According to the director of 'One Chance', he and film bosses only ever had one person in mind for the role of Paul Potts in the big screen telling of how he came to win 'Britain's Got Talent', in cinemas later this week.
Studio exec Harvey Weinstein had seen James Corden in his star turn on stage in 'One Man Two Guvnors' and thought he'd be perfect.
And so James Corden steps up for his first lead role in a major studio film. At the premiere, his friend Gary Barlow said he thought they should be making a film about Corden. As well he might. Just how has he gone in seven short years to such success on TV, stage and now the big screen? Here's a quick flick through his catalogue of hits as we chart his six steps to stardom...
2006: The History Boys:
One of Corden's first forays onto the big screen, he was one of Richard 'Uncle Monty' Griffiths' pupils both on stage and in the screen adaptation of Alan Bennett's tragi-comedy. And, in a great bonus ball, the film kickstarted his great friendship with co-star Dominic Cooper.
2007 - 2010: Gavin and Stacey
Along with Ruth Jones, Corden wrote and co-starred in his own series, BBC Three sitcom 'Gavin & Stacey'. The pair played two friends of the title characters, and it was well received critically and commercially. The show won two BAFTA Awards in 2008, including one for Corden for Best Male Comedy Performance.
2009/10/11: Comic Relief
In March 2009, he appeared in a sketch for Comic Relief giving the England football team a motivational talk, but it was his turn in the 2011 follow-up that seemed to seal his place in the nation's hearts. When he took on his Gavin and Stacey role of Smithy in a Red Nose Day sketch, with cameo appearances from Gordon Brown to George Michael, it was considered the highlight of the night, and scored more than two million hits on YouTube.
2009/2011/2012: Brit Awards presenter
First sharing hosting duties with Matthew Horne and Kylie Minogue, most recently on his own, sometimes perched on Nick Grimshaw's knee, othertimes having to apologise for cutting Adele off mid-flow, Corden has become a stalwart of the British music industry's biggest night. How did this happen?
2011/12: One Man, Two Guvnors
From the podium to the stage, with the lead role in hit comedy play 'One Man, Two Guvnors'. Rave reviews for his turn on the London stage, as well as an Evening Standard gong for Best Play, secured its transfer to Broadway, along with Corden, who promptly proved a victorious underdog, snatching the Tony Award for Best Lead Actor.
2013: One Chance
And here he is, in a lead role, in a feature film about a man who dared to dream large. Harvey Weinstein, whose company is lending its pushing power to 'One Chance', says of Corden, "James Corden is definitely up for a Golden Globe or Oscar it's that kind of performance." Another fairytale ending?
'One Chance' is in UK cinemas from Friday.