August 26, 2025 • 39 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actor Corey Mylchreest who captured the world with his break-out role as King George in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, the prequel to the hit Netflix series, Bridgerton. He also recently starred opposite Sofia Carson in My Oxford Year which instantly shot to the #1 spot globally upon its debut. And out now, you can catch Corey in the high-stakes political thriller, Hostage on Netflix. Today, Corey opens up about why playing King George was so special to him, how he handled his life changing so fast and furiously, if there is any truth to a possible second season of Queen Charlotte, what attracts him to playing vulnerable men, the emotional toll it can take, how he formed chemistry with Sofia Carson for My Oxford Year, the truth about him being a good or bad singer, why he is someone who loves love, how he unwinds with his guilty pleasure Love Island, what stepping into a political thriller like Hostage is like, what actor he would love to play in a biopic, an important life lesson he’s learned about himself over the last years, something he has never said before, and so much more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy di Dario, I am hanging out today with
quite possibly one of the most charming dudes in the world.
I know, I know that is a very big statement,
but my guest today is Corey Millcrest, who lives up
to that title. He stole so many hearts playing King
(00:21):
George in the smash hit series Queen Charlotte, which was
the prequel to Bridgerton on Netflix. The role it immediately
turned him into one of the most promising actors to
watch in all of Hollywood. And you may have also
just watched him starring opposite Sophia Carson in My Oxford
Year and out right now, Corey is starring in Hostage
on Netflix. My man has been booked and busy, and
(00:43):
he keeps cranking out powerful performance after powerful performance. But
he's also just a really grounded person who seems to
hold close to things that really matter in life. So
let's see if today we can get Corey to say
something that he has never said before.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Cory, my friend, how you doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
They tell me, I'm well, man, thank you so much
for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I am doing fantastic. It's great to see you. You're
looking nice and cozy in that card again over there,
it's really cozy.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I'm just really comfy.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
We've been having a little bit of a heat wave
in New York City, so I'm ready for that, like fall,
Crisp weather.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Man, I was in New York.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I don't know, two three weeks ago, maybe two weeks ago. No,
whatever it is, it doesn't matter. It was so hot,
like it was like thirty seven on one day with
that care For most people, that doesn't make any sense.
I don't know what it is in fahrenheit, but that
was it was hot and really humid.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
So I feel for you.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah, yeah, I missed it because we were trying to
get you in studio, but I was actually wait in St.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Barts.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I was like, we I need to get out of
New York and have a minute. But it's good to
be hanging out with you, man.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Yeah, man, it's lovely. Just yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I am psyched for you.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
I feel like you have so much going on, what
a summer you've had, and you continue to just keep
on keeping on with everything that's happening. And you're one
of these artists that has taken on these roles that
really just they mean a lot to so many people,
which I think is really cool. So to start and
to kind of celebrate what you've done and what you've
been accomplishing. I was introduced to you through Queen Charlotte,
(02:25):
and you, of course, of course played a young King George.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And I feel like that's when.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
The Internet, the world, I don't know, other planets all
just fell in love with you and we're like, this
dude is the real, the real deal. So for you,
what was so special about that role in that time
in your life?
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I mean, yeah, two really great questions in terms of
the role it was. It was a real it was
a real gift. It was a real gift when I
were when I when I first got brought on board.
Would I knew that it was I knew that it
was Bridgeton.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
I hadn't. I didn't know what Bridgington really was. It was.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
It was my girlfriend that sort of educated me on
it all, and so I watched everything, but they hadn't
finished writing it, so I didn't know the scope of
what I was going to do. You know, I didn't know.
I didn't know what it was, what it was going
to be I thought there was there was a chance
that it might just be typical typical rongcom typical like
(03:29):
you know, sort of wrote, you know, and so to
see what Shonder ended up writing for us in the
direction that tom our director took it in, it was amazing.
And as an actor starting out, to get to get
a role like that like it was, it was, it
was really special, and I was completely honored by the
trust that they put in me to do that, because
(03:52):
all of the difficult stuff that George goes through wasn't
anything in the audition, you know, it wasn't I didn't
do any of that stuff, and so it was a
real leap of face that they took in me doing it.
It's just it's the role that you dream of when
you were when you were young, when you're starting out,
and because I just got to do so much stuff,
I got to show so many different shades to both
(04:14):
both the character and myself, you know, as an actor,
and it's a it's a it's it was. It was
and still remains to be, you know, one of the
biggest privileges of my of my life really and in
terms of that period of my life.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
It was, it was, it was beautiful.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I mean, there were you know, the four of us, Me, India, Sam,
and Freddie you know, remained to be really really good friends,
and the it was it was just it was glorious, man.
I mean, like all of us we were like just
starting out already. India had done a lot of work,
Sam I had also done a lot of work, but
it was all of our biggest things. By far, Me
(04:50):
and Freddie really haven't done anything. And and here we were,
I like this massive set with a massive budget and
amazing creatives around us all all the time, and we
would it was just.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Like how hell are we here doing this?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
You know?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
We were just felt so lucky. Yeah, it was, it was.
It was brilliant.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
So how did you handle your life changing so fast
and so furiously, because I'm sure you never could have
imagined that all happening?
Speaker 4 (05:19):
No, I mean, like you know, you do.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know, once the job was done, then it was
like period a period of like maybe just three quarters
of a year knowing that it was going to come out,
and that that was really weird bit because the job
wasn't there to distract you from the fact that it
was going to come out, and so I spent a
lot of time just thinking about what it would what
it would be like, and and really stressing myself out,
really and and it's it's something that I remain in
(05:47):
dialogue with myself about, you know, because it's it is,
it is really weird.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
And I'm sure you you you.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Understand it to an extent as well, you know, like
it's it's a strange thing being in like I guess
what we call the public eye. Not that I experience
it on a particularly high level compared to a lot
of people out there, but it is it's very strange,
and in a way, in order to go on the
creative career journey that you want to you you you
(06:14):
sacrifice your anonymity and and your privacy and some some
of the privacy.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Of your family and your friends and your loved ones.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And so it's it's and it isn't the easiest thing,
you know, sometimes sometimes it's brilliant and it's and it's
brought all of these projects that we're about to talk about.
I'm sure you know it's been. It's been. It's been
the reason that they have come my way, and so
I have so much to thank for it. And and
also there's a lot of anxiety involved as well, you know,
(06:42):
so it's a it's a complicated thing, but it's just
I think it's you know, it's like I said, it's
it's about remaining in discourse with myself about.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, it's I imagine it's something that it takes time,
and maybe it's something that never really fully feels like
it's normal, and you just kind of keep your head
down to do the work and it just.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
It just comes with it, right, Yeah, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
That's so fascinating. And I'm hearing I'm hearing a lot
of little rumors starting to trickle around, a little bubbling,
if you will, that there could perhaps be a season
two of Queen Charlotte.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Have you heard any of that? Have you had any conversations.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I've heard I've heard the rooms because because I get
asked that question, but I really am I just I
just don't I don't know anything, you know. It's not
like I also haven't tried to get in contact with
anyone and ask about it, but I mean, it is
it's something that is that is definitely out there because
people keep asking me, but I don't know where or
(07:38):
why it's out there, and I know as much as
the next person.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I guess, Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Given how how important that role was to you, it
seems like you would be open to it though, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I think so, Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, if if
a lot of people were involved. You know, Tom are
amazing director for all six episodes, was back at the Helm,
you know, I'll be happy to work on the ship
that he's capting of any day. And also, you know,
(08:15):
it'd be great to work with all among the mates again,
you know, and we really did have a great time,
so yeah, yeah, of course, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Well, I mean you got to figure out, if you
do it, where to fit it in because you've you've
had lots going on. I mean, you play these these
really vulnerable men in such a brilliant way, and it's
not easy to do. It's not easy to kind of
straddle the line between you know, playing that authentically and
playing a caricature of that, and you do it really,
really in a grounded way, which I think is part
(08:43):
of your brilliance as as an artist and as a performer.
