Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XT, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends the BFI London Film Festival Awards during the 58th BFI London Film Festival on October 18, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI)
School period
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James McAvoy, childhood photo
College/University
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Young James McAvoy
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Young James McAvoy
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Young James McAvoy
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Young James McAvoy
Career
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2007
Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, 41, 30126 Lido VE, Italy
James McAvoy arrives at the Excelsior Hotel where he is attending the Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2007 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Niki Nikolova/FilmMagic)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2010
4 W 58th St, New York, NY 10019, United States
James McAvoy attends "The Last Station" premiere at the Paris Theatre on January 11, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by George Napolitano/FilmMagic)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2013
14 Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2DY, United Kingdom
Anne-Marie Duff and James McAvoy sighting at Macbeth press night Trafalgar Studios on February 22, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/FilmMagic)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2014
1697 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, United States
James McAvoy enters the "Late Show With David Letterman" taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater on August 27, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/WireImage)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2014
Belvedere Rd, Lambeth, London SE1 8XT, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends the BFI London Film Festival Awards during the 58th BFI London Film Festival on October 18, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for BFI)
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2014
New York City, New York, United States
James McAvoy attends "Meet The Filmmakers" on May 20, 2014 in New York, United States. (Photo by J Carter Rinaldi/FilmMagic)
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2014
New York City, New York, United States
James McAvoy sighting on May 20, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Josiah Kamau/BuzzFoto/FilmMagic)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2015
2 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5HY, United Kingdom
James McAvoy arrives at The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards in partnership with The Ivy at The Old Vic Theatre on November 22, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2016
1 Charlie Chaplin Walk South Bank SE1 8XR, United Kingdom
Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy attend a Global Fan Screening of 'X-Men Apocalypse' at BFI IMAX on May 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2016
135 W 50th St, New York, NY 10020, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends the "X-Men Apocalypse" New York screening at Entertainment Weekly on May 24, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2016
New York City, New York, United States
James McAvoy does Good Morning America on May 24, 2016 in New York, NY. (Photo by Josiah Kamau/BuzzFoto via Getty Images)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2016
2 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5HY, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards at The Old Vic Theatre on November 13, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2017
333 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011, United States
James McAvoy attends the "Split" New York Premiere at SVA Theater on January 18, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic)
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2017
103 Prince St, New York, NY 10012, United Sates
James McAvoy attends Meet the Actor at Apple Store Soho on January 19, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images)
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2017
Austin, Texas, United States
James McAvoy attends the "Atomic Blonde" premiere 2017 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 12, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW)
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2017
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
James McAvoy is seen on December 1, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
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2018
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
James McAvoy speaks onstage during CinemaCon 2018 Universal on April 25, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for CinemaCon)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2019
James McAvoy during an interview on January 15, 2019 - (Photo by: Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2019
38 Curzon St, Mayfair, London W1J 7TY, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends the UK Premiere of "Glass" at The Curzon Mayfair on January 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/ Mike Marsland/WireImage)
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2019
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
James McAvoy attends the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2019
9390 N Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, United States
Sarah Paulson (L) and James McAvoy (R) attend the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre /VF19/WireImage)
Gallery of James McAvoy
2019
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
James McAvoy and Danai Gurira speak onstage during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Gallery of James McAvoy
Reitman Square, 350 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3X5, Canada
James McAvoy during 31st Annual Toronto International Film Festival - "The Last King of Scotland" Screening at Visa Screening Room in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage)
Achievements
Membership
Awards
British Academy Film Awards
2006
22-24 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7LQ, United Kingdom
James McAvoy poses backstage in the Awards Room with The Orange Rising Star Award at The Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) at the Odeon Leicester Square on February 19, 2006, in London, England. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
Empire Awards
2008
86-90 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 7TN, Uniited Kingdom
James McAvoy poses in front of the winners' boards with the Best Actor award at the Sony Ericsson Empire Awards 2008 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on March 9, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
London Critics Circle Film Awards
2008
