You remember that feeling when Paul Potts walked onto the Britain's Got Talent stage in 2007? The ill-fitting suit. The nervous shuffle. The skeptical look on Simon Cowell’s face that launched a thousand memes before memes were even really a thing. When David Frankel—the guy who directed The Devil Wears Prada—decided to turn that viral moment into a biopic, he had a massive hurdle to clear. He had to find a one chance movie cast that didn't feel like a caricature of working-class Wales.
Honestly, biopics about living people are usually a disaster. They either hero-worship the subject or get bogged down in melodrama. But One Chance (2013) dodged a lot of those bullets by leaning into a cast that prioritized charm over imitation. It’s been over a decade since it hit theaters, yet the performances still hold up because they captured the "everyman" vibe that made Potts a global phenomenon in the first place.
James Corden as Paul Potts: The Role Before the Late Late Show
It’s actually kinda weird to look back at James Corden in this role now. Today, everyone knows him as the high-energy, Carpool Karaoke-singing host, but back in 2013, he was still very much "Smithy" from Gavin & Stacey to a lot of people.
Corden didn't just play Potts; he inhabited that specific brand of British insecurity. He spent time with the real Paul Potts to nail the physicality—the way Paul ducks his head when he’s embarrassed, which is basically all the time in the first act of the film. While Corden didn't actually sing the opera parts—those were dubbed by the real Paul Potts to ensure the musical integrity remained top-tier—his mouth-syncing was meticulously practiced. He had to learn the breathing patterns of a tenor. If you watch his ribcage during the "Nessun Dorma" finale, he's actually mimicking the diaphragmatic expansion required for those high notes. That’s commitment.
People often forget that Corden was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work here. It wasn't just a "funny man tries drama" fluke. He managed to make the audience feel the sting of working at a Carphone Warehouse while dreaming of Venice. It’s a performance rooted in the reality of being an underdog.
Alexandra Roach as Julie-Ann Cooper: The Emotional Anchor
If Corden is the heart of the film, Alexandra Roach is the backbone. She plays Julz, Paul’s girlfriend (and eventually wife). Roach is a Welsh actress, which was crucial for the authenticity of the Port Talbot setting. She has this way of looking at Corden’s character that conveys both "you’re a bit of an idiot" and "I would die for you" simultaneously.
The real-life Julie-Ann "Julz" Cooper met Paul in a chat room, and the movie handles their courtship with a refreshing lack of Hollywood gloss. Roach brings a grounded, sensible energy that prevents the film from floating off into "musical fantasy" territory. She represents the audience. When she believes in Paul, we believe in Paul. Her performance reminds us that the one chance movie cast wasn't just about finding a lead; it was about building the support system that made Paul’s rise possible.
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The Heavy Hitters: Colm Meaney and Julie Walters
Look, if you want to ground a British movie in reality, you hire Julie Walters. It’s basically a law.
Playing Paul’s mother, Yvonne Potts, Walters does what she does best: providing warmth mixed with a sharp, no-nonsense edge. But the real surprise for many was Colm Meaney as Paul’s father, Roland. Roland is a "man’s man." He works in the steelworks. He doesn't understand opera. He thinks his son should stop chasing clouds and focus on a real trade.
Meaney avoids the cliché of the "villainous father." He’s not mean; he’s protective. He’s a man who has seen the world crush people with big dreams, and he doesn't want to see his son get crushed. The scene where he finally watches Paul on TV is a masterclass in silent acting. No big speeches. Just a face shifting from skepticism to realization.
Why the Supporting Roles Matter
- Mackenzie Crook as Braddon: Known for The Office (UK) and Pirates of the Caribbean, Crook plays Paul’s best friend and manager at the phone shop. He provides the comedic relief but also a strange sort of wisdom. He represents the "dreamers who stayed behind."
- Valeria Bilello as Alessandra: Her role during the Venice sequences adds a layer of "what if" to the story, highlighting the cultural gap between Paul’s life in Wales and his aspirations in Italy.
- Edoardo Gabbriellini as Matteo: As Paul's rival/friend in Italy, he provides the necessary friction to show that talent isn't enough; you need grit.
The Simon Cowell Factor (And That Cameo)
You can't talk about the one chance movie cast without mentioning the man who started it all. While Simon Cowell doesn't technically "act" in the film, the production used the actual footage from the 2007 audition. This was a deliberate choice by David Frankel.
