The Romesh Ranganathan Show James McAvoy: Acting, X-Men & Directing His First Film
Apr 5, 2026
James McAvoy, a Scottish actor and filmmaker known for roles from Atonement to X-Men and directing California Scheming, chats about his accidental start in acting and pastry training. He explores mastering accents, his story-first approach to choosing roles, the challenges of directing a music-driven film, and how he handles reviews and aging in the industry.
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Let The Story Decide Your Acting
- Focus on telling the story rather than 'conveying emotion' as an end in itself; act only as needed when the story isn't clear.
- McAvoy asks: if the story is happening with me doing nothing, don't do anything.
Puking For Performance And It Getting Cut
- McAvoy has vomited on set multiple times for roles, once prepping with alcohol and nerves during Filth while his agent visited.
- Several filmed pukes were cut from final edits, making the effort unseen.
Why X‑Men Felt Right For Him
- Joining X-Men: First Class fit McAvoy because he loved the franchise and the script reimagined Professor X as flawed, which appealed to him.
- Filming near home and ensemble casting let him work without long absences from family.