86-90 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 7TN, Uniited Kingdom
James McAvoy poses with his award for Best Actor while attending the Awards Of The London Film Critics' Circle at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on February 8, 2008, in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
2008
33 E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
Amy Ryan, Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, and James McAvoy attended the 2008 Santa Barbara Film Festival - 2008 Virtuosos Tribute held at the Lobero on January 30, 2008 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage)
22-24 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7LQ, United Kingdom
James McAvoy poses backstage in the Awards Room with The Orange Rising Star Award at The Orange British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) at the Odeon Leicester Square on February 19, 2006, in London, England. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
Lungomare Guglielmo Marconi, 41, 30126 Lido VE, Italy
James McAvoy arrives at the Excelsior Hotel where he is attending the Venice Film Festival on August 29, 2007 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Niki Nikolova/FilmMagic)
86-90 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 7TN, Uniited Kingdom
James McAvoy poses in front of the winners' boards with the Best Actor award at the Sony Ericsson Empire Awards 2008 at the Grosvenor House Hotel on March 9, 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images)
86-90 Park Ln, Mayfair, London W1K 7TN, Uniited Kingdom
James McAvoy poses with his award for Best Actor while attending the Awards Of The London Film Critics' Circle at the Grosvenor House Hotel, on February 8, 2008, in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
33 E Canon Perdido St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States
Amy Ryan, Casey Affleck, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, and James McAvoy attended the 2008 Santa Barbara Film Festival - 2008 Virtuosos Tribute held at the Lobero on January 30, 2008 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage)
14 Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2DY, United Kingdom
Anne-Marie Duff and James McAvoy sighting at Macbeth press night Trafalgar Studios on February 22, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/FilmMagic)
James McAvoy enters the "Late Show With David Letterman" taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater on August 27, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/WireImage)
2 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5HY, United Kingdom
James McAvoy arrives at The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards in partnership with The Ivy at The Old Vic Theatre on November 22, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
1 Charlie Chaplin Walk South Bank SE1 8XR, United Kingdom
Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy attend a Global Fan Screening of 'X-Men Apocalypse' at BFI IMAX on May 9, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images)
James McAvoy attends the "X-Men Apocalypse" New York screening at Entertainment Weekly on May 24, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
2 Derry St, Kensington, London W8 5HY, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards at The Old Vic Theatre on November 13, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage)
James McAvoy attends the "Atomic Blonde" premiere 2017 SXSW Conference and Festivals on March 12, 2017 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for SXSW)
38 Curzon St, Mayfair, London W1J 7TY, United Kingdom
James McAvoy attends the UK Premiere of "Glass" at The Curzon Mayfair on January 09, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/ Mike Marsland/WireImage)
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
James McAvoy attends the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
9390 N Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210, United States
Sarah Paulson (L) and James McAvoy (R) attend the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre /VF19/WireImage)
6801 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028, United States
James McAvoy and Danai Gurira speak onstage during the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Reitman Square, 350 King St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3X5, Canada
James McAvoy during 31st Annual Toronto International Film Festival - "The Last King of Scotland" Screening at Visa Screening Room in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Rebecca Sapp/WireImage)
(A witty romantic comedy about chasing your dreams and ris...)
A witty romantic comedy about chasing your dreams and risking your heart, Wimbledon is a fun and charming story of love across the court, starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany.
(From the producers of Bridget Jones's Diary and Billy Ell...)
From the producers of Bridget Jones's Diary and Billy Elliot comes this inspiring story of independence that follows two unlikely friends determined to face the world on their own terms.
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe
(Four siblings play a game of hide and seek and wind up en...)
Four siblings play a game of hide and seek and wind up entering a magical land. Once there, they discover a world inhabited by beasts, dwarfs, and giants and find themselves in a battle to defeat a witch.
(Set in Uganda in the 1970's, The Last King of Scotland is...)
Set in Uganda in the 1970's, The Last King of Scotland is a compelling mix of fact and fiction that depicts Idi Amin (Whittaker) as one of the most powerful dictators of our time. Amin's savagery is illustrated in part through a naive Scottish doctor (McAvoy) who finds himself entangled with Amin in a desperate fight for survival.
(A brilliantly book-smart young man heads to college bent ...)
A brilliantly book-smart young man heads to college bent on leading his school on a popular TV quiz show, only to get caught up in a series of personal entanglements.
(Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, t...)
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, this stunning epic love story stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy and is hailed by critics as "a ravishing romance."
(James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie star in W...)
James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie star in Wanted, a turbo-charged thrill ride critics are calling the most visually inventive, trailblazing action film of its kind.
(From director Robert Redford comes the riveting true stor...)
From director Robert Redford comes the riveting true story behind the assassination trial of Abraham Lincoln - including the lone woman who was accused of plotting his murder.
(While working on a murder case, a scheming, manipulative ...)
While working on a murder case, a scheming, manipulative policeman starts coming unhinged, slowly losing his grip on reality and suffering from a series of increasingly severe hallucinations as he desperately tries to hold his life together.
