Rob Marshall has praised James Corden’s "unbelievable" talents.
The ‘Into the Woods’ director has expressed his delight at working with the 36-year-old star – who took on the role of The Baker – and his on-screen wife Emily Blunt, revealing he couldn’t consider anybody else for the roles following their auditions.
He said: "James is extraordinary. I mean the range of this man is unbelievable. He has this incredible comedic sensibility and physical comedy which is so deep and so vulnerable and so amazing as The Baker and Emily walked in and said, ‘This role is mine’. I’ve never seen anything like it."
And although the 31-year-old actress insists those weren’t her exact words, Marshall claims he can’t imagine having casted anyone else as The Baker’s wife.
He continued: "She came in and sang … And claimed the role and the warmth, the joy, the depth that she brings to the role … The humour – it’s extraordinary. I don’t know anybody else who could do that."
The 54-year-old filmmaker also commented on the mix of British and American actors in the Disney musical and admitted that while it was unintentional, he enjoyed the Transatlantic atmosphere.
Marshall added: "It didn’t start out like that at all. I honestly cast the greatest people for the roles – that was number on for me.
"We also had to do no work in terms of casting because people came in and claimed the roles. I asked Meryl (Streep) to do this and I asked Johnny Depp to do it but everyone else auditioned and everyone else came in and read through or sang through.
"It’s really lined up in this beautiful way where we had this sort of multicultural cast and I loved it.
"I ended up with the most extraordinary cast and I have to say everybody sitting at this table is a dream for me to work with."