And we see it in my Oxford Year, which was
a huge hit. You and Sophia brought these characters to
life in such a beautiful way. You played someone that
was I imagine a difficult role. I mean, he's he's kind
of terminal diagnosis of cancer and you had to step
into those shoes, right, So what is it about playing
(09:04):
these more kind of vulnerable men that attracts you to
want to take that on?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I mean, well, first of all, thank you because you
said lots and lots of very lovely things there. But
I guess in terms of in terms of the characters
being attractive to me, I think I think what's what's
interesting about about both both George and and Jamie.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Is that.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yes, they're vulnerable, and they and they have access to
that vulnerability, but they also have a front. Jamie's is
much more sarcastic, whereas whereas George's is much more like
presenting as if there's no problem at all, which is
also what Jamie does, but in a very different way,
I guess, and I think that is the thing that
as an actor is very exciting, because you you have
(09:56):
to play these two truths at once, you know, and
your balancingness this three dimensional character, and you get to
decide when to show. I mean, it's it's a dialogue
with the director, of course, but you get to decide
when to show cracks and when to break and when
when you know when when to do all of those things,
and all of those things in the inner of themselves,
(10:19):
they don't come naturally to me. I think I find
it quite a challenge to connect to those things. I'm
not an actor who can cry on command with no reason.
You know, I really have to do the work and
feel what the person is feeling in order for it
to affects me. You know, it has to actually affect
(10:39):
me in order for it to I just yeah, because
I've watched people work before, and they can they can
just you know, they don't even have to necessarily be
feeling that much, and they're just suddenly they're they're in tears.
And I'm definitely not one of those people. So it
is I guess. Also the challenge of that is is
is also alluring, I find Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, it's like you have to really put in that
work to get to those places. Yeah, yeah, imagine that
is appealing, and there's and there is a lot of
work that goes into it, right and and emotionally emotionally
draining sometimes I imagine for.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Sure, man, Yeah, yeah, I think I found I found
George much more emotionally draining than I found Jamie. I
think that I think what he's dealing with in a
way is slightly more complex as an actor to to
try and.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Paint all the colors of and Jamie.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Jamie also is a lot more similar to me, and
so I think I found him more immediately accessible.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
I think we.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Protect ourselves in the same way with humor and goofiness
and you know, sarcasm and all of those things, which
isn't necessarily in George's toolbox. But but yeah, yeah, it's
definitely challenged.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, and the chemistry you and Sofia have is just
so spot on in that movie as well, and you
talk about how you guys just had instinct chemistry and connection.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
I mean, what are things you do to form that?
Are you?
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Are you like, let's go to coffee, let's tell each
other our secrets from childhood?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
How do you get there?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Yeah? I mean I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I think what's really interesting is that there is no
right answer because and testament to that is is the
fact that me and Sophia both have different opinions on
what chemistry is and how how you get there.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
You know, Sophia very much believes.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
That it is a it's just intangible ethereal.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
You either have, what are you don't.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
It is to do with the two people and their
connection in a working environment, obviously, but there's just there's
just something magic that either happens or doesn't happen that
is greater than some of the parts of the two people.
Whereas I am very much in the camp that is,
it's all preparation and making sure that you've done your
work on the character and being incredibly specific about what
(13:06):
it is that that character finds attractive in the other character,
what it is that that that character lacks that the
other one fills in the void for what is the
subconscious Druele, What is the conscious Druel? What is the
you know all of those things, and how does that
change from this scene to this scene so that you're
not just playing the same the same thing, and so
you're really analyzing the relationship over time, And that's that's
(13:29):
that's my approach anyway, And I'm sure I think, as
in most things, the real answer lies somewhere in between
the two things. But obviously, I mean, you said the
thing about getting coffee. I think the closer and more
comfortable that you can be with someone, the better, the
(13:49):
better the work, whether you're playing lovers or enemies, you know,
I think I think it's I think it's vital to
feel talking about vulnerability, to feel like you can and as.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
A performer, be vulnerable.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
You can you can fail, you can be ridiculous, you
can try something out landish and it not work and
you look in any other circumstances humiliated. But because you're
with that person, you feel fine and safe. And so
that is also a very very valuable part of it.
And sometimes that's magic. Sometimes it's preparation, and sometimes it
(14:21):
is just getting a coffee and chatting about something completely
different and just getting used to each other.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
And I love seeing, you know, through some of the
interviews I watched during your press tour, you guys hype
each other up.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
You're fun together.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
You have this really kind of silly at times relationship
with one another. And I love when she's like, you know, Corey,
you can sing, and you're like, I don't sing, and
she's like, no, you can sing.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And then of course the whole tangle.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Thing is everywhere right now for it, So I mean
she says you sing, you say you don't sing words
the truth and that.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Where is the truth in that? I think again, like
I said, somewhere, I think the reason that I deny
it when I hear Sophia say you can sing is
because it's Sofia saying you can sing. It's the it's
the it's the like you know, multi billion streams Sofia
Carson saying I can sing.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
And I just want people.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
To know that that that isn't what my singing level is,
you know, So you know when she says that, she's
not saying you can sing like I can sing. But
I am I am, I am quite I am quite musical.
My mother is a is a is a classical musician,
and I've grown up around music, so I I I
feel like I have quite a musical vocabulary. I work
(15:41):
very closely with music when I'm building a character and
and on set as well, to try and get into
the headspace of a certain scene. So it's it's it's
it's it's in me and I can I guess I
can sing, but I can't.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
I'm not.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I'm not music, you know, like I'm got to try
training of a musical theater singer. I haven't got the
training of a of an actual singer, but I you know,
I can I can sing in in you know.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Yeah, yeah, I'm all right. I can hold a tune.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You can hold a tune.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
So maybe we'll get like a karaoke scene in a
movie one day.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Well look, man, the the the man the singing in
my Oxford year is is is obviously not necessarily how
how bad I am, it is just nothing prepares you
for the humiliation of even if you're deliberately singing badly,
(16:39):
singing badly in front of like eighty people, eighty people
that you don't know and that you're never going to
see it again. It's just it's very it's very humbling.
Yeah yeah, And then you get into your head and
you try and sing better and you just you just
can't and you're stuck in this like weird things you've
done this specific thing with your throat to try and yeah, anyway,
(17:00):
that was that was that was not a nice It
wasn't a comforting experience shooting that scene.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
And it's definitely not a comforting experience.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
All right, Well, we'll we'll see what happens in the
future and ever saying, yeah, a lot of people are
curious about it, so we'll just we'll leave it there,
we'll see what happens.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
I love that also, Corey. You you step into.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
These roles where love and romance is so prevalent and
people just want that and need it and crave it
and like to see stories centered around that. Are you
someone that's really grounded in love and romance?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Like, is that a big part of your life?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I mean, like I think, I think I try to
One of the questions that I asked myself whenever I
take a character on is you know one of many?
It's not it's not the main one, but is you
know do they do they lead from love or fear?
M hm? And often often often the answer is is fear,
(18:00):
you know? And I think in my work, in my
personal life, in my work, I definitely lead from fear.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
But I do try to live my life leading from
from love.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
And I do feel I feel very loved in my life,
and I try and make the people in my life
feel very loved. And I you know, I really I
don't underestimate the power of the power of love. But
I mean that sounds so ridiculous to say, But I
do think. I think I think it's I think it's
a superpower. I think I think it can you know,
(18:33):
it's transformative and a yeah, I think it's I think
it's the most powerful thing that someone can do, really
is to is to is to love someone.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
And I, you know, knowing.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
The importance of that, of believing in the importance of that,
I do try and I try and live my life
by that. It's obviously it's not it's not it's not
perfect or it's not easy all the time, you know,
because sometimes you get busy, or you you're worried about
so and things or you know whatever. I think you
generally have to be quite in a healthy place to
lead from love. But yeah, it's something that I definitely
(19:09):
that I definitely strive towards. And I guess the same
thing goes for romance.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
M Yeah, that's a beautiful thing. I think it's.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's a crazy world we live in, so if we
can all strive for that and and try to focus
more on that, it's important.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
It's important, for sure. Is that? Why didn't I see
that you love love Island.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
I do love Love Island. Yeah, I'm not sure if
there's any love and love, yeah, that is more. That's
more to tune out after.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
A long day.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
You're guilty pleasure.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
That is definitely my guilty pleasure. Yeah yeah, are you?
