James Corden has revealed he is “terrified” as he prepares to take the stage in the Broadway comedy Art, marking his return to the US just two years after moving back to the UK from Los Angeles.

From Oxfordshire to New York

Corden and his wife, Julia Carey, had been living in Oxfordshire after his run as host of The Late Late Show ended. They even secured permission in April last year to demolish a 1960s home they purchased in the county, despite objections from the local council and English Heritage. Now, Corden has made another transatlantic move to star alongside Neil Patrick Harris and Bobby Cannavale in Art.

Facing the Stage Fright

Speaking at the 92Y Talks event in New York City on August 6, Corden admitted, “I am terrified by this entire experience. I’ve woken up every single morning sweating, thinking about this speech I have in the middle of the play. I go to sleep listening to a recording of it.”

The 46-year-old confessed that he sometimes wishes he had one of the other two roles in the play. “It has to be terrifying. Isn’t that the thrill of it — to be completely out of your comfort zone? You’re only nervous when you care about something. Nerves are the greatest privilege you can have going to work.”

Admiration for His Co-Stars

Corden also praised his co-stars Harris and Cannavale, saying their first table read left him “in awe.” “These two are unbelievable. I was blown away by how accomplished and how good they were. I thought, ‘This might be a mistake. I probably shouldn’t be doing this.’”

A High-Stakes Return

For Corden, the nerves are part of the process — a sign that the work matters. As he settles back into American life and into the demanding rhythms of Broadway, his candid admission of fear underscores both the challenge and the excitement of taking on a role outside his comfort zone.