James Corden has commented on the lack of opportunities for plus-size actors and actresses, particularly in romantic roles.
Speaking on David Tennant’s podcast, James shared his experiences from the acting world, admitting “chubby or fat or big” people ”never really fall in love… never have sex” on screen.
“Certainly no-one really ever finds you attractive,” he explained. “You will be good friends with people who are attractive and often will be a great sense of comfort to them and perhaps chip in with the odd joke every now and again.
“As you get older you’ll probably be a judge in something or you’ll be dropping off a television to a handsome person in a sitcom. And that’s really how it can feel. It felt like if the world of entertainment was a big banquet table, people are like, ‘there isn’t a seat for you here’.”
James went on to say that it was the lack of roles available to him that pushed him into writing, eventually leading to the hugely successful sitcom Gavin & Stacey.
He recalled: “I was in this play [The History Boys] with seven other boys who were at a similar age and a similar place in our careers.
“And pretty much every day, three or four of these boys would come in with this massive film script under their arm.”
Revealing that when two of them were sent offers to audition for leading roles in the same movie, he was “sent just two pages to play a newsagent at the start of this film”.
“I really felt like people were going, ‘We think you’re quite good. It’s just because of what you look like’,” he admitted.
His former Fat Friends co-star Lisa Riley made similar comments last year, calling for more representation of plus-size stars on screen.
She said: “The TV industry is changing and people are more accepting of different body shapes on screen these days.
“But I’d still love to see an overweight nurse or midwife on telly. Trust me, when I spent time in hospital there was not a single size 6 nurse – and that is not what’s being portrayed in medical dramas.”
Listen to James’ full interview on David Tennant Does A Podcast With.