Are you a love Valentine?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
I just interviewed so you probably know Leah kateb from
last season.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, she's.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
On the spin off show right now. So I just
had around my show. Wow, okay, the episode was wild
and went everywhere and people, you know, people love it.
It's escape, yeah, you know, it's and I do think
it's also the slight hope. Yeah, starts fighting and craziness
and all this stuff, but I do think there's also
the slight hope that anybody can find love.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yeah, there's a yeah, yeah, absolutely, they don't let go
of that twinkle of of uh, there's there's yeah, there's
a there's a kernel of of that hope. And sometimes
it has it has worked, you know, So who am
I to say anything about it?
Speaker 4 (20:20):
I do find it highly entertaining.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Oh my god, it's the best. It's the best.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
It's escapism, which we all need, including more escapism from
you coming up with your show Hostage.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
It's out now.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
It's it's wow, what a what a what a different
type of role for you, right, It's it's in the
political government kind of world. So share with with us
all what the show is and who you play.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Well first and foremost excellent segue, really well done, Thank
you man. So yeah. Hostage is as a political thriller
set in in the midst of this meeting between between
the British Prime Minister played by Sarah Jones and the
French President played by Julie Delpy, and the British Prime
(21:07):
Minister is facing a lot of stress politically from her rivals.
There's also an NHS National Health Service crisis going on
and they need these cancer drugs. The French President is
fighting the very hard right who are pushing back on
her and she's having to compromise on some of her
morals and during this there is an orchestrated attack against
(21:31):
the two of them. The British Prime Minister's husband, who
is a doctor who works abroad, is abducted in French
Guyana and hel to ransom with the demand that Dalton,
the Prime Minister, resigns, and at the same time the
French President Toussain, is blackmailed with the personal video, and
(21:57):
it's about these two amazing women and how they how
they deal with the political rivalries and the stresses from
their domestic leadership positions, and also how they balance that
with these personal threats and demands made or made on them.
I play Matteo, who is the French president's stepson, who
(22:19):
is really a really wonderful man, full of life and
full of the weight of the world. He's he really
cares about well everyone, he cares about well being. He
works for an NGO and rehasing refugees, and it all
ties in. I don't want to give anything away, and
I think I've managed to hit all the beats of
(22:41):
that without without giving anything away. But it's a really
it's a really high stakes, high paced show with lots
of twists and turns, trying to keep the audience guessing
the whole time. And and I do I'm really proud
of it. I think it's I think it's I think
it's a good show. And it's also really exciting for me.
(23:01):
It's something that I haven't done before, and and it's
a step away from the rom com world and and
and I'm proud of it. Yeah, I think it's I
think it's a I think it's a good thing that
Matt Sharman, are wonderful creator has has made.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
It's another role that you kill it in.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
And you're right, we can't we can't talk about too
much because I feel like there's so much that unfolds,
and yeah, yeah, we need a lot of people experience
it in real time.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But if you love these political thrillers.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
And you know, kind of government affiliated genres, it's it's
top of the line. And I think that it's really
cool to your point to see you in something totally different.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it's it's it's really cool. And
also it's not that I'm involved in it, but there's
a lot of action actually in it, as what you know,
and it's yeah, it's a complete departure from from from
everything that I've done before, you know, towards the end,
we do see we do see in Matteno that is
that is quite wrecked by emotional damage basically. But so
(24:05):
I'm just thinking now that there are quite a few
parallels to other characters, but he is he is very different.
And the style of you know, the way that we
shot it and and the style of the show itself
is is very different and it demands a different thing
from me as an actor, and it's it was.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
It was amazing.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
And also working with these absolute juggernhauts of actors. You
know that it's a really star studded cast of people
that I have respected for a very long time, and
they spent a long time chewing their ears off about
what they do and trying to learn as much as
possible in the short.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Time that I had with them. It's a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yeah, yeah, you're you're building up quite a diverse, you know,
body of work, which is really cool. And oh you
know what's so funny, man, I see all the time,
I would say at least once a week easily, a
little tweet or something floating around that people would love
for you to play eventually Tom Cruise in a biopic.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
I've actually seen this as well, and I would love to.
I mean, I think that would have been an incredibly
exciting biopic because it well for the actor who plays
Tom anyway, because I mean, Tom is someone who's done
all of his stunts, so it would almost like be
doing the biopick of a stunt man. And yet you
also get to play Tom Cruise and you know, you
(25:27):
know it would be it would be amazing. I also
feel like it's you know, his his career is you know,
booming even now, but throughout my life I feel so
you know, I feel more connected with him than I do, necessarily,
say Elton John or Queen, even though I absolutely adore
(25:50):
both of them. It would be so strange and surreal
to to do that, I imagine, because it's things that
I feel are almost still active and and their energy
is still here. You know, it would be it would
be very strange. But I have seen those those those
messages tweet. I guess and I do. I think it's
(26:12):
I think it's our teeth, That's what I think. To
put it plainly, m M yeah. I mean people think
you you kind of resemble him. So if he called
you up and was like, yo, Corey, like you're the man,
you were the guy to play it, you'd sign up.
I'd sign up immediately after I got over the you know,
the shock slash excitement of the fact that Tom Cruise
was calling me, Yeah, I'd be there, and.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
And that you probably have to like jump off some
insane cliff or something.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
But the parachute and.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
I'd be terrified, but I'd absolutely love to do it.
I would love to do it. Yeah, I think he's
I think I think what he's done. What he's done
in terms of you know, being able to focus Paul
and camera up at the same time, as as sort
of like objectively directing the shot at the same time
as skydiving, or you know, whatever it is that he's
(27:02):
whate a ridiculous human feat he's doing and also shooting himself,
you know, in a way, you know, you know, h
is phenomenal and I'm not sure really if there's anyone
else in the world that could do it m which
which not many people can say.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Cory, you're someone who has who has accomplished so much,
seemingly in a short amount of time. But I know
for you, you've been putting in the work, you've studied, you
you know, you went to university all of it. But
you've been doing such incredible things. Is there something that
you know throughout all this chaos and quick moving life
that you've lived so far, is there something you've really
(27:46):
learned about yourself in the last couple of years. Wow, Uh,
I think I've become much more acquainted with my own.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Resilience.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
I would say, I, you know, I think it's one
thing dedicating yourself to your craft when that's all that
there is, you know, when you when everything's fine, you
know whatever. I would say, it's another thing when you
actively have to disengage your ego from I'm talking specifically,
(28:23):
I guess about working pre and post Queen Charlotte. I
think that before that I was I was just as
dedicated as I am now, but there was less distraction,
Whereas now I feel like I have much more of
a public life, and I spend much more of mental
(28:45):
energy protecting my private life but also paying homage and
service to my public life. And I also recognize that
there are people that I don't want to say are fans,
but like you know, people that follow my career and
I want I want to you know, on honor that
I don't want to engage.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
With it completely or fully.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
There are just lots of different balancing acts going on
that are there to distract you from when you actually
do do the work much more than before, and it
takes a lot more energy to do the same amount
of work than it did two years ago, three years ago.
