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James Corden Was Beached for The Whale

Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Prime Video

Just days after James Corden revealed had he auditioned to play Samwise in The Lord of the Rings films, there is more breaking almost-Corden news. Corden told Deadline reporter Pete Hammond during a screening of Mammals that he auditioned and got the role of Charlie (played by Brendan Fraser) in The Whale when Tom Ford was set to direct the picture. However, as Ford wanted more control of the project, Corden fell out of the film, especially as George Clooney’s interest grew and eventually shrank (Clooney allegedly wanted to cast an unknown actor). Director Darren Aronofsky confirmed the story to Hammond of what could’ve been a Corden-filled film. However, it was Fraser’s time to shine. Corden moved on to host The Late Late Show, terrorize a New York City restaurant, and eventually star in another project named after a more general kind of animal, Mammals.

James Corden Was Beached for The Whale