‘I THINK I AM AN ATTRACTIVE PERSON, BUT I’M NOT IN THE LEAGUE OF THE BETTER-LOOKING ACTORS’
Hollywood actor James McAvoy, popular as Professor X from X-Men, talks to BT about his films and why he is okay with not being nominated at the Oscars
Scottish actor James McAvoy, known as Professor X (Charles Xavier) by X-Men movie buffs, grabbed eyeballs when he played Mr Tumnus in The Chronicles Of Narnia. However, it was his role in The Last King Of Scotland (2006) that shot him to fame as a promising young actor. From Atonement, Becoming Jane and Penelope (2007) to Wanted (2008) and the X-Men series, his shift to commercial Hollywood cinema hasn’t stopped him from indulging in what he does best — portray characters with internal conflicts. Over a phone call, James spoke to BT on his upcoming movie Glass, failing to bag an Oscar nomination, his take on Bollywood and more. Excerpts...
You once said, ‘I’m 5’7”, and I’ve got pasty white skin. I don’t think I’m ugly, but I’m not your classic lead man, Brad Pitt guy.’ Given your massive female fan following, you seem to underrate yourself a lot...
I think that I said this when I was in my mid-20s. I do think that I am an attractive person, but I am not in the league of the better-looking actors. However, I think that I have done pretty well with what has been given to me (laughs!). Not everybody can be or should be the most attractive example of humanity. We need every single grade and I think I am fairly ineluctable. It allows me to play a wide variety of roles. No one says things like, ‘He is ugly enough for this role’ or whatever. People don’t typecast me in any role, because I think that I am fairly average as a human being to look at. It’s easier for me to go in any direction.
You won rave reviews for Split (2016), where you played a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder. Many thought you deserved an Oscar nomination for that, but you didn’t. Was it disappointing?
Not really. I have been acting for 20 years and I am used to people telling me that I should have been nominated for this role or that role, but I am used to not being nominated. I haven’t been nominated (for the Oscar) even once, so it’s really fine. What matters to me is getting exciting work and wanting to do it every single day. Of course it’s great if you win awards, but I don’t lose sleep over it.
Portraying 24 personalities — did that affect you as a person?
Split didn’t affect me, but I have done films that sort of affected me negatively. Danny Boyle’s Trance (2013) did that. I didn’t feel very good about myself when I did that film and that’s obviously because of the character that I played.
JAMES MCAVOY
... in the
X-Men
I have done films that affected me negatively.
Danny Boyle’s Trance did that: James McAvoy
Weirdly in Glass and Split, I was happy that I had so much work to do. Playing multiple characters... there’s a lot of heavy lifting and it was a positive challenge. .
Your forthcoming film — M. Night Shyamalan’s superhero thriller Glass is being touted as Avengers for adults. Do you agree?
That’s a nice thing to say. It’s similar in a way that it’s about a group of people who are in a similar situation. They have their own clashes, but are forced to work together. It’s a fantasy as well, but perhaps, more realistic the way Night (Shyamalan) has made it. I not only enjoyed the action and the physical stunts, but also this unrealistic side to the beast (his character).
It was funny how you clarified on Instagram that you didn’t consume 6,000 calories a day to get bigger for your role in Glass...
When I gave an interview for Split, I said that (I eat 6000 calories a day) jokingly, and they knew that it was a joke! It got used out of context and I felt that I should clarify it, because there are people out there who struggle with their fitness and diet, or are obsessive about it.
I just got worried that someone might actually try it, as there are people who take what’s out there on the internet seriously without giving it a thought. I did eat plenty of food, about five meals a day, but I didn’t count the calories per se and it wasn’t 6000 for sure.
While you are known to be a good actor, Shyamalan seems to know how to extract the best out of you. What sets him apart as a director?
He is technically gifted. He knows how to go about the business of making a movie. They don’t all know how to do that. He is good with actors and speaks our language. He knows what he wants and that makes it easier for us. Night (Shyamalan) is organised and his preparation is second to none.
You did a British film called Bollywood Queen (2003) early on in your career. Hope you didn’t get a wrong impression of the Hindi film industry, Bollywood, based on that experience?
No! Not at all. It was very British, inspired by the love of Bollywood, and I think that it was nothing like a Bollywood film (laughs!)
Unlike your otherwise clever choices, that film was extremely disappointing...
Yes, it wasn’t a script that could connect with people.
When will we see you in India?
I would love to come to India. I have heard incredible things about it. I will go wherever the movies take me and I hope to come to Mumbai soon.
Hollywood actor James McAvoy, popular as Professor X from X-Men, talks to BT about his films and why he is okay with not being nominated at the Oscars
Scottish actor James McAvoy, known as Professor X (Charles Xavier) by X-Men movie buffs, grabbed eyeballs when he played Mr Tumnus in The Chronicles Of Narnia. However, it was his role in The Last King Of Scotland (2006) that shot him to fame as a promising young actor. From Atonement, Becoming Jane and Penelope (2007) to Wanted (2008) and the X-Men series, his shift to commercial Hollywood cinema hasn’t stopped him from indulging in what he does best — portray characters with internal conflicts. Over a phone call, James spoke to BT on his upcoming movie Glass, failing to bag an Oscar nomination, his take on Bollywood and more. Excerpts...
You once said, ‘I’m 5’7”, and I’ve got pasty white skin. I don’t think I’m ugly, but I’m not your classic lead man, Brad Pitt guy.’ Given your massive female fan following, you seem to underrate yourself a lot...
I think that I said this when I was in my mid-20s. I do think that I am an attractive person, but I am not in the league of the better-looking actors. However, I think that I have done pretty well with what has been given to me (laughs!). Not everybody can be or should be the most attractive example of humanity. We need every single grade and I think I am fairly ineluctable. It allows me to play a wide variety of roles. No one says things like, ‘He is ugly enough for this role’ or whatever. People don’t typecast me in any role, because I think that I am fairly average as a human being to look at. It’s easier for me to go in any direction.
You won rave reviews for Split (2016), where you played a man suffering from dissociative identity disorder. Many thought you deserved an Oscar nomination for that, but you didn’t. Was it disappointing?
Not really. I have been acting for 20 years and I am used to people telling me that I should have been nominated for this role or that role, but I am used to not being nominated. I haven’t been nominated (for the Oscar) even once, so it’s really fine. What matters to me is getting exciting work and wanting to do it every single day. Of course it’s great if you win awards, but I don’t lose sleep over it.
Portraying 24 personalities — did that affect you as a person?
Split didn’t affect me, but I have done films that sort of affected me negatively. Danny Boyle’s Trance (2013) did that. I didn’t feel very good about myself when I did that film and that’s obviously because of the character that I played.
JAMES MCAVOY
... in the
X-Men
I have done films that affected me negatively.
Danny Boyle’s Trance did that: James McAvoy
Weirdly in Glass and Split, I was happy that I had so much work to do. Playing multiple characters... there’s a lot of heavy lifting and it was a positive challenge. .
Your forthcoming film — M. Night Shyamalan’s superhero thriller Glass is being touted as Avengers for adults. Do you agree?
That’s a nice thing to say. It’s similar in a way that it’s about a group of people who are in a similar situation. They have their own clashes, but are forced to work together. It’s a fantasy as well, but perhaps, more realistic the way Night (Shyamalan) has made it. I not only enjoyed the action and the physical stunts, but also this unrealistic side to the beast (his character).
It was funny how you clarified on Instagram that you didn’t consume 6,000 calories a day to get bigger for your role in Glass...
When I gave an interview for Split, I said that (I eat 6000 calories a day) jokingly, and they knew that it was a joke! It got used out of context and I felt that I should clarify it, because there are people out there who struggle with their fitness and diet, or are obsessive about it.
I just got worried that someone might actually try it, as there are people who take what’s out there on the internet seriously without giving it a thought. I did eat plenty of food, about five meals a day, but I didn’t count the calories per se and it wasn’t 6000 for sure.
While you are known to be a good actor, Shyamalan seems to know how to extract the best out of you. What sets him apart as a director?
He is technically gifted. He knows how to go about the business of making a movie. They don’t all know how to do that. He is good with actors and speaks our language. He knows what he wants and that makes it easier for us. Night (Shyamalan) is organised and his preparation is second to none.
You did a British film called Bollywood Queen (2003) early on in your career. Hope you didn’t get a wrong impression of the Hindi film industry, Bollywood, based on that experience?
No! Not at all. It was very British, inspired by the love of Bollywood, and I think that it was nothing like a Bollywood film (laughs!)
Unlike your otherwise clever choices, that film was extremely disappointing...
Yes, it wasn’t a script that could connect with people.
When will we see you in India?
I would love to come to India. I have heard incredible things about it. I will go wherever the movies take me and I hope to come to Mumbai soon.
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