I think, and and and it's still it's still something
that I'm that I'm that I'm striving towards, because I
(29:26):
also don't want to remain stagnant in that work. I
want to grow, you know, And so I think the
resilience of having to spin more plates at the same time,
stay afloat, manage sleep, you know, something as simple as that.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
You know I'm busier. It's yeah, but they're all.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Amazing things, and also balancing the ability to go, hey,
I know that I'm anxious, I know that I'm stressed.
I know that this, this, this, this, this, I know
that this is new to me, this is new to me.
This makes me feel overwhelmed, but also just go, I
am so lucky and I'm so grateful, And how amazing
is it that I get to work and they're all
(30:07):
thoughts in your brain? And they're all thoughts that I
didn't necessarily have as loud before. They weren't they weren't
they weren't the sounds that are as loud in my
brain now as they went before. Yeah, yeah, I guess
I guess resilience. Yeah, in that way, maybe resilience isn't
the right word, but I can't find something that fits
(30:27):
better in my mind at the moment.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
So no, I think that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
I think you've probably realized and learned you're capable of
doing a lot more imbalancing a lot more than you thought, right,
And to your point where all works in progress, and
it's just yeah, we are learning how to how to
juggle at all, right, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Exactly, Yeah, it's yeah, it's yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
And the only way to do that is to go
through it, you know, to to you know, you can't
you know, to my point earlier about preparation to do
with chemistry, at some point, you've got to do what
Sopea believes in, which is just you know, dive in
and it'side the magic or it's not.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
And then you grow up, you know, you adapt. Yeah, yeah,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I'm with you on that. And good
on you for acknowledging and honoring what you're feeling in
real time because that's part of the that's part of
the game. Man. That's hard to do and a lot
of people don't do it. So if you if you
keep doing that, I feel like it just it allows
you to be kept on the right track. So yeah, like, well, yeah, yeah,
you's hoping that's that's very, very true, Corey, Man, I
(31:31):
could chat with you for two more hours.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
This has been so awesome.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
But yeah, in the spirit of giving you your your
evening back over over in London, this show is called
I've Never said this before, and it was born because
I cover a lot of red carpet premieres and sit
down junkets and you're given you know, anywhere from two
to six minutes at those formats for interviews, and I
(31:55):
just kind of walked away at one point thinking like, man,
I see like a little more in people's eyes, like
they just want to be able to share a little
more or just say something different, and I answer the
same thing all the time and show a different side
to them whatever that means to them. So kind of
how this show was born for kind of craving that
real connection. So I ask everyone the same question at
(32:15):
the end, which is one thing you've never said before?
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Well?
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Yeah, I mean I was having to think about this
and I really I don't know how to I don't
know how deep to go how you know whatever. I guess,
you know, I think to my point before about about balance,
you know, in terms of yes, this thing might be
(32:41):
overwhelming but I'm also incredibly grateful. You know, I've been
thinking recently about my upbringing. You know, I had quite
many different experiences, I guess. You know, I moved quite
a bit in the same area orbit, but I moved
quite a bit. I have been to stay school, I've
(33:05):
been to private school. And the reasons for those things
quite complicated, but I've I've been, you know, my parents
were together. They're not together, I think, you know, And
I think it's such a big part of who I am.
Having spent two weeks with my dad, ident two weeks
(33:28):
with my mum too, you know, and hopping between and
then also hopping between my friendship groups and hopping between
the different like social classes I guess of London, you know,
with the different schools, and it's something that i've really
you know, never really understood, never known, you know, sort
(33:49):
of like pitied myself over, you know a little bit,
and sometimes as a result, you know, failed to identify
myself or felt like I didn't have a one strong,
one sentence, one block color identity. And and actually I
think it's it's it's the reason that I am not
(34:11):
an amazing actor, but it's the reason that I can act.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
I think, you know, people.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Talk about code switching and and and being adaptable. I
think I've just I'm very I'm very grateful for this
thing that I struggled with for a very long time.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
And and and.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
I feel like I owe my career in a way
to that, because it's also it's almost like I spent
years practicing how to shine a spotlight on this element
of my personality, and then shine a spotlight on this
element of my personality and hold that in that bit
while I go off for two weeks and do this,
and and I learned about this and this is really
weird and I've never been around these people before. But wow, okay,
(34:56):
so people don't talk with this accent, but you know whatever. Also,
my parents are from up North. My whole family is
up north, but I've lived my whole life in London.
And the identity like crisis with that, I guess, you know,
lots of lots of different things that I've worried myself
over for years, And actually I think, you know, they
are they are the thing that I am that I
(35:16):
owe my career to in a way, and I owe
the little acting ability that I have to and possibly
the reason that I am so curious in acting and
wanted to do it, and you know, I wanted to
dive into this character for a short period of time
and dive into this character for a short period of
time and learned something about myself in the process, because
(35:41):
I guess it's something that I've been subconsciously doing for
a very long time, and it's nice to be able
to put that thing that I struggled with for a
while into an applicable skill.
Speaker 4 (35:52):
So I don't know whether that's too.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
Not deep, because it's not necessarily that deep or even interesting,
but I guess it's it's done, not something I've ever
said publicly before, and and something that I feel a
feeling relatively comfortable sharing, and especially in the spirit of
being grateful for the things that can also make you
anxious or give you struggle or you know, whatever that
(36:18):
there are. There are there are two sides to it,
and everything has a has an upside and a gift
and something that you can be in the words of
my mum, be curious about you know, when you're dealing
with something that's really difficult, be curious about it. What
is it that's difficult about it? Why is it difficult,
and maybe within there and there's something, there's something.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Glorious, you know.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
M I actually love that answer, and I think it's
really cool you share that, So thank you, because a
lot of people listening go through things in their childhood
or younger years that they at the time hate and
they would want to change, and they think it's like
you know, for you know, fear of being a little
dramatic like ruining their life at the time. But then
you realize, through wisdom and growing older and evolving in
(37:02):
this world that you know what, I wouldn't maybe be
where I am today had those things not happen. It
doesn't mean that maybe some emotions, you know, still don't
creep up from that time and there's moments understandness or whatever.
But it also when it brings you to where you
are today. So I think it's a really good reminder
for everybody listening, like your path is your path for
(37:22):
a reason, and hopefully it will lead you somewhere that
you can realize that's why that all happened.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Yeah, precisely, there's there's yeah, there's there's a there's reason
for everything, and also finding reason, finding purpose in in
in your struggle is you know, not that I'm a
philosopher or a teacher or any anyone to give anyone advice.
Speaker 4 (37:41):
I'm talking many to myself through.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
You, Tommy, So but yeah, you know, finding finding purpose
in in that is a is a really powerful and
wonderful thing and something that is given me a lot
more peace than I would have had without that thought.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Hmmm. I absolutely love that.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
And people are finding purpose through your work, my friend,
and they are your Your work is bringing it is
it's bringing them joy and escapism and and you know,
people really have connected to what you've created through all
your roles, and I know Hostage is another one that
people are just going to go crazy over. And it's
(38:22):
it's just cool to see you continuing to thrive and
do such great things in your career. I know so
much more is coming and and what a fun time
for you with with Netflix and with this new series
out and man like I'm I'm just like to see where.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
It all goes.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
That's so so deep to kind of telling thank you,
thank you for saying that, and thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
It's been, it's been, it's been a wonderful, wonderful Now.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
Well, thank you for hanging out and I look forward
to your debut single dropping very soon, so I can't
wait for that.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
God, yeah, yeah, it coming out.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
So yeah, all right on man. Hostage is out now.
Everybody go watch it?
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Yeah please, yeah, yeah watch it.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I've Never Said This Before is hosted by Me, Tommy Dedario.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Publisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(39:29):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Dedario
Hey, guys, welcome to I've never said this before with
me Tommy di Dario, I am hanging out today with
quite possibly one of the most charming dudes in the world.
