James Corden Reveals How He Joined The Smurfs Movie: I Got A Voice Note From Rihanna

James Corden wasn't expecting a major movie role when he received a surprising message on his phone. "I got a voice note from Rihanna on my phone, which had never happened to me before or since. She said, would you come and be in this Smurf movie? Would I? I was so blown away. And that is the whole story of how I came to play No Name."

Now, in the 2025 Smurfs movie, Corden voices No Name, Smurfette's closest friend and emotional anchor. Described by director Chris Miller as the heart and soul of the story, No Name is a character searching for identity and purpose. "In the Smurf world, he is completely lost," says Corden. "For him, the film is about his quest to discover his purpose. Smurfette is his ally and confidante, the person that tells him that he is going to be okay. She gives him some tough love at points. And she's also a brilliant singer, because...it's Rihanna."

Even for the man who created Carpool Karaoke, singing alongside Rihanna was no small task. "When I was in the studio with Rihanna and her producers, it was hard not to feel like somebody made a huge mistake," Corden jokes.

As for joining one of pop culture's most iconic franchises, he reflects, "I reckon wherever you are in the world, you could show a picture of a Smurf to people and more than half of them would recognize it. It's a phenomenon that has lasted an incredibly long time and retained its relevance. I'm very honored to be part of it."

Paramount Pictures India will release The Smurfs in India on 18th July in English and Hindi