(From Academy Award-Winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog ...)
From Academy Award-Winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 2008) comes a thrilling, action-packed brain-twister starring James McAvoy (X-Men: First Class).
(James McAvoy stars in this action thriller as a detective...)
James McAvoy stars in this action thriller as a detective with has one last shot to take down a notorious criminal who has just been forced to return to London.
(The heroic characters from the original X-Men film trilog...)
The heroic characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves in an epic battle that must change the past - to save our future!
(Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy dazzle in this drama ha...)
Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy dazzle in this drama hailed as "one of the most romantic love stories ever." A married couple torn apart by tragedy tries to reclaim the life they once shared.
(In their attempts to aid humanity, Dr. Frankenstein (Jame...)
In their attempts to aid humanity, Dr. Frankenstein (James McAvoy) and his assistant Igor (Daniel Radcliffe) create a monster that holds unimaginable terror for anyone in its path!
(Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalitie...)
Though Kevin (James McAvoy) has evidenced 23 personalities to his trusted psychiatrist, there remains one still submerged who is set to materialize and dominate the others.
(Apocalypse, the most powerful mutant in Marvel's X-Men un...)
Apocalypse, the most powerful mutant in Marvel's X-Men universe, tries to destroy mankind in this action-packed hit starring Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence!
(James (James McAvoy) is a British agent and Danny (Alicia...)
James (James McAvoy) is a British agent and Danny (Alicia Vikander) is a scientist working on a deep-sea diving project. A wild love affair develops even though their jobs, and their individual dangerous missions, are destined to separate them.
(Charlize Theron stars as a secret agent who gets double-c...)
Charlize Theron stars as a secret agent who gets double-crossed as she attempts to escape out of Berlin with a priceless dossier in this breakneck action-thriller.
(Twelve years after the events of Dune (based on Frank Her...)
Twelve years after the events of Dune (based on Frank Herbert's best-selling series of novels), political intrigue, rebellion and betrayal play out on an interplanetary level. To his horror, Arrakis emperor Paul Atreides (Alec Newman) - has become the unintended figurehead of a violent dictatorship, and his enemies are multiplying.
James McAvoy is a Scottish actor who appears in films, TV, as well as on stage He rose to prominence after appearing in the 2006 film The Last King of Scotland as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan.
Background
James McAvoy was born on 21 April 1979, in Glasgow, United Kingdom. He is the son of psychiatric nurse Elizabeth (née Johnstone; died 2018) and bus driver James McAvoy, Sr. McAvoy's parents divorced when he was just seven years old. In the aftermath, he and his mother would go to live with his grandparents in Glasgow's housing projects. McAvoy's mother suffered from poor health and subsequently sent him to live with his maternal grandparents, Mary, and James Johnstone, in the nearby Drumchapel area of Glasgow. They instilled a strong work ethic in the youngster and gave him a steady upbringing. His mother lived with them intermittently. McAvoy has a sister, Joy, and a younger half-brother, Donald. He has not been in contact with his father since childhood.
Education
McAvoy attended a Catholic school named St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary. For a brief period, he had considered becoming a priest and joining the Catholic priesthood. In a 2006 interview, McAvoy said that he considered becoming a priest as a child because it seemed to be a way to explore the world via missionary work. But, when he was 16, a visit to the school by actor David Hayman sparked an interest in acting. Hayman offered him a part in his film The Near Room (1995) but despite enjoying the experience McAvoy didn't seriously consider acting as a career, although he did continue to act as a member of PACE Youth Theatre. He applied instead to the Royal Navy and had already been accepted when he was also offered a place at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
In 2000 McAvoy graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, where he studied drama. To pay his way through education, for two years he did the early shift at a bakery as a trainee confectioner before heading off to school each morning.
Years later, the Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland as he did. The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.
James McAvoy was 16 when the actor and director David Hayman visited St Thomas Aquinas school in Drumchapel to give a talk on Shakespeare and ended up being heckled by some class troublemakers. McAvoy recalled: "I felt bad for him, so I went up at the end and said, 'Thanks very much. That was very interesting,' and asked him if I could make the tea, do some work experience if he was ever doing another film." It was the first time he'd ever taken a responsibility like that upon himself - and it paid off. Four months later David called and asked if he'd like to audition for a part. It was the role of pimp's son Kevin in 1995's The Near Room. Giving something a try and seeing what happens is a practical trait he learned from his maternal grandparents. "'Have a go, son' was always their motto, and I have done," he says. He later admitted that he was not very interested in acting when joining the film, but was inspired to study acting after developing feelings for his co-star, Alana Brady. He continued to act while still a member of the PACE Youth Theatre.