I know, I know that is a very big statement,
but my guest today is Corey Millcrest, who lives up
to that title. He stole so many hearts playing King
(00:21):
George in the smash hit series Queen Charlotte, which was
the prequel to Bridgerton on Netflix. The role it immediately
turned him into one of the most promising actors to
watch in all of Hollywood. And you may have also
just watched him starring opposite Sophia Carson in My Oxford
Year and out right now, Corey is starring in Hostage
on Netflix. My man has been booked and busy, and
(00:43):
he keeps cranking out powerful performance after powerful performance. But
he's also just a really grounded person who seems to
hold close to things that really matter in life. So
let's see if today we can get Corey to say
something that he has never said before.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Cory, my friend, how you doing today?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
They tell me, I'm well, man, thank you so much
for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I am doing fantastic. It's great to see you. You're
looking nice and cozy in that card again over there,
it's really cozy.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
I'm just really comfy.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
We've been having a little bit of a heat wave
in New York City, so I'm ready for that, like fall,
Crisp weather.
Speaker 4 (01:23):
Man, I was in New York.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I don't know, two three weeks ago, maybe two weeks ago. No,
whatever it is, it doesn't matter. It was so hot,
like it was like thirty seven on one day with
that care For most people, that doesn't make any sense.
I don't know what it is in fahrenheit, but that
was it was hot and really humid.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
So I feel for you.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Yeah, yeah, I missed it because we were trying to
get you in studio, but I was actually wait in St.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Barts.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
I was like, we I need to get out of
New York and have a minute. But it's good to
be hanging out with you, man.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
Yeah, man, it's lovely. Just yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I am psyched for you.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
I feel like you have so much going on, what
a summer you've had, and you continue to just keep
on keeping on with everything that's happening. And you're one
of these artists that has taken on these roles that
really just they mean a lot to so many people,
which I think is really cool. So to start and
to kind of celebrate what you've done and what you've
been accomplishing. I was introduced to you through Queen Charlotte,
(02:25):
and you, of course, of course played a young King George.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And I feel like that's when.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
The Internet, the world, I don't know, other planets all
just fell in love with you and we're like, this
dude is the real, the real deal. So for you,
what was so special about that role in that time
in your life?
Speaker 4 (02:45):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I mean, yeah, two really great questions in terms of
the role it was. It was a real it was
a real gift. It was a real gift when I
were when I when I first got brought on board.
Would I knew that it was I knew that it
was Bridgeton.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
I hadn't. I didn't know what Bridgington really was. It was.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
It was my girlfriend that sort of educated me on
it all, and so I watched everything, but they hadn't
finished writing it, so I didn't know the scope of
what I was going to do. You know, I didn't know.
I didn't know what it was, what it was going
to be I thought there was there was a chance
that it might just be typical typical rongcom typical like
(03:29):
you know, sort of wrote, you know, and so to
see what Shonder ended up writing for us in the
direction that tom our director took it in, it was amazing.
And as an actor starting out, to get to get
a role like that like it was, it was, it
was really special, and I was completely honored by the
trust that they put in me to do that, because
(03:52):
all of the difficult stuff that George goes through wasn't
anything in the audition, you know, it wasn't I didn't
do any of that stuff, and so it was a
real leap of face that they took in me doing it.
It's just it's the role that you dream of when
you were when you were young, when you're starting out,
and because I just got to do so much stuff,
I got to show so many different shades to both
(04:14):
both the character and myself, you know, as an actor,
and it's a it's a it's it was. It was
and still remains to be, you know, one of the
biggest privileges of my of my life really and in
terms of that period of my life.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
It was, it was, it was beautiful.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
I mean, there were you know, the four of us, Me, India, Sam,
and Freddie you know, remained to be really really good friends,
and the it was it was just it was glorious, man.
I mean, like all of us we were like just
starting out already. India had done a lot of work,
Sam I had also done a lot of work, but
it was all of our biggest things. By far, Me
(04:50):
and Freddie really haven't done anything. And and here we were,
I like this massive set with a massive budget and
amazing creatives around us all all the time, and we
would it was just.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
Like how hell are we here doing this?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
You know?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
We were just felt so lucky. Yeah, it was, it was.
It was brilliant.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
So how did you handle your life changing so fast
and so furiously, because I'm sure you never could have
imagined that all happening?
Speaker 4 (05:19):
No, I mean, like you know, you do.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
You know, once the job was done, then it was
like period a period of like maybe just three quarters
of a year knowing that it was going to come out,
and that that was really weird bit because the job
wasn't there to distract you from the fact that it
was going to come out, and so I spent a
lot of time just thinking about what it would what
it would be like, and and really stressing myself out,
really and and it's it's something that I remain in
(05:47):
dialogue with myself about, you know, because it's it is,
it is really weird.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
And I'm sure you you you.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Understand it to an extent as well, you know, like
it's it's a strange thing being in like I guess
what we call the public eye. Not that I experience
it on a particularly high level compared to a lot
of people out there, but it is it's very strange,
and in a way, in order to go on the
creative career journey that you want to you you you
(06:14):
sacrifice your anonymity and and your privacy and some some
of the privacy.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Of your family and your friends and your loved ones.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And so it's it's and it isn't the easiest thing,
you know, sometimes sometimes it's brilliant and it's and it's
brought all of these projects that we're about to talk about.
I'm sure you know it's been. It's been. It's been
the reason that they have come my way, and so
I have so much to thank for it. And and
also there's a lot of anxiety involved as well, you know,
(06:42):
so it's a it's a complicated thing, but it's just
I think it's you know, it's like I said, it's
it's about remaining in discourse with myself about.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, it's I imagine it's something that it takes time,
and maybe it's something that never really fully feels like
it's normal, and you just kind of keep your head
down to do the work and it just.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
It just comes with it, right, Yeah, yeah, exactly, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
That's so fascinating. And I'm hearing I'm hearing a lot
of little rumors starting to trickle around, a little bubbling,
if you will, that there could perhaps be a season
two of Queen Charlotte.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Have you heard any of that? Have you had any conversations.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
I've heard I've heard the rooms because because I get
asked that question, but I really am I just I
just don't I don't know anything, you know. It's not
like I also haven't tried to get in contact with
anyone and ask about it, but I mean, it is
it's something that is that is definitely out there because
people keep asking me, but I don't know where or
(07:38):
why it's out there, and I know as much as
the next person.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
I guess, Yeah, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Given how how important that role was to you, it
seems like you would be open to it though, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I think so, Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, if if
a lot of people were involved. You know, Tom are
amazing director for all six episodes, was back at the Helm,
you know, I'll be happy to work on the ship
that he's capting of any day. And also, you know,
(08:15):
it'd be great to work with all among the mates again,
you know, and we really did have a great time,
so yeah, yeah, of course, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Well, I mean you got to figure out, if you
do it, where to fit it in because you've you've
had lots going on. I mean, you play these these
really vulnerable men in such a brilliant way, and it's
not easy to do. It's not easy to kind of
straddle the line between you know, playing that authentically and
playing a caricature of that, and you do it really,
really in a grounded way, which I think is part
(08:43):
of your brilliance as as an artist and as a performer.
And we see it in my Oxford Year, which was
a huge hit. You and Sophia brought these characters to
life in such a beautiful way. You played someone that
was I imagine a difficult role. I mean, he's he's kind
of terminal diagnosis of cancer and you had to step
into those shoes, right, So what is it about playing
(09:04):
these more kind of vulnerable men that attracts you to
want to take that on?
