James Corden does not consider himself to be “cool enough” to be in one of Michael Winterbottom’s films.

The star is the co-writer of Gavin And Stacey, a Tony winner and now a late night talk show host in the US, but he still doubts he would be cast by the English filmmaker, who has worked with comics such as Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan.

He told Rolling Stone: “I don’t think I’m cool enough for a Michael Winterbottom film.”

Michael Winterbottom (Joel Ryan/Invision)
Michael Winterbottom (Joel Ryan/Invision)

In the interview, James opened up about struggling to break into the industry when he was an unknown and using humour to tackle playground bullies.

“If you’re big at school, you’ve really got two choices,” he said.

“You’re going to be a target. If you go to school and you’re me, you go, ‘Right, I’m just going to make myself a bigger target. My confidence, it will terrify them.’

“That’s how I felt in school. Inside, you’re terrified. But if you’re a bit funny, if you’re quicker than them, they won’t circle back on you again.”

James Corden  (Evan Agostini/AP/PA)
James Corden (Evan Agostini/AP/PA)

Referring to the way the industry treats people who are not thin or beautiful, he said: “I could never understand when I watch romantic comedies the notion that for some reason unattractive or heavy people don’t fall in love.

“If they do, it’s in some odd, kooky, roundabout way – and it’s not. It’s exactly the same.”

He added: “I met my wife; she barely owned a television and worked for Save The Children. We sat down one night and we fell in love and that was it.”