Scottish actor James McAvoy has described his first experience behind the camera as a 'nightmare he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy.' The 46-year-old star, best known for his roles in X-Men and Atonement, made his directorial debut with California Schemin', a film based on the true story of a rap duo from Dundee who pretended to be American to achieve music industry success.
A Challenging Creative Journey
While the project was personally meaningful to McAvoy, who wanted to tell stories about people from low-income backgrounds and council estates (known as 'schemes' in Scotland), he found the dual role of director and actor overwhelmingly difficult. 'I wouldn’t wish directing and acting on my worst enemy… it was a nightmare,' McAvoy confessed during an appearance on The Claudia Winkleman Show.
Practical Problems vs. Creative Vision
Elaborating on the specific challenges, McAvoy revealed how mundane production issues constantly interrupted his creative focus. 'You'd literally be sitting there trying to go "I need more love" or "I need more comedy" and somebody is whispering in your ear "We can't get the Portaloos for tomorrow,"' he explained, highlighting the disconnect between artistic direction and logistical realities.
Celebrity Reactions and Revelations
Fellow guest Rita Wilson, the 69-year-old Sleepless in Seattle star, responded to McAvoy's candid account by questioning whether she would attempt directing herself. 'I think I would direct if it was the right material,' Wilson mused, before humorously adding, 'What I am most interested in though is that this was a movie about rappers, and maybe my agents didn’t get to you, but I do spit some flow, James.'
Personal Admissions and Family Life
Later in the conversation, McAvoy admitted he still gets nervous around famous people, often adopting a 'working class voice' in such situations. He specifically mentioned this happening with Rita