Speaker 4 (09:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:11):
I mean, well, first of all, thank you because you
said lots and lots of very lovely things there. But
I guess in terms of in terms of the characters
being attractive to me, I think I think what's what's
interesting about about both both George and and Jamie.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
Is that.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Yes, they're vulnerable, and they and they have access to
that vulnerability, but they also have a front. Jamie's is
much more sarcastic, whereas whereas George's is much more like
presenting as if there's no problem at all, which is
also what Jamie does, but in a very different way,
I guess, and I think that is the thing that
as an actor is very exciting, because you you have
(09:56):
to play these two truths at once, you know, and
your balancingness this three dimensional character, and you get to
decide when to show. I mean, it's it's a dialogue
with the director, of course, but you get to decide
when to show cracks and when to break and when
when you know when when to do all of those things,
and all of those things in the inner of themselves,
(10:19):
they don't come naturally to me. I think I find
it quite a challenge to connect to those things. I'm
not an actor who can cry on command with no reason.
You know, I really have to do the work and
feel what the person is feeling in order for it
to affects me. You know, it has to actually affect
(10:39):
me in order for it to I just yeah, because
I've watched people work before, and they can they can
just you know, they don't even have to necessarily be
feeling that much, and they're just suddenly they're they're in tears.
And I'm definitely not one of those people. So it
is I guess. Also the challenge of that is is
is also alluring, I find Yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Yeah, it's like you have to really put in that
work to get to those places. Yeah, yeah, imagine that
is appealing, and there's and there is a lot of
work that goes into it, right and and emotionally emotionally
draining sometimes I imagine for.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Sure, man, Yeah, yeah, I think I found I found
George much more emotionally draining than I found Jamie. I
think that I think what he's dealing with in a
way is slightly more complex as an actor to to
try and.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
Paint all the colors of and Jamie.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Jamie also is a lot more similar to me, and
so I think I found him more immediately accessible.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
I think we.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Protect ourselves in the same way with humor and goofiness
and you know, sarcasm and all of those things, which
isn't necessarily in George's toolbox. But but yeah, yeah, it's
definitely challenged.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Yeah, and the chemistry you and Sofia have is just
so spot on in that movie as well, and you
talk about how you guys just had instinct chemistry and connection.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
I mean, what are things you do to form that?
Are you?
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Are you like, let's go to coffee, let's tell each
other our secrets from childhood?
Speaker 2 (12:18):
How do you get there?
Speaker 4 (12:19):
Yeah? I mean I don't know.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
I think what's really interesting is that there is no
right answer because and testament to that is is the
fact that me and Sophia both have different opinions on
what chemistry is and how how you get there.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
You know, Sophia very much believes.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
That it is a it's just intangible ethereal.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
You either have, what are you don't.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
It is to do with the two people and their
connection in a working environment, obviously, but there's just there's
just something magic that either happens or doesn't happen that
is greater than some of the parts of the two people.
Whereas I am very much in the camp that is,
it's all preparation and making sure that you've done your
work on the character and being incredibly specific about what
(13:06):
it is that that character finds attractive in the other character,
what it is that that that character lacks that the
other one fills in the void for what is the
subconscious Druele, What is the conscious Druel? What is the
you know all of those things, and how does that
change from this scene to this scene so that you're
not just playing the same the same thing, and so
you're really analyzing the relationship over time, And that's that's
(13:29):
that's my approach anyway, And I'm sure I think, as
in most things, the real answer lies somewhere in between
the two things. But obviously, I mean, you said the
thing about getting coffee. I think the closer and more
comfortable that you can be with someone, the better, the
(13:49):
better the work, whether you're playing lovers or enemies, you know,
I think I think it's I think it's vital to
feel talking about vulnerability, to feel like you can and as.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
A performer, be vulnerable.
Speaker 3 (14:01):
You can you can fail, you can be ridiculous, you
can try something out landish and it not work and
you look in any other circumstances humiliated. But because you're
with that person, you feel fine and safe. And so
that is also a very very valuable part of it.
And sometimes that's magic. Sometimes it's preparation, and sometimes it
(14:21):
is just getting a coffee and chatting about something completely
different and just getting used to each other.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
And I love seeing, you know, through some of the
interviews I watched during your press tour, you guys hype
each other up.
Speaker 2 (14:40):
You're fun together.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
You have this really kind of silly at times relationship
with one another. And I love when she's like, you know, Corey,
you can sing, and you're like, I don't sing, and
she's like, no, you can sing.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
And then of course the whole tangle.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Thing is everywhere right now for it, So I mean
she says you sing, you say you don't sing words
the truth and that.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Where is the truth in that? I think again, like
I said, somewhere, I think the reason that I deny
it when I hear Sophia say you can sing is
because it's Sofia saying you can sing. It's the it's
the it's the like you know, multi billion streams Sofia
Carson saying I can sing.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
And I just want people.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
To know that that that isn't what my singing level is,
you know, So you know when she says that, she's
not saying you can sing like I can sing. But
I am I am, I am quite I am quite musical.
My mother is a is a is a classical musician,
and I've grown up around music, so I I I
feel like I have quite a musical vocabulary. I work
(15:41):
very closely with music when I'm building a character and
and on set as well, to try and get into
the headspace of a certain scene. So it's it's it's
it's it's in me and I can I guess I
can sing, but I can't.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
I'm not.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I'm not music, you know, like I'm got to try
training of a musical theater singer. I haven't got the
training of a of an actual singer, but I you know,
I can I can sing in in you know.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Yeah, yeah, I'm all right. I can hold a tune.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
You can hold a tune.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
So maybe we'll get like a karaoke scene in a
movie one day.
Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yeah yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Well look, man, the the the man the singing in
my Oxford year is is is obviously not necessarily how
how bad I am, it is just nothing prepares you
for the humiliation of even if you're deliberately singing badly,
(16:39):
singing badly in front of like eighty people, eighty people
that you don't know and that you're never going to
see it again. It's just it's very it's very humbling.
Yeah yeah, And then you get into your head and
you try and sing better and you just you just
can't and you're stuck in this like weird things you've
done this specific thing with your throat to try and yeah, anyway,
(17:00):
that was that was that was not a nice It
wasn't a comforting experience shooting that scene.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
And it's definitely not a comforting experience.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
All right, Well, we'll we'll see what happens in the
future and ever saying, yeah, a lot of people are
curious about it, so we'll just we'll leave it there,
we'll see what happens.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
I love that also, Corey. You you step into.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
These roles where love and romance is so prevalent and
people just want that and need it and crave it
and like to see stories centered around that. Are you
someone that's really grounded in love and romance?
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Like, is that a big part of your life?
Speaker 4 (17:38):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (17:38):
I mean, like I think, I think I try to
One of the questions that I asked myself whenever I
take a character on is you know one of many?
It's not it's not the main one, but is you
know do they do they lead from love or fear?
M hm? And often often often the answer is is fear,
(18:00):
you know? And I think in my work, in my
personal life, in my work, I definitely lead from fear.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
But I do try to live my life leading from
from love.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
And I do feel I feel very loved in my life,
and I try and make the people in my life
feel very loved. And I you know, I really I
don't underestimate the power of the power of love. But
I mean that sounds so ridiculous to say, But I
do think. I think I think it's I think it's
a superpower. I think I think it can you know,
(18:33):
it's transformative and a yeah, I think it's I think
it's the most powerful thing that someone can do, really
is to is to is to love someone.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
And I, you know, knowing.
Speaker 3 (18:45):
The importance of that, of believing in the importance of that,
I do try and I try and live my life
by that. It's obviously it's not it's not it's not
perfect or it's not easy all the time, you know,
because sometimes you get busy, or you you're worried about
so and things or you know whatever. I think you
generally have to be quite in a healthy place to
lead from love. But yeah, it's something that I definitely
(19:09):
that I definitely strive towards. And I guess the same
thing goes for romance.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
M Yeah, that's a beautiful thing. I think it's.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It's a crazy world we live in, so if we
can all strive for that and and try to focus
more on that, it's important.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
It's important, for sure. Is that? Why didn't I see
that you love love Island.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
I do love Love Island. Yeah, I'm not sure if
there's any love and love, yeah, that is more. That's
more to tune out after.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
A long day.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
You're guilty pleasure.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
That is definitely my guilty pleasure. Yeah yeah, are you?