In 2000, at the age of 20, McAvoy moved to London and soon after, landed a plum role in Steven Spielberg's acclaimed mini-series, Band of Brothers (2001), which aired on HBO in the States and the BBC in Britain. In 2001, McAvoy's performance as a gay hustler in the play Out in the Open impressed director Joe Wright so much that Wright began offering McAvoy parts in his films. McAvoy kept declining them, however, and it was not until six years later that the two worked together. He appeared at London's Donmar Warehouse in Privates On Parade, where his potential was spotted by director Sam Mendes. His first lead role on the big screen was in the 2001 German film Swimming Pool.
In 2003 he featured in Stephen Fry film Bright Young Things and was cast in two TV series, comedy Early Doors and the award-winning drama State Of Play, political thriller series which aired in 2003. The series, which was created by Paul Abbot and directed by David Yates, became a hit, and also brought McAvoy to popularity. The same year he also played the main role in Bollywood Queen which was a British Indian take on the famous play by William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet. The film was directed by Jeremy Wooding who won a nomination for The British Independent Film Award for the movie. In the Emmy award-winning mini-series Children of Dune (2003) he played a lead, followed by a role in the critically acclaimed movie Bright Young Things (2003).
The following year he made his big screen debut in Paul Bettany vehicle Wimbledon and landed a part in gritty comedy Shameless, where he won plaudits for his performance as charismatic wide boy Steve. He was nominated for a 2004 British Comedy Award for the Channel 4 series.
Cast as a faun in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe McAvoy and his acting skills were exposed to an international audience. But it was his role as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan in The Last King of Scotland (2006) opposite Forest Whittaker that brought McAvoy the most international acclaim he'd had to date, including a BAFTA nomination and British Actor of the Year nomination from the London Critics Circle Film Awards. The film revolves around the story of a young adventurous doctor, who travels to Uganda, and becomes the personal physician of the new president. The film shows the brutality of the new ruler, through the eyes of McAvoy’s character. The film was a commercial success. McAvoy went on to win the 2006 BAFTA Rising Star Award and the Chopard Trophy at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival as Male Revelation.
The lead in 2006 coming-of-age drama Starter For Ten followed. It was a credit to his versatility as an actor that James could play gormless fresher Brian one minute and Jane Austen's love interest opposite Anne Hathaway the next in Becoming Jane.
McAvoy has starred in Atonement (2007) opposite Keira Knightley (for which he received a Golden Globe nomination) as the romantic lead. The actor had the chance to explore a new genre when he was cast alongside Angelina Jolie in sci-fi action flick Wanted as a geek who becomes a deadly assassin. In 2009 he earned a nomination for Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his remarkable performance in the award-winning play Three Days of Rain.
McAvoy gained worldwide popularity after he started appearing in the X-Men series. He first appeared in the 2011 movie X-Men: First Class where he portrayed Professor Charles Xavier, a telepath who could read and control minds. The film did quite well commercially and also received several awards. After appearing in films such as Welcome to the Punch (2013) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014), as well as in a stage production of Macbeth the famous play by Shakespeare, he appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past, his second film in the X-Men series. The film was a huge success, grossing over $700 million worldwide.
In 2017, James McAvoy teamed up with M. Night Shyamalan for the horror thriller Split, then reprised his role in Glass (2019). One of McAvoy’s most recent works was in the 2017 spy thriller Atomic Blonde, where he played the main role. The film was directed by David Leitch, and along with McAvoy, the film also starred actors such as Charlize Theron, John Goodman, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella and Toby Jones. The film received mostly favorable reviews. He lent his voice to the animated film Sherlock Gnomes (2018) and returned to his X-Men role for the film Dark Phoenix (2018). McAvoy will play adult Bill Denbrough in the upcoming It: Chapter Two. The film is set to hit theaters in September 2019.
(Shameless is a British black comedy series set in Manches...)
2004
Religion
Though he was brought up a Catholic, McAvoy has stated that he no longer practices this religion. However, he still considers himself a spiritual person.
