He is one of Britain’s greatest success stories, known for his hilarious presenting role on stateside sensation The Late, Late Show and his acting career.
And James Corden has opened up about his difficult early days of fame, being different in the world of celebrity his family life and being an LGBT+ ally in a candid new interview with Attitude Magazine.
On media coverage of his partying in the noughties, the 39-year-old admitted to ‘feeling lost’ after going through a relationship break-up just before his breakthrough role as Smithy in Gavin and Stacey, starting in 2007.
Candid: James Corden has opened up about his difficult early days of fame, being different in the world of celebrity his family life and being an LGBT+ ally in a candid new interview with Attitude Magazine
He said: ‘There is nobody on Planet Earth who hasn’t felt a bit lost at some point. I’d broken up with my girlfriend of eight years, which in itself would be something massive to come out of, and then Gavin & Stacey happened about four months later.
‘Any one of those things alone would be a disruption in your life. Both at the same time is just like dropping a bomb on your world…
‘But in truth that can be a wonderful thing for you in the long-term; you’ve got to go and explore all the things that you might want to explore in order to find out what you really want.’
The star also spoke about feeling an affinity with the LGBT+ community, saying: ‘I’ve always looked different, not the societal ideal, but I’ve never felt like an outsider to the extent that my gay friends have felt.
Party time: On media coverage of his partying in the noughties, the 39-year-old admitted to ‘feeling lost’ after going through a relationship break-up just before his breakthrough role as Smithy in Gavin and Stacey, starting in 2007
Out now: The full interview with James can be found in the April edition of Attitude, with James and Courtney Act appearing on dual covers
‘It would be naive of me to think I have. It comes back to the family as that’s where you’re educated; it’s the people around you and the house you grew up in that shapes your views.
‘No one is born wanting to dislike anyone, and my parents wanted to accept everyone.’
James recently welcomed his third child with wife Julia Carey and discussed teaching his children about gay relationships.
He said: ‘They haven’t brought it up, but we have lots of gay friends – like our friends Chris and Mark – who have come over a lot and stayed with us.
‘I think my son has never questioned it as it’s always been there.
‘And if he did, I would know what those answers were, which is that these are simply two men that really love each other in the same way I love Mummy and Grandma loves Grandad and that’s it.’
James and Julia have been married for five years, and parents to son Max, six, and daughters Carey three and Charlotte, two months.
The couple recently admitted that the timing of their youngest child’s arrival took them by surprise, as she came along two weeks earlier than they’d expected.
Smitten: James and wife Julia Carey have been married for five years, and parents to son Max, six, and daughters Carey three and Charlotte, two months