James Corden drew widespread praise for his performance in the Broadway revival of the 1994 comedy Art, leaving the Music Box Theatre on opening night to positive reviews and a beaming smile alongside his wife, Julia Carey.
The 47-year-old British actor was photographed departing the theatre in a casual denim shirt, jeans and trainers while Carey, 49, wore an asymmetrical burgundy dress and strappy heels. Corden stars in the production opposite Bobby Cannavale and Neil Patrick Harris; the play, which explores friendship, ego and modern art, marks his return to the U.S. stage since his Tony Award-winning turn in One Man, Two Guvnors in 2012. The couple, married in 2012, have three children: son Max, 13, and daughters Carey, 10, and Charlotte, 7.
Critical response singled out Corden’s comic timing and physicality. The Guardian called him “superb, a perfectly calibrated level of hysterical, sincere and crisp,” and recounted an extended monologue that drew sustained applause. The Times urged theatregoers to consider a flight to New York for Corden’s performance, noting his whizzy physical exuberance. Variety said Corden’s turn “reasserts him as a major theatre actor,” while The New York Times described him as “often a lot more than that” among the three leads. The Wrap quoted an extended scene in which his character unspools a long, fraught speech, saying the performance “screams, ‘Give me the Tony!’” and the Daily Beast called it “a masterclass of comedy.”
Corden had acknowledged pre-show nerves in recent months. Speaking at a 92Y Talks event in August, he said he had been suffering stage fright and “woke up every single morning sweating” about a speech in the play, adding that he practiced by listening to a recording of the passage as he tried to sleep.
Opening-night attendees included a number of high-profile figures from film and fashion. Photographs from the red carpet showed Goldie Hawn, Jodie Foster — who attended with her son Charles — Paul Rudd, and former Vogue editor Anna Wintour among the audience. Neil Patrick Harris arrived with his husband, David Burtka, and their 15-year-old twins, Gideon and Harper. Cast and behind-the-scenes contributors, including producer Jordan Roth, were also present.
Corden’s absence from recent U.K. events briefly made headlines earlier this year. He did not attend the National Television Awards ceremony where Gavin & Stacey — the sitcom he co-created with Ruth Jones — won Best Comedy. Jones and other cast members accepted the award in London.
Outside the current production, Jones and Corden are reported to be developing a new comedy series that will be produced for Apple TV+. A person close to the production told reporters that the deal covers 10 episodes with an all-British cast, that filming is scheduled to begin next year, and that the episodes are not expected to arrive until 2027. The source said the new series will not feature the original Gavin & Stacey characters.
Art’s opening has been framed by reviewers as a notable moment in Corden’s post–Late Late Show career. Critics and audiences on opening night focused on his blend of physical comedy and extended monologue work, and several reviews suggested the performance could position him for further theatrical recognition in the season ahead.