7 Memorable Guests from The Late Late Show with James Corden
The nightly talk show, which Corden has hosted since 2015, airs for the final time Thursday on CBS.
It's almost your last chance to stay up late and catch The Late Late Show with James Corden. Thursday marks the final episode of the popular talk show.
Corden, who succeeded Craig Ferguson as host of the program in 2015, announced in April 2022 that he would be leaving in 2023 and intended to “go out with a bang” after eight seasons and countless laughs. Variety reported in February that Corden’s departure will mark the end of the show, with CBS planning to replace it with a reboot of the former Comedy Central faux game show @midnight.
Many stars have joined Corden, 44, in an array of zany games and sketches during his run behind the desk. Let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable guests from the host’s tenure.
Tom Hanks
It all started with Forrest Gump and Cast Away star Tom Hanks, who appeared as Corden’s first guest on March 23, 2015. Rather than simply sit on a couch and chat, Hanks acted out his filmography with Corden—with the help of a green screen—in about six minutes.
Corden would repeat the segment with other actors such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Samuel L. Jackson, and Matt Damon.
Tom Cruise
No guest has given Corden an adrenaline surge quite like actor Tom Cruise. After the pair went skydiving in 2018, they reunited in 2022 to promote Cruise’s film Top Gun: Maverick. A licensed pilot, Cruise took Corden for a couple of exciting—or, terrifying?—rides in real fighter jets. Back on land, the two naturally played a game of volleyball to pay homage to the original Top Gun from 1986.
Katie Couric
If Cruise’s aerial maneuvers didn’t send Corden’s heart racing, then Katie Couric’s April Fools Day prank from 2015 surely did. The longtime TV journalist sent out a stunt double to tumble down the audience steps during her introduction. Corden, thinking Couric had actually fallen, raced over to offer help before she let the host and the audience in on the joke. “I was like, ‘Oh my God. Katie Couric’s just died on my show,’” Corden said after sitting down to catch his breath.
Mariah Carey (and Many Others)
By far the show’s most iconic segment has been “Carpool Karaoke,” in which Corden invites the world’s biggest musicians to perform their hit songs while driving around, usually in Los Angeles. One of the most memorable examples featured Mariah Carey performing her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” in 2016. Make that Mariah Carey and a host of other pop stars like Lady Gaga, Adele, Gwen Stefani, and Selena Gomez, who all surprised fans by singing along in clips from their respective karaoke sessions. A special gift, indeed.
Dame Helen Mirren
Academy Award–winner Helen Mirren was the “dame who doesn’t give a damn” in a memorable edition of “Drop the Mic” in January 2018. In a rap battle that got surprisingly personal, Mirren and Corden alternated verbal barbs about their respective careers. “I hit home runs, you should stay on the bench. I’m not playing around, like you’re not Dame Judi Dench,” Corden quipped.
“This battle is fun, I’m glad that you asked,” Mirren retorted. “It’s the only bit you didn’t find in Jimmy Fallon’s trash.”
Prince Harry
Corden has been friends with Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for years and attended their wedding in 2018. According to E!, they have even scheduled play dates for their children at Harry and Meghan’s home in Montecito, California.
So it’s no surprise that Harry appeared on The Late Late Show, doing an interview with Corden during a double-decker bus ride through Los Angeles in February 2021. The British royal discussed his courtship of Meghan, the couple’s decision to move to the United States, and being a father to Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Harry Styles
Singer and actor Harry Styles has made multiple appearances on The Late Late Show and even served as guest host in 2017 when Corden’s wife, Julia, went into labor. He will be Corden’s guest on Thursday’s final episode, along with actor Will Ferrell.
Styles famously lost a game of “Tattoo Roulette” with Corden and his One Direction bandmates in 2015 and has the show logo inked on his left arm as a result.
According to People, the pair have been friends since they were introduced through One Direction bandmate Louis Tomlinson’s late mother in 2010.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
