James Corden has revealed the kind rejection e-mail the late Gene Wilder sent him.
The Willy Wonka star passed away at the age of 83 from complications after secretly struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.
“He was never anything less than brilliant at all times,” the Londener said.
Honour: James honoured the eccentric actor in a moving tribute on his show | PARAMOUNT PICTURES
James admitted that the comedian came backstage after one of his New York shows and the pair swapped e-mails.
“I was lucky enough to meet him once. He came to see me in a play in New York,” he told the audience on his show, the Late Late Show with James Corden.
“He came backstage afterwards. If anyone else came backstage, they would stay for five, ten minutes tops.
“He sat in my room for half an hour and we sat on this couch. I’ll never forget it for as long as I live.
“We exchanged e-mails and when I got this show, we were planning our first show and we opened with a sketch, a Willy Wonka sketch.
Sketch: James opening sketch to his show was based off of Gene’s Willy Wonka film | CBS
The actor explained that he had asked Gene to take part in the sketch but he refused in the nicest way possible.
“Whoever ended up [on the Late Late Show] found a golden ticket in a Wonka bar. So I sent him an e-mail asking if he would come and do a bit in it.
“He sent me an e-mail back where in the history of people saying no to things, it couldn’t have been nicer,” he added.
“It said, ‘Dearest James, I don’t do or go where you are hoping but I’ll be looking for you. With my love, Gene.’
“Even the way he said no was so poetic! Even his e-mail sounded somehow like Willy Wonka.”
Watch the touching tribute below.
