James Corden, the future host of CBS’ “Late Late Show” (he starts March 23), sounds a little fatigued, which makes sense under the circumstances. He is the new father of a 3-week-old baby, who is 5,400 miles away in the U.K. He is navigating reporters and critics in Los Angeles wondering about his new film, “Into the Woods,” which opened Christmas Day. And he is also involved with promoting “The Wrong Mans” — the BBC Two comedy/drama series that he co-created and stars in with close friend Mathew Baynton — which recently began streaming on Hulu.com. The series is about a pair of office co-workers, Sam (Baynton) and Phil (Corden), who become unwittingly involved in a violent international spy-versus-spy conspiracy. I recently chatted with the Brit on the phone:
The first episode of “The Wrong Mans” ends up in a prison — that’s certainly a major life alteration for the boys.
We did have the idea of setting the whole season in a prison; we realized this season was going to be shown at Christmas and realized that Christmas is all about going home.
Will there be another season?
Maybe, but at some point I have to go and make this other show (on CBS) for a bit. But I hope at some point we’ll be able to.
I read that taking the “Late Show” gig allows you to be closer to your family (Corden’s wife and two children will relocate from Britain to Los Angeles).
I’m a husband and father to two children, and someone offered me a chance to be in one place and come home every day after work and be a consistent and present father and husband, which is the single hardest thing you could ever possibly get in this industry. … I can’t think of a single greater reason (to do this). No kid has ever sat through a therapy session saying, ‘My dad was around too much when I was growing up,’ or ‘My parents gave me too many cuddles.’ “
You’ve never really done exactly this before, of course. What are the challenges?
I don’t know if I’m capable, but I’d certainly rather do it than have regrets or playing it safe. Plus, (it beats) this idea of being in films, where essentially you are just auditioning and auditioning from one to the next, and you’re at the mercy of directors and producers and critics and awards panels. Besides, I’m not just going to sit at a desk and ask questions every day, but am going to try my hardest to make a variety show every day. There will be music and skits and songs and dancing — everything, but I’m not going to just be sitting there with a celebrity and say, ‘Tell me your funny story about that time in Venice …’ “
Has anyone like David Letterman or Craig Ferguson given you advice?
No, but everyone has been incredibly nice — I like Letterman very, very much, and Jimmy Fallon has reached out to me, and I had a few long chats with Stephen Colbert, and Craig has been particularly amazing. He said you’re going to have a blast — you’re going to love some days when you feel like you’re the luckiest man on the planet, and then there will be other days when you don’t know what you’re doing.
