James Corden Didn't Step Foot In A Kitchen To Prepare For His Chef Role
Late-night talk show host James Corden has done Broadway and films and has a Tony Award to show for it (per Britannica). Like any professional actor, Corden has prepared for a role to look convincing. When he starred in a movie version of "Into the Woods," he rehearsed baking for four hours to play a baker, according to USA Today. It wasn't all for show either, as he ended up with bread that he baked at home. Despite his efforts, "Zero of it is in the film. There is not a single moment," he told USA Today. That might have been discouraging, but he's had other chances to cook on camera.
On "The Late Late Show," he competed against internet cooking show host Brooklyn Beckham (the son of celebs David and Victoria Beckham) in a challenge to cook steak and fries. Corden lost but received a score of "four out of five" for his steak (via YouTube). However, the British actor wasn't expected to look like a pro in the kitchen. Beckham, on the other hand, has been criticized for his cooking show, which has been said to have a TV-worthy crew, because he's not a trained chef and allegedly has not displayed strong culinary skills (via the New York Post). Now, Corden stars in a new dark comedy series "Mammals," where he plays a professional chef. Yet he approached the role without stepping foot in a kitchen to prepare.
The show is about so much more than cooking
James Corden the TV host becomes Jamie the chef in "Mammals." The Guardian describes the show as "a study in wounded masculinity as a family tragedy unspools into revelations about the unfaithfulness of [Jamie's] wife." Jamie also encounters problems at his restaurant, like getting into a workplace altercation with a "superior chef" that mistreats him and other staff (per the New York Times). People magazine wanted to know if Corden spent time working in the kitchen for the role. He admitted, "Well, in truth, not really, because it's a very small part of the show really." Corden added that his character is "just at a point in his life where everything is coming to a head."
Still, some might wonder if the multi-talented actor is pulling from real-life inspiration for this role. Corden weathered restaurant drama when he got banned and then unbanned from NYC's Balthazar over an omelet. In that case, he was accused of mistreating restaurant staff after his wife, who has an egg white allergy, reportedly received an omelet that contained it. A major life change is also headed his way. Corden announced he will be leaving "The Late Late Show" without providing further details about his career plans moving forward, according to NPR.