Into the Woods Interview: Emily Blunt and James Corden #IntoTheWoodsEvent

Hi, Mums… that’s how we were greeted by the charming James Corden (The Baker) during our interview with him and Emily Blunt (The Baker’s Wife) in Los Angeles to promote Disney’s Into the Woods. I’ll admit, before watching Into the Woods I had never heard of James Corden. Get ready America because you’re about to see a whole lot more of this English actor as he is set to take over as the host of The Late Late Show in March. He couldn’t be more perfect for the job.
After learning James is a new father with a five week old and three and a half year old, we watched and listened as Emily instructed him on removing the blackberry from his teeth. “This is it. This is our relationship.” said Emily. It was such fun watching them and the great chemistry they have as good friends.

Emily found out she was expecting a baby the same time she found out she had gotten the part as The Baker’s Wife. We asked her what it was like being seven months pregnant on set and if it was easy to hide from the camera. “I forgot how much running around this woman does in the woods. Like, I body slam into Anna Kendrick like a linebacker, and she’s a tiny person. I almost killed her.” Emily laughed. Emily said they had a chair on set called Emily Blunt’s Pregnancy Chair but she said she often found Chris Pine sitting in it. haha!

James and Emily said they actually had to take a bread making class for the movie. Besides, they do play The Baker’s Wife and The Baker in Into the Woods. Bakers came in and taught them how to bake for four hours or so. “An absolute waste of everybody’s time.” said James laughing. They said they actually did bake bread and take it home. James said it was amazing, phenomenal! Emily said she gave some to her Mom and she loved it.

We asked them if the parenting methods or what happens in the film has influenced them on how they parent or what not to do as a parent. Here’s a great quote from James on his thoughts, “I think there’s an honesty in the film which has made me want to be more honest with my children from the get-go. That’s the message in the film – be careful what wish for, and sometimes the very thing you wish for is not the thing that you need in a world where we seem to have told children that this happily ever after does exist, and we all know it doesn’t.” Emily added, “No one is more perceptive than a child.” That is for sure! I love the hidden messages in the film. Emily also said, “I feel that it’s important to teach your children that life is not always going to be easy and that is what this film is about.”

Speaking of teaching our children that life is not going to be easy, James shared how he has discussed moving to another country with his son. He said the only thing you can be with your children is honest. This is so true. I think people often tell their children what they want to hear to shield them from getting hurt. I honestly do not think this is helping them in any way. They may be happy for the moment but they are going to grow up thinking life is too easy. James said a child psychologist helped him with what to say to his son about leaving the home and school he knows. James told his son (about moving), “I know, buddy. It sucks, but I promise you we’re all in it together, and I feel sad about it, too, but there might be great things that we get to do, and this is an adventure that we’re all gonna go on together. All you really need to do is just be honest and go, you’re not a child. You’re just a person. You are a person.” I think this is great advice and a great way to teach our children that although life is hard we can get through things together.

We absolutely love the chemistry James and Emily have both on and off-screen. Emily said, “That’s part of working with each other. I’ve known James for eight or nine years almost? We met at a polo match in England. We really got along and, and we had too much to drink, and we sang… Something Stupid by Frank Sinatra.” Emily said she was so relieved when Rob Marshall (director) told her James Corden was playing the part of The Baker. She said she knew the couple (The Baker and The Baker’s Wife) needed to have a real lifelong, shorthand chemistry, ease with one another that you believed in.

We asked Emily and James how it was working with the kids (Lilla Crawford and Daniel Huttlestone) on set. They said they were both incredibly talented, gifted and brilliant to be around all day. Lilla Crawford (Little Red Riding Hood) was doing eight shows a week playing Annie on Broadway. Emily said, “This is a girl who knows how to punch in and go to work, and show up, and be professional, and when she opens her mouth, she has a voice like a trumpet. And Daniel (Jack) was completely unflappable, like, the coolest kid.” James said their first day of shooting was the “Giants in the Sky” song, which was his favorite song in the movie. James said, “He’s [Daniel Huttlestone] so gifted, musically. He would sit down at a piano, and he’ll play these ukulele- he’s, he’s the real deal. He really, really is.” Emily chimed in, “And he has the best hair ever.” Emily said Meryl Streep had a lot of fun with Daniel, especially since he told them he was into older women.

James and Emily gave one of the funniest interviews ever! There were such a joy! James shared a little about being offered The Late Late Show and what it meant for his family. I loved that he shared with us one of the reasons he took the offer was because he was tired of missing out on his children and family. He said, “Here is someone offering me a job where I get to be creative every day, I get to have fun every day and at the end of every day, I get to go home and be a present father and husband. That was the thing that tipped it over, really, is just to be around, and I feel very lucky to have such an opportunity.”
Today I was lucky enough to meet the mommy bloggers and I gotta tell you. They are AWESOME!
— Jkcorden (@JKCorden) December 19, 2014
Be sure to check out our other great interviews for Into the Woods:
Into the Woods Interview: Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski and Tracey Ullman
Into the Woods Interview: Anna Kendrick and Director Rob Marshall
10 Reasons to See Disney’s Into the Woods

9 responses to “Into the Woods Interview: Emily Blunt and James Corden #IntoTheWoodsEvent”
This looks like such a great movie! And crazy the two actors are having children so close together. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to be pregnant AND film.
This was a fun post! I’ve really been wanting to see Into The Woods. It’s one of my favorite shows and I’ve heard great things about the new movie.
What a fun experience! I can’t wait to see the movie!
What a fun experience for you. I wish I could go to a set and meet the actors someday.
What an awesome awesome experience. Not jealous at all, nope not me. 😉 Can’t wait to see it!
Oh how fun. So jealous! And I cannot wait to see this movie! Looks like a really good one.
This looks like a really great movie! Looking forward to watching it!
Sounds like a fun interview. You can just tell they are happy people. I can’t wait to see the movie!
I can’t wait to see this movie, it looks awesome! i know my oldest daughter wants to see it as well.