Are you a love Valentine?
Speaker 1 (19:42):
I just interviewed so you probably know Leah kateb from
last season.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, she's.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
On the spin off show right now. So I just
had around my show. Wow, okay, the episode was wild
and went everywhere and people, you know, people love it.
It's escape, yeah, you know, it's and I do think
it's also the slight hope. Yeah, starts fighting and craziness
and all this stuff, but I do think there's also
the slight hope that anybody can find love.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yeah, there's a yeah, yeah, absolutely, they don't let go
of that twinkle of of uh, there's there's yeah, there's
a there's a kernel of of that hope. And sometimes
it has it has worked, you know, So who am
I to say anything about it?
Speaker 4 (20:20):
I do find it highly entertaining.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Oh my god, it's the best. It's the best.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
It's escapism, which we all need, including more escapism from
you coming up with your show Hostage.
Speaker 2 (20:32):
It's out now.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
It's it's wow, what a what a what a different
type of role for you, right, It's it's in the
political government kind of world. So share with with us
all what the show is and who you play.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
Well first and foremost excellent segue, really well done, Thank
you man. So yeah. Hostage is as a political thriller
set in in the midst of this meeting between between
the British Prime Minister played by Sarah Jones and the
French President played by Julie Delpy, and the British Prime
(21:07):
Minister is facing a lot of stress politically from her rivals.
There's also an NHS National Health Service crisis going on
and they need these cancer drugs. The French President is
fighting the very hard right who are pushing back on
her and she's having to compromise on some of her
morals and during this there is an orchestrated attack against
(21:31):
the two of them. The British Prime Minister's husband, who
is a doctor who works abroad, is abducted in French
Guyana and hel to ransom with the demand that Dalton,
the Prime Minister, resigns, and at the same time the
French President Toussain, is blackmailed with the personal video, and
(21:57):
it's about these two amazing women and how they how
they deal with the political rivalries and the stresses from
their domestic leadership positions, and also how they balance that
with these personal threats and demands made or made on them.
I play Matteo, who is the French president's stepson, who
(22:19):
is really a really wonderful man, full of life and
full of the weight of the world. He's he really
cares about well everyone, he cares about well being. He
works for an NGO and rehasing refugees, and it all
ties in. I don't want to give anything away, and
I think I've managed to hit all the beats of
(22:41):
that without without giving anything away. But it's a really
it's a really high stakes, high paced show with lots
of twists and turns, trying to keep the audience guessing
the whole time. And and I do I'm really proud
of it. I think it's I think it's I think
it's a good show. And it's also really exciting for me.
(23:01):
It's something that I haven't done before, and and it's
a step away from the rom com world and and
and I'm proud of it. Yeah, I think it's I
think it's a I think it's a good thing that
Matt Sharman, are wonderful creator has has made.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
It's another role that you kill it in.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
And you're right, we can't we can't talk about too
much because I feel like there's so much that unfolds,
and yeah, yeah, we need a lot of people experience
it in real time.
Speaker 2 (23:26):
But if you love these political thrillers.
Speaker 1 (23:29):
And you know, kind of government affiliated genres, it's it's
top of the line. And I think that it's really
cool to your point to see you in something totally different.
Speaker 3 (23:39):
Yeah, yeah, it's yeah, it's it's it's really cool. And
also it's not that I'm involved in it, but there's
a lot of action actually in it, as what you know,
and it's yeah, it's a complete departure from from from
everything that I've done before, you know, towards the end,
we do see we do see in Matteno that is
that is quite wrecked by emotional damage basically. But so
(24:05):
I'm just thinking now that there are quite a few
parallels to other characters, but he is he is very different.
And the style of you know, the way that we
shot it and and the style of the show itself
is is very different and it demands a different thing
from me as an actor, and it's it was.
Speaker 4 (24:22):
It was amazing.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
And also working with these absolute juggernhauts of actors. You
know that it's a really star studded cast of people
that I have respected for a very long time, and
they spent a long time chewing their ears off about
what they do and trying to learn as much as
possible in the short.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Time that I had with them. It's a pleasure.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
Yeah, yeah, you're you're building up quite a diverse, you know,
body of work, which is really cool. And oh you
know what's so funny, man, I see all the time,
I would say at least once a week easily, a
little tweet or something floating around that people would love
for you to play eventually Tom Cruise in a biopic.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
I've actually seen this as well, and I would love to.
I mean, I think that would have been an incredibly
exciting biopic because it well for the actor who plays
Tom anyway, because I mean, Tom is someone who's done
all of his stunts, so it would almost like be
doing the biopick of a stunt man. And yet you
also get to play Tom Cruise and you know, you
(25:27):
know it would be it would be amazing. I also
feel like it's you know, his his career is you know,
booming even now, but throughout my life I feel so
you know, I feel more connected with him than I do, necessarily,
say Elton John or Queen, even though I absolutely adore
(25:50):
both of them. It would be so strange and surreal
to to do that, I imagine, because it's things that
I feel are almost still active and and their energy
is still here. You know, it would be it would
be very strange. But I have seen those those those
messages tweet. I guess and I do. I think it's
(26:12):
I think it's our teeth, That's what I think. To
put it plainly, m M yeah. I mean people think
you you kind of resemble him. So if he called
you up and was like, yo, Corey, like you're the man,
you were the guy to play it, you'd sign up.
I'd sign up immediately after I got over the you know,
the shock slash excitement of the fact that Tom Cruise
was calling me, Yeah, I'd be there, and.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
And that you probably have to like jump off some
insane cliff or something.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
But the parachute and.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
I'd be terrified, but I'd absolutely love to do it.
I would love to do it. Yeah, I think he's
I think I think what he's done. What he's done
in terms of you know, being able to focus Paul
and camera up at the same time, as as sort
of like objectively directing the shot at the same time
as skydiving, or you know, whatever it is that he's
(27:02):
whate a ridiculous human feat he's doing and also shooting himself,
you know, in a way, you know, you know, h
is phenomenal and I'm not sure really if there's anyone
else in the world that could do it m which
which not many people can say.
Speaker 1 (27:24):
Cory, you're someone who has who has accomplished so much,
seemingly in a short amount of time. But I know
for you, you've been putting in the work, you've studied, you
you know, you went to university all of it. But
you've been doing such incredible things. Is there something that
you know throughout all this chaos and quick moving life
that you've lived so far, is there something you've really
(27:46):
learned about yourself in the last couple of years. Wow, Uh,
I think I've become much more acquainted with my own.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Resilience.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
I would say, I, you know, I think it's one
thing dedicating yourself to your craft when that's all that
there is, you know, when you when everything's fine, you
know whatever. I would say, it's another thing when you
actively have to disengage your ego from I'm talking specifically,
(28:23):
I guess about working pre and post Queen Charlotte. I
think that before that I was I was just as
dedicated as I am now, but there was less distraction,
Whereas now I feel like I have much more of
a public life, and I spend much more of mental
(28:45):
energy protecting my private life but also paying homage and
service to my public life. And I also recognize that
there are people that I don't want to say are fans,
but like you know, people that follow my career and
I want I want to you know, on honor that
I don't want to engage.
Speaker 4 (29:01):
With it completely or fully.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
There are just lots of different balancing acts going on
that are there to distract you from when you actually
do do the work much more than before, and it
takes a lot more energy to do the same amount
of work than it did two years ago, three years ago.
I think, and and and it's still it's still something
that I'm that I'm that I'm striving towards, because I
(29:26):
also don't want to remain stagnant in that work. I
want to grow, you know, And so I think the
resilience of having to spin more plates at the same time,
stay afloat, manage sleep, you know, something as simple as that.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
You know I'm busier. It's yeah, but they're all.
