:17:01.490 --> 00:17:04.789 FC, the women's football club in L .A. Shows 00:17:04.789 --> 00:17:06.890 an investment in U .S. culture beyond just Hollywood. 00:17:07.109 --> 00:17:08.750 And we should mention his actions during the 00:17:08.750 --> 00:17:11.349 pandemic, too. Good point. Paying the salaries 00:17:11.349 --> 00:17:15.289 of furloughed Late Late Show staff himself. Launching 00:17:15.289 --> 00:17:18.210 that big fundraiser with the NBA for Feed the 00:17:18.210 --> 00:17:21.200 Children. shows a sense of responsibility that 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:23.400 came with that U .S. platform. And finally, his 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:26.839 influences. Who shaped his comedy? It's a mix, 00:17:26.940 --> 00:17:29.200 according to the sources. British hosts like 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:32.079 Graham Norton, Chris Evans, Jonathan Ross, but 00:17:32.079 --> 00:17:33.920 also the American late -night legends, Conan 00:17:33.920 --> 00:17:36.440 O 'Brien, David Letterman, Stephen Colbert. You 00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:38.539 can see that blend in his show, can't you? The 00:17:38.539 --> 00:17:40.859 theatrical bits meet the big American production 00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:43.619 values. Definitely. So, okay, let's try and wrap 00:17:43.619 --> 00:17:46.769 this up. When you look at the whole career, It's 00:17:46.769 --> 00:17:49.130 quite a ride. It really is. From dedicated British 00:17:49.130 --> 00:17:51.690 stage actor to co -creating this beloved sitcom, 00:17:52.009 --> 00:17:54.890 then that tricky patch, followed by the huge 00:17:54.890 --> 00:17:57.309 Tony win, and then boom, U .S. late night host, 00:17:57.470 --> 00:18:00.329 global viral star. While simultaneously taking 00:18:00.329 --> 00:18:02.970 some serious critical hits for his movies, the 00:18:02.970 --> 00:18:05.589 sheer range and volume of work, acting, writing, 00:18:05.690 --> 00:18:09.400 singing, hosting across continents. Kind of staggering, 00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:11.680 really. For almost a decade, he was just ubiquitous, 00:18:11.700 --> 00:18:14.579 wasn't he? Nightly TV, YouTube dominance, hosting 00:18:14.579 --> 00:18:17.220 all the awards, just everywhere. He absolutely 00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:20.559 defined success by being everywhere. But now, 00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:24.259 post -Late Late Show, you see this really interesting, 00:18:24.380 --> 00:18:27.059 deliberate shift back. Back to British theater. 00:18:27.220 --> 00:18:29.470 Back to writing Gavin and Stacey. Which leaves 00:18:29.470 --> 00:18:31.390 us with the big question for you, the listener, 00:18:31.509 --> 00:18:34.549 to mull over. After defining this massive global 00:18:34.549 --> 00:18:37.230 phase by being constantly visible, constantly 00:18:37.230 --> 00:18:40.450 accessible, is this next phase going to be about 00:18:40.450 --> 00:18:42.250 something else? Yeah, like finding a different 00:18:42.250 --> 00:18:44.589 kind of creative satisfaction. Maybe something 00:18:44.589 --> 00:18:46.910 more focused, more demanding in terms of craft, 00:18:47.049 --> 00:18:48.869 like the stage or the writer's room. What does 00:18:48.869 --> 00:18:51.509 it mean when a global star steps back from that 00:18:51.509 --> 00:18:53.769 constant exposure and chooses the collaborative, 00:18:53.930 --> 00:18:56.730 detailed work that started it all? Something 00:18:56.730 --> 00:18:58.769 to think about as we see what he does in 2024 00:18:58.769 --> 00:18:59.569 and 2025.