Why? Because you can’t recreate that atmosphere. The specific lighting of the Millennium Centre in Cardiff, the genuine shock on Amanda Holden’s face, and Simon’s transition from a "let’s get this over with" eye-roll to genuine awe. By blending the actors into the real-world footage of the show, the film gains a level of "truth" that a re-staged scene would have lost.
Casting the Music: The Unseen Performer
Technically, the most important "cast member" isn't even on screen. It’s Paul Potts’ voice.
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There was a lot of debate during production about whether James Corden should sing. Corden can sing—he’s a Tony winner, after all—but he isn't a professional opera tenor. The decision to have Potts record new versions of the songs specifically for the film was a genius move. It ensures that when the "big moment" happens, the audience hears the exact voice that moved 12 million people on YouTube.
The soundtrack, handled by Theodore Shapiro, doesn't just feature opera. It uses the music to bridge the gap between the grey streets of Wales and the golden halls of Italy. It’s a character in its own right.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Timeline
The movie takes some... let's call them "creative liberties." This is where the one chance movie cast has to do the heavy lifting to keep the story believable.
In the film, it feels like Paul’s journey from Italy to the BGT stage happened over a couple of years. In reality, the gap was much longer. Paul actually performed in amateur opera productions and even sang for Pavarotti (which is in the movie) years before the show. The movie condenses this to heighten the drama.
Also, the "accident" sequence in the film—where Paul gets hit by a car and then gets a thyroid tumor—actually happened, but the timing was slightly different. James Corden’s performance during these "down" years is what keeps the movie from feeling like a generic rags-to-riches story. He portrays the physical and mental toll of repeated failure with genuine pathos.
Why This Cast Worked When Others Failed
We’ve seen a lot of talent show biopics or "inspirational" movies that feel manufactured. One Chance succeeded because the cast didn't play for the cheap seats. They played the small moments.
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The chemistry between Corden and Roach feels like a real couple who argues about the grocery bill. The tension between Corden and Meaney feels like a real father and son who love each other but don't know how to talk to each other. By the time we get to the finale, we aren't just rooting for a singer; we’re rooting for these specific people we’ve come to know.
Key Takeaways from the Casting Choices:
- Authenticity over Star Power: While Corden was famous, the rest of the cast were seasoned British actors who fit the world perfectly.
- Cultural Specificity: Hiring Welsh actors for Welsh roles (like Roach) prevented the "Hollywood-ized" accent problem.
- The "Real" Voice: Using Paul Potts' actual singing voice kept the emotional payoff grounded in reality.
Lessons from the One Chance Production
If you’re looking at this film as a student of cinema or just a fan of the story, there’s a lot to learn about how to handle a biopic. The one chance movie cast teaches us that you don't need a look-alike; you need a "feel-alike." James Corden doesn't look exactly like Paul Potts, but he captures the essence of Paul's vulnerability.
When you're telling a story about a real person, the "truth" isn't always in the dates and locations. It’s in the relationships. The movie spends more time on Paul’s relationship with his wife and parents than it does on his actual singing lessons. That’s why it works. It’s a movie about a man who happened to sing, not a movie about singing that happened to have a man in it.
Your Next Steps to Explore the Story
If this deep dive into the cast has you wanting to revisit the story, here is the best way to do it without getting bogged down in the "Hollywood" version:
- Watch the Original Audition: Go back to the 2007 YouTube clip of Paul’s first audition. Pay attention to the judge's faces. It helps you appreciate how well the movie cast mimicked that tension.
- Listen to the Soundtrack: Focus on the tracks recorded specifically for the film. You can hear the maturity in Paul’s voice compared to his original 2007 recordings.
- Check out 'Gavin & Stacey': If you only know James Corden from his American talk show, watch his earlier work. You’ll see the seeds of the performance he gave in One Chance.
- Read Paul Potts' Autobiography: Titled One Chance, it provides the gritty details that the movie had to skip for time, including the full extent of his medical bills and the actual timeline of his training in Italy.
The film reminds us that everyone has a "thing" they’re good at, but most people are too scared to show it to the world. The cast of One Chance didn't just tell the story of a singer; they told the story of what happens when you finally stop being afraid of your own talent.
Check out the film on streaming platforms to see these performances in action; it’s a masterclass in how to handle a "small" story with a very big heart.