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James McAvoy

James McAvoy
James Andrew McAvoy - born 21 April 1979, in Scotstoun, Glasgow, into a working-class environment - is probably about the most exciting Caledonian talent to emerge since that bloke with the motorbike.

The emerging began when actor David Hayman copped some heckling during a talk at McAvoy's school. The then 16 year old took it upon himself to apologise, and offered to come and make tea on Hayman's next film set. Hayman called four months later and had McAvoy audition for a part in The Near Room, which he got.

That led to increasingly decent roles on film and TV, including Band Of Brothers and excellent thriller State Of Play. And the upward curve just keeps on going, mostly because McAvoy is so good whatever he's in - yes, even that support role in Wimbledon.

He's the goat-chappie in Narnia, he's superb opposite Forest Whitaker in The Last King Of Scotland, he's funny in Starter For 10. And then there's the mature, layered double-whammy of Becoming Jane and Atonement. Next up, comic-book assassin wham-bammery Wanted, co-starring Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie - the latter of whom he "shares one epic snog" with. Nice work if you can get it...

Wise words: "I still think that, given the choice of running after me down the street and running after Keira, they would run after Keira. And that's fine with me, by the way. I'm more than happy with that."


News | What members say | Filmography | Watch online (13)

James McAvoy - news / articles


  • Wanted: James McAvoy Interview - 25 June 2008
    -We caught up with Scottish Heart-throb James McAvoy as he gave us the inside gossip on his brand new action movie Wanted. He told us about the dramas of working on this first Hollywood blockbuster, attempts to clear up all those Hobbit rumours and tells us what Angel


  • James McAvoy: I'm not playing Bilbo - 16 June 2008
    Brit actor James McAvoy has denied that he is to play Bilbo Baggins in the upcoming movie adaptation of the Hobbit.-McAvoy, who made his name in the TV show Shameless before hitting the big screen, has said that the rumours are "not true".-"It's all int


James McAvoy - what members say


  • State of Play Series 1
  • State of Play Series 1 review by chrismorrell from Basingstoke Hampshire
    Rated - 4 stars dark stuff 29 June 2007
    ... how good this is... John Simm, Bill Nighy, David Morrissey, Kelly MacDonald, James McAvoy....written by Paul 'Shameless' Abbott...the story is one of 'political intrig...  
  • Inside I'm Dancing
  • Inside I'm Dancing review by from Stoke on trent
    Rated - 5 stars A Brilliantly heart warming comedy! 21 July 2005
    ...llent, it is based on two characters, the first is Rory played by the brilliant James McAvoy (shameless),who is a fun loving, rebellious character, who befriends Micheal pl...  
  • The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
  • The Chronicles Of Narnia - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe review by A customer from London, England
    Rated - 1 stars This is an awful film 16 April 2007
    ...CGI as they certainly didn't spend it on the child actors, who were atrocious. James McAvoy was disappointing as Mr. Tumnus - completely mis-cast with the same accent he u...  

James McAvoy - filmography


  • The Last Station (2010)
    Starring: James McAvoy,  Christopher Plummer,  Paul Giamatti
    Director: Michael Hoffman
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Set in the last tumultuous years of famed Russian author Leo Tolstoy's life, centers on the battle for his soul waged by his wife Sofya Andreyevna and his leading disciple Vladimir Cherkov. Torn between his professed doctrine of poverty and chastity and the reality of his enormous wealth, his ..read more »
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 65% from 2 members
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  • Atonement on DVD (2007)
    Starring: Keira Knightley,  James McAvoy,  Romola Garai
    Director: Joe Wright
    Certificate: Certificate: 15
    Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's (Keira Knightley) lover (James McAvoy) of a crime he did not commit. Based on the British romance novel by Ian McEwan.
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 70% from 84,687 members
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  • State of Play Series 1 (2 discs) on DVD
    Starring: David Morrissey,  John Simm,  Bill Nighy
    Certificate: Certificate: TBC
    Stephen Collins is an ambitious politician. Cal McAffrey is a well-respected investigative journalist and Stephen's ex-campaign manager. En route to work one morning, Stephen's research assistant mysteriously falls to her death on the London Underground. It's not long before revelations of their ..read more »
    Rate this: 4.5 stars out of 5 86% from 3,373 members
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James McAvoy - watch online


  • Shameless - Series 2, Episode 10 to Watch Now (2004)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: Dearbhla Walsh
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 49 minutes
    When Frank hears of a neighbours tragic death in a road accident he sees in it an opportunity to obtain a new identity. He pays a visit to the widow, Lillian, and offers to split her late husband's social security benefits with her if she doesn't register the death. Lillian agrees but only on ..read more »
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 71% from 28 members
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  • Shameless - Series 1, Episode 01 to Watch Now (2004)
    Starring: David Threlfall,  Anne-Marie Duff,  Joseph Furnace
    Director: Mark Mylod
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 49 minutes
    On a night out with neighbor Veronica, Fiona's bag is stolen and handsome stranger Steve chases after the thief. While he isn't successful in capturing the thief he does succeed in capturing the eye of Fiona, she invites him home to meet the rest of the Gallagher family.
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 80% from 69 members
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  • Shameless - Series 2, Episode 04 to Watch Now (2004)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: Dearbhla Walsh
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 49 minutes
    Wedding preparations are well under way in the Gallagher house. Dresses are being made, curry dishes are being sampled, courtesy of Yvonne and Frank is showing off the speech he stole from Lip. But when Steve's car gets stolen from outside the church after a visit to the local priest something is ..read more »
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 65% from 14 members
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  • Shameless - Series 2, Episode 03 to Watch Now (2004)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: Peter Lydon
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 48 minutes
    Things liven up on the Chatsworth Estate when the council run a best kept garden competition with the offer of a years free rent to the lucky winners. Carol sees it as an opportunity to stay well in and stay put at the Gallagher's by turning the back yard into another Eden, but this ruffles ..read more »
    Rate this: 3 stars out of 5 62% from 15 members
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  • Shameless - Series 2, Episode 01 to Watch Now (2004)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: David Evans
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 44 minutes
    It's a bad day for Frank when his father, Neville, turns up at Sheila's house to see his new grandchildren. Neville is the antithesis of Frank, a life long union man who never missed a days work in his life and who despairs at Frank's lack of employment, whilst Frank is reduced to a sulking boy in ..read more »
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 67% from 28 members
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  • Shameless - Series 2, Episode 02 to Watch Now (2004)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: Peter Lydon
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 46 minutes
    It's the end of a big party round at Kev and Veronica's and everyone is lying around stoned in the early hours when the hosts discover that social services are due round in the morning to discuss their application to foster. It's panic stations as Veronica and Kev start cleaning furiously.
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 66% from 14 members
    Watch now (FREE)
  • Shameless - Series 1, Episode 04 to Watch Now (2003)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: Mark Mylod
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 47 minutes
    When a child goes missing from a children's party on the Chatsworth estate the police start a frantic hunt for little Jody. However, Fiona and Steve find that Debbie has the girl in her bedroom, having lured her away with chocolate because she just wanted a little sister.
    Rate this: 3.5 stars out of 5 70% from 23 members
    Watch now (FREE)
  • Shameless - Series 1, Episode 02 to Watch Now (2003)
    Starring: Anne-Marie Duff,  David Threlfall,  James McAvoy
    Director: Jonny Campbell
    Certificate: Certificate: 15 (TBC)
    Watch now: FREE
    Run time: 49 minutes
    After a row with Steve one night Frank mysteriously goes missing. Nothing new in the Gallagher household until Fiona realises it's Friday. He never goes missing on Giro day. The family start a manhunt and panic sets in when a body is found in the canal but Frank turns up in Calais with no ..read more »
    Rate this: 4 stars out of 5 76% from 33 members
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James McAvoy facts

5 most recent films

Wanted 2 - 3 stars
The Last Station - 3.5 stars
Wanted - BLU-RAY Version - 3.5 stars
Atonement - HD DVD Version - 3.5 stars
Wanted - 3.5 stars

5 highest-rated films

State of Play Series 1 - 4.5 stars
Band Of Brothers - 4.0 stars
Shameless - Series 3 - 4.0 stars
Shameless - Series 2 - 4.0 stars
Shameless - Series 1 - 4.0 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Wanted 2 - 3 stars
The Last Station - 3.5 stars
Bollywood Queen - 2.0 stars
Strings - 2.5 stars
Bright Young Things - 3.0 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Anne-Marie Duff - 18 times - show films
David Threlfall - 17 times - show films
Gerard Kearns - 11 times - show films
Joseph Furnace - 9 times - show films
Jim Broadbent - 5 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Dearbhla Walsh - 10 times - show films
Mark Mylod - 7 times - show films
Johnny Campbell - 5 times - show films
Andrew Adamson - 4 times - show films
David Evans - 4 times - show films


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