Trivia

McAvoy and Anne-Marie Duff were married at a celebrity-free ceremony at the 19th century Drumtochty Castle in Aberdeenshire. McAvoy didn't invite any co-stars 'because he didn't want the day to be about being famous'.

While filming The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), Georgie Henley never saw McAvoy in his Mr. Tumnus costume before filming their scenes together. Henley's scared reaction upon seeing McAvoy is genuine surprise.

McAvoy broke his hand on the set of Split (2016) after he got angry at not getting a scene. He became so annoyed with his performance that he ended up hitting a door, which he thought was a fake door, but it was a solid metal door. Viewers can see that James's hand is injured during the scene where he's on a train and he's putting on his glasses.

In April 2015 McAvoy pledged £125,000 to help fund a ten-year scholarship programme at his former drama school, the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). The fund will help those aged 25 and under who would otherwise be unable to afford tuition at the school. Applicants will need to demonstrate that financial cost is the main barrier to their accessing pre-higher education drama training at the RCS.

In order to secure a career in Hollywood, McAvoy masked his Glaswegian accent, often convincing directors and producers that he was English. Even M. Night Shyamalan was fooled when he cast him in Split (2016); the director thought all along that he was English.

Became a father for the first time at the age of 30 when his wife (now his ex-wife) Anne-Marie Duff gave birth to their son Brendan McAvoy in February 2010.

Worked as a trained confectioner for two and a half or three years in order to fund drama school.

Has said he is "desperately allergic" to horses and suffered terribly while shooting scenes for 'The Conspirator'.

While growing up, he wanted to be a priest.

Is close friends with X-Men co-star Michael Fassbender.

Said the script for Atonement (2007) was the best he had ever read.

Is good friends with actors Tom Ellis and Benedict Cumberbatch.

An addiction to Xbox while he was filming Becoming Jane (2007) made him forget his lines. After a long night of playing, he realised that he took it too far, grabbed the game disk and burned it.

Of Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie.

At McAvoy's request, he was punched in the face by a German actress during the making of Filth (2013).

Keeps an apartment in the centre of Glasgow for family visits.

Trained at Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (now known as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).

Among his favorite movies are The Goonies (1985), Back to the Future (1985), The Great Escape (1963), Brief Encounter (1945), Kes (1969) and My Name Is Joe (1998).

As a child, he wanted to become a missionary because he wanted to travel the world.

Passed his car driving test at the age of 30, although he had ridden a motorcycle for many years.

Worked out to improve his physique for the action scenes in Wanted (2008). However he suffered several injuries during shooting, including a twisted ankle and an injured knee.

After his parents divorced, McAvoy and his sister moved in with their maternal grandparents, James and Mary Johnstone.

His younger sister is Joy McAvoy, also an actress who appeared as 'Estelle' alongside McAvoy in Filth (2013).

Enjoys science fiction, including Star Trek (1966) and the new Battlestar Galactica (2004).

Former roommate of Jesse Spencer when they were both living in London.

Crashed a 1980s Porsche 911 on the set of Atomic Blonde (2017) when a stunt went wrong.

Joe Wright considered him for a role in his Pride & Prejudice (2005). Both director and actor refused to name the part.

After growing up in Glasgow, he moved to London at the age of 20.

Before he went into acting, he wanted to join the Navy.

Born to James McAvoy, a bus driver-turned-builder, and his then-wife Elizabeth (Johnstone), a psychiatric nurse.

Has worked with Jessica Chastain in The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby trilogy, Dark Phoenix, IT Chapter 2. In an interview with Conan O'Brien in 2019 while promoting IT Chapter 2 James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain said they'd like to work together again and become a memorable cinema pairing.

Chosen as one of People Magazine's Sexiest Men Alive for 2007.

Was inspired to become an actor after meeting actor/director David Hayman.

Nominated for a Best Actor Olivier Award for his performance in "Macbeth" (2013).

Fan of Celtic Football Club.

His fans refer to themselves as "McAvoyeurs".

McAvoy and Jessica Brooks were the first actors to tackle the complex roles Leto II & his twin sister Ghanima Atreides, the strange prescient Children of Dune (2003) based on Frank Herbert's novel of the same name. Although Leto and Ghanima were only nine years old in the novel, their ages were bumped up about seven years, making them about sixteen for the Sci-Fi Channel's miniseries in March 2003.

He has two roles in common with Patrick Stewart: (1) McAvoy played Macbeth in Macbeth (2005) while Stewart played him in Macbeth (2010) and (2) Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), and Logan (2017) while McAvoy played him in X-Men: First Class (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019). They also each share the role of Macbeth with their respective Magnetos, Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender.

Attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Jordanhill, Glasgow. Also attended by Tom Mannion.

Has a younger half-brother named Donald.

His favorite director is Ken Loach.

Was ranked #18 on Entertainment Weekly's '30 Under 30' the actors list. (2008).

His parents divorced when he was seven.

On 9 March 2015, McAvoy was nominated for a Best Actor Olivier award for his performance as Jack, the 14th Earl of Gurney in "The Ruling Class" (2015). The award ceremony takes place at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden on Sunday 12 April.

Former member of Pace Youth Theatre. Other members included Barry McKay, Shauna MacDonald, Paolo Nutini, Martin Quinn and Gordon McCorkell.

Shared screen time with fellow Marvel hero Chris Pratt ( Peter Quill / Star Lord) in the film Wanted (2008).

At the London premiere of Danny Boyle's film Trance (2013) in March 2013, McAvoy apologised to reporter Sophie van Brugen when he accidentally spat on her during a red carpet interview.

His first car was a Citroen C3 Picasso.

[2016] Drives an Audi RS3.

Named Best Actor for Attonment by UK Regional Film Critics.