James Corden (born James Kimberley Corden; 18 August 1978) is an English BAFTA-winning actor, writer and producer. He co-created and stars in the BBC One/BBC Three comedy Gavin and Stacey.
Biography
Corden grew up in Hazlemere, a suburb of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. He studied drama as a young boy at Jackie Palmer Stage School and then attended Holmer Green Senior School in Holmer Green near High Wycombe and the Misbourne School, in Great Missenden. Corden was not a serious student and did not attend university.
On Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2 November 2007) he confirmed that he was dating the actress Sheridan Smith, however, on 11 March 2008, after having flirted with Lily Allen on her chatshow, she asked if he was single, to which he replied, 'Its complicated', he was later also seen leaving a comedy gig with Allen, but has denied that they are dating.
Corden is a fan of West Ham United, which causes conflict with his Gavin and Stacey co-star Mathew Horne, who is a Tottenham Hotspur fan. Following an appearance on Soccer AM in January 2007, Corden revealed that he has attended many West Ham United games with fellow supporter Russell Brand.
Career
Corden waited eight years for his first part, a dancer in the West End:
"I never worked at all, I don't know why. I think it was the best thing that could have happened to me because it taught me about rejection from a really early age. At the time it was awful, all my friends were getting parts in paint adverts and stuff."
His first role was in the musical Martin Guerre. He then starred in the British television series Fat Friends as Jamie Rymer, and played Gareth Jones in the series Boyz Unlimited. His TV work includes a role playing a bookish student in Teachers (Series 1, 2000) and he also made a guest appearance in Little Britain. Corden's film credits include Mike Leigh's All or Nothing (2002).
Corden played a small part in Channel 4/T4's Hollyoaks. He played a caretaker of the local college briefly around 2001-2. In an August 2008 interview he commented on his disdain of the programme and members of the cast.
Corden played the role of Timms in the original London stage production of Alan Bennett's play The History Boys, as well as in the Broadway, Sydney, Wellington and Hong Kong productions and radio and film versions of the play. Corden stars in the BBC Three comedy Gavin & Stacey that he co-wrote with his Fat Friends co-star Ruth Jones. As well as a second series for the BBC, Corden will act as executive producer for an NBC pilot of an American version of the show.
Corden guest hosted Big Brother's Big Mouth with his Gavin & Stacey co-star Mathew Horne in August 2007. Corden and Horne were the permanent hosts for the Big Brother's Big Mouth series running alongside E4's Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack in January 2008. He appears in the forthcoming film of Toby Young's autobiography How To Lose Friends and Alienate People and series two of Gavin & Stacey. He cohosted the Whats on Stage Awards ceremony in 2008.
In February 2008 he shot a BBC pilot, Hey, Hey, We're The Monks. He will collaborate with Horne on a new sketch show named Horne and Corden, a "traditional" comedy show in the style of Morecambe and Wise as well as the film Lesbian Vampire Killers.
In an interview with Esquire Magazine in August 2008, Corden said he would rather die than go back to appear on Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks because he has a sheer disdain for the place and the people, saying: "I met a couple of really good friends there, but it's (only) 20% nice people."
Recognition & Awards
Corden was nominated for the 2000 RTS Award for Network Newcomer — On Screen for his work on Fat Friends.
Corden won Best Male Comedy Newcomer and Gavin & Stacey won Best New British Television Comedy at the 2007 British Comedy Awards.
At the 2008 Television BAFTAs, Corden won the BAFTA for Best Comedy Performance. Also, Gavin and Stacey won the Sky+ Audience Award for Programme of the Year, the only award at the ceremony voted for by the public, beating the likes of The Apprentice and Britain's Got Talent