Politics
McAvoy keeps his political affiliation private. Speaking during Scotlands Independence Referendum Vote, he had refused to comment on whether he is either the pro-independence or pro-Union. During the lead-up to the referendum, McAvoy avoided getting caught up in the debate, admitting that he felt it would be “counter-productive” to his career. But he eventually stated; "I don't mind staying together, and I don't mind splitting up, but I don't really like either of the parties who've made arguments. I don't trust politicians at the moment. Why suddenly believe them now? Whether it turns out bad or good, you can make the best of independence. But pursuing it with a goal to be richer is fucking pointless. We could be rich for four years, but then we might not be. That's what happens. If you look at Ireland, people were willing to fight and die for their fucking independence 100 years ago. Ask any Scotsman who wants independence whether they want to shed blood for it. I don't think they'd say yes." After he was asked about his thoughts on Donal Trump's election the star said that he’s “not really publicly political,” and added, “By the way, I’m not American, so it’s your fucking problem.”
Views
At some point, McAvoy did a BASE jump from the world's tallest hospital building in a bid to help raise money for Ugandan children's charity Retrak, which assists children on the streets. Additionally, McAvoy is a celebrity supporter of the British Red Cross with whom he traveled to Uganda to raise awareness of the projects there. He had become involved with the charity after shooting The Last King of Scotland there for several months and was shocked by what he saw. In February 2007, he visited northern Uganda and spent four days seeing projects supported by the British Red Cross.
Quotations:
"I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. I only did it because I was allowed to do it and I had to do something."
"The minute you start to strategize too much, the more you start to think you're in control of your own fate. And you're not, really."
"I don't want to be all worthy about it, but I don't do red carpets, I don't do events and I don't accept freebies that much."
"I take my job very seriously and if I start acting like an idiot off screen, I lose that respect."
"Drama teaches you to empathize and that stands you in good stead - whether you are going to be an actor, a director or a plumber - it improves your ability to connect with the world around you."
"I really am thrifty. When it comes to the people I love, I'm generous, but I don't need much. I spend money on groceries and pay my bills. Every now and again I'll allow myself a chocolate bar. I'm joking but seriously, I'm careful with my money. I learned that from my grandparents. That was always very important to me, not to be in debt to anyone, money-wise. I was determined not to take any money off my mother or my grandparents after I was 18."
"You can't control your career as an actor. If you could strategize your way to the top, then everybody would be successful and playing the leads in movies where they're commanding millions of dollars. And they're not. You can't. There are better actors than me who are struggling, and there are worse actors than me who are coining it in. Luckily for me, the work has just kept coming. If a director doesn't want me, that's their fucking loss."
Personality
In an interview McAvoy said he enjoys hiking and playing soccer. He also mentioned that he really enjoys cooking and even trained for several years to become a confectioner. Besides acting and science fiction his biggest interest is soccer. McAvoy is a huge fan of the Celtic Football Club, stating that his dream role would be to play Celtic legend, Jimmy Johnstone. He enjoys fantasy themes which he said started from the age of 11 with The Lord of the Rings. James also has a very serious allergy to horses. He had a difficult time shooting for the movie, The Conspirator, due to his horse allergy.
After McAvoy won the "Rising Star" award from the BAFTAs, his estranged father spoke to the Sunday Mirror, stating that he would love to get in touch with his son, but did not know how to reach him. Though he did not read the piece, McAvoy heard about it and was unmoved.
Physical Characteristics:
McAvoy commented on his appearance: "I'm 5 foot 7, and I've got pasty white skin. I don't think I'm ugly, don't get me wrong, but I'm not your classic lead man, Brad Pitt guy." He also enjoys wearing a beard: "I always have a beard between jobs. I just let it grow until they pay me to shave it. People are quite surprised it's ginger. Sometimes they ask me if I dye my hair and I always say 'Wow, no! I'm 'trans-ginger'."
Quotes from others about the person
"James McAvoy is the most courageous actor." - Night Shyamalan
"He's very giving as an actor and really supportive. It was a relationship between our two characters that could have been very kind of fraught and quite tumultuous and uncomfortable. Instead, I felt really supported, like I had a mate along for the ride. We just sort of got through it together." - Anya Taylor-Joy
Interests
Writers
J. R. R. Tolkien
Sport & Clubs
Celtic Glasgow, soccer, rugby, fencing
Connections
James McAvoy started dating Anne-Marie Duff, his co-star in the TV series ‘Shameless’, who also played his love interest. They got married in 2006 in a quiet ceremony. They have one son, Brendan, who was born in 2010. In 2016, the couple announced that they would be divorcing. To minimize disruption to their son's life, they still share a home in North London when not working elsewhere.