James Corden Teases Huge Tony Awards Open: We May Have Bit Off 'More Than We Could Chew' (Exclusive)

The 'Late Late Show' host wanted to go big for the 'most talented people on earth.'

Expect an ambitious opening from Tony Awards host James Corden

ET spoke with the late night host amid awards show rehearsals at New York City's Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, where he confessed that his "big open" still needed a bit of work. 

"We're going to try and open with a big open, which if I'm honest today, feels like it might be a mistake. I feel like we may have probably bitten off a little more than we can chew," Corden said. "It isn't necessarily going to plan, but I hope so much we'll figure it out." 

"We're going to try and make a show that will celebrate these incredible performers and everything they've done over the last 12 months," he added. "This room on Sunday night is going to be full of, without question, some of the most talented people on planet earth. There is nobody that comes close to their level of talent, so they deserve to be celebrated. I'm honored to be part of that celebration, and they deserve the minimum one night on television to celebrate this incredible thing they do."

Corden joked that "not one" of his celebrity co-stars from the upcoming film adaptation of Cats will be at Sunday's Tony Awards, but he's got a lot of support behind him. 

"It's certainly a community that I know very well, and they are amongst the most welcoming and kind group of people you could ever wish to be around. So in that respect, it's almost impossible not to feel supported by that community," he shared. "I've only ever been to the Tony awards that last time I hosted [in 2016] or the time I won [in 2012, for One Man, Two Guvnors], so I'm very excited to be here, in what I consider to be one of the most beautiful venues in the world."

In two weeks, Corden will be hitting up another epic venue, as "The Late Late Show" heads to London. "We have some massive things planned, some big guests," he teased, adding that Tom Hanks, Millie Bobby Brown, Sophie Turner, Jake Gyllenhaal and more will be making appearances. "It's going to be a fun week at the 'Late Late Show.'"

The 73rd Annual Tony Awards air Sunday on CBS. 

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