James Corden & Mathew Baynton on acting

James Corden and Mathew Baynton, the duo behind crime comedy The Wrong Mans, share their thoughts on acting. From comparing their craft to plumbing to advising you should “always feel that you can learn” here’s what they had to say…

Corden shares the positive effects of feeling nervous. And explains why it’s good to feel emotion: “I’m of the feeling that nerves are a good thing and you’re only ever nervous when you want to do your best. When you care about something.” However, he speaks frankly about his own experience and warns against taking nerves too far. “If I ever got very, very nervous, I would get very, very sort of arrogant. The more nervous I would feel, the more I would have a swagger,” he adds.

Baynton agrees nerves can be useful, saying: “I think nerves are really good. I think they’re great for work, when you’ve got the job, sometimes they’re not so good when you’re auditioning.” He also shares a top piece of advice director Cal McCrystal told him: “[When] you go in, you haven’t got the job. If you leave and you haven’t got the job, your life has not changed, so think of it that way. You can come out with a job, your life has changed for the better. But if you don’t get it then what’s different?.” This is something he keeps in mind when auditioning to push through nerves.

As well as honing your acting skills, Baynton shares it’s important to remember your people skills. He explains: “people forget that it’s a trade like any other. And it’s not just what you do in front of the camera, it’s about whether you’re a pleasure to work with. You get work by doing a good job and by being someone who people want around on their film set. So treat everyone with equal respect and be punctual and be well prepared.”

He further explains the best way to approach professionalism as an actor is to consider manners like in any other career. “My advice if anything is to treat it like a trade. If you need your sink fixed by a plumber, there are tons of plumbers that can fix your sink but the one you’d get back to do another job is the one who’s been really nice,” he says.

Corden describes his biggest piece of advice when being professional on set is keeping in mind why you became an actor. He says: “The important thing is to remember the very reason you’re there. Which is that you wanted to act and wanted to play these characters and wanted to say these words, and not really get sucked in or seduced by the things that go around that.” On a lighter note, he adds when you’re on set, “they’re long days, so try and change your socks around 3 o’clock… you get a little burst of energy.” 

Bayton’s top tip is to watch and learn from more experienced actors and crew members on set. He says: “in almost every job I’ve had, there’s been someone great that you get to watch. Don’t miss those opportunities. It’s an endless privilege to work with brilliant people and there’s always something you can learn.” 

• For more inspiring Q&As from the worlds of film, games and TV, check out our resources section.