Speaker 3 (29:46):
Amazing things, and also balancing the ability to go, hey,
I know that I'm anxious, I know that I'm stressed.
I know that this, this, this, this, this, I know
that this is new to me, this is new to me.
This makes me feel overwhelmed, but also just go, I
am so lucky and I'm so grateful, And how amazing
is it that I get to work and they're all
(30:07):
thoughts in your brain? And they're all thoughts that I
didn't necessarily have as loud before. They weren't they weren't
they weren't the sounds that are as loud in my
brain now as they went before. Yeah, yeah, I guess
I guess resilience. Yeah, in that way, maybe resilience isn't
the right word, but I can't find something that fits
(30:27):
better in my mind at the moment.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
So no, I think that makes sense.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
I think you've probably realized and learned you're capable of
doing a lot more imbalancing a lot more than you thought, right,
And to your point where all works in progress, and
it's just yeah, we are learning how to how to
juggle at all, right, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Exactly, Yeah, it's yeah, it's yeah.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
And the only way to do that is to go
through it, you know, to to you know, you can't
you know, to my point earlier about preparation to do
with chemistry, at some point, you've got to do what
Sopea believes in, which is just you know, dive in
and it'side the magic or it's not.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
And then you grow up, you know, you adapt. Yeah, yeah,
for sure.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I'm with you on that. And good
on you for acknowledging and honoring what you're feeling in
real time because that's part of the that's part of
the game. Man. That's hard to do and a lot
of people don't do it. So if you if you
keep doing that, I feel like it just it allows
you to be kept on the right track. So yeah, like, well, yeah, yeah,
you's hoping that's that's very, very true, Corey, Man, I
(31:31):
could chat with you for two more hours.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
This has been so awesome.
Speaker 1 (31:34):
But yeah, in the spirit of giving you your your
evening back over over in London, this show is called
I've Never said this before, and it was born because
I cover a lot of red carpet premieres and sit
down junkets and you're given you know, anywhere from two
to six minutes at those formats for interviews, and I
(31:55):
just kind of walked away at one point thinking like, man,
I see like a little more in people's eyes, like
they just want to be able to share a little
more or just say something different, and I answer the
same thing all the time and show a different side
to them whatever that means to them. So kind of
how this show was born for kind of craving that
real connection. So I ask everyone the same question at
(32:15):
the end, which is one thing you've never said before?
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Well?
Speaker 3 (32:20):
Yeah, I mean I was having to think about this
and I really I don't know how to I don't
know how deep to go how you know whatever. I guess,
you know, I think to my point before about about balance,
you know, in terms of yes, this thing might be
(32:41):
overwhelming but I'm also incredibly grateful. You know, I've been
thinking recently about my upbringing. You know, I had quite
many different experiences, I guess. You know, I moved quite
a bit in the same area orbit, but I moved
quite a bit. I have been to stay school, I've
(33:05):
been to private school. And the reasons for those things
quite complicated, but I've I've been, you know, my parents
were together. They're not together, I think, you know, And
I think it's such a big part of who I am.
Having spent two weeks with my dad, ident two weeks
(33:28):
with my mum too, you know, and hopping between and
then also hopping between my friendship groups and hopping between
the different like social classes I guess of London, you know,
with the different schools, and it's something that i've really
you know, never really understood, never known, you know, sort
(33:49):
of like pitied myself over, you know a little bit,
and sometimes as a result, you know, failed to identify
myself or felt like I didn't have a one strong,
one sentence, one block color identity. And and actually I
think it's it's it's the reason that I am not
(34:11):
an amazing actor, but it's the reason that I can act.
Speaker 4 (34:14):
I think, you know, people.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
Talk about code switching and and and being adaptable. I
think I've just I'm very I'm very grateful for this
thing that I struggled with for a very long time.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
And and and.
Speaker 3 (34:33):
I feel like I owe my career in a way
to that, because it's also it's almost like I spent
years practicing how to shine a spotlight on this element
of my personality, and then shine a spotlight on this
element of my personality and hold that in that bit
while I go off for two weeks and do this,
and and I learned about this and this is really
weird and I've never been around these people before. But wow, okay,
(34:56):
so people don't talk with this accent, but you know whatever. Also,
my parents are from up North. My whole family is
up north, but I've lived my whole life in London.
And the identity like crisis with that, I guess, you know,
lots of lots of different things that I've worried myself
over for years, And actually I think, you know, they
are they are the thing that I am that I
(35:16):
owe my career to in a way, and I owe
the little acting ability that I have to and possibly
the reason that I am so curious in acting and
wanted to do it, and you know, I wanted to
dive into this character for a short period of time
and dive into this character for a short period of
time and learned something about myself in the process, because
(35:41):
I guess it's something that I've been subconsciously doing for
a very long time, and it's nice to be able
to put that thing that I struggled with for a
while into an applicable skill.
Speaker 4 (35:52):
So I don't know whether that's too.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
Not deep, because it's not necessarily that deep or even interesting,
but I guess it's it's done, not something I've ever
said publicly before, and and something that I feel a
feeling relatively comfortable sharing, and especially in the spirit of
being grateful for the things that can also make you
anxious or give you struggle or you know, whatever that
(36:18):
there are. There are there are two sides to it,
and everything has a has an upside and a gift
and something that you can be in the words of
my mum, be curious about you know, when you're dealing
with something that's really difficult, be curious about it. What
is it that's difficult about it? Why is it difficult,
and maybe within there and there's something, there's something.
Speaker 4 (36:38):
Glorious, you know.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
M I actually love that answer, and I think it's
really cool you share that, So thank you, because a
lot of people listening go through things in their childhood
or younger years that they at the time hate and
they would want to change, and they think it's like
you know, for you know, fear of being a little
dramatic like ruining their life at the time. But then
you realize, through wisdom and growing older and evolving in
(37:02):
this world that you know what, I wouldn't maybe be
where I am today had those things not happen. It
doesn't mean that maybe some emotions, you know, still don't
creep up from that time and there's moments understandness or whatever.
But it also when it brings you to where you
are today. So I think it's a really good reminder
for everybody listening, like your path is your path for
(37:22):
a reason, and hopefully it will lead you somewhere that
you can realize that's why that all happened.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
Yeah, precisely, there's there's yeah, there's there's a there's reason
for everything, and also finding reason, finding purpose in in
in your struggle is you know, not that I'm a
philosopher or a teacher or any anyone to give anyone advice.
Speaker 4 (37:41):
I'm talking many to myself through.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
You, Tommy, So but yeah, you know, finding finding purpose
in in that is a is a really powerful and
wonderful thing and something that is given me a lot
more peace than I would have had without that thought.
Speaker 2 (38:00):
Hmmm. I absolutely love that.
Speaker 1 (38:02):
And people are finding purpose through your work, my friend,
and they are your Your work is bringing it is
it's bringing them joy and escapism and and you know,
people really have connected to what you've created through all
your roles, and I know Hostage is another one that
people are just going to go crazy over. And it's
(38:22):
it's just cool to see you continuing to thrive and
do such great things in your career. I know so
much more is coming and and what a fun time
for you with with Netflix and with this new series
out and man like I'm I'm just like to see where.
Speaker 2 (38:36):
It all goes.
Speaker 3 (38:37):
That's so so deep to kind of telling thank you,
thank you for saying that, and thank you for having me.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
It's been, it's been, it's been a wonderful, wonderful Now.
Speaker 1 (38:48):
Well, thank you for hanging out and I look forward
to your debut single dropping very soon, so I can't
wait for that.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
God, yeah, yeah, it coming out.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
So yeah, all right on man. Hostage is out now.
Everybody go watch it?
Speaker 4 (39:03):
Yeah please, yeah, yeah watch it.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I've Never Said This Before is hosted by Me, Tommy Dedario.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Publisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast Network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(39:29):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy Dedario
Elvis Duran and the Morning Show ON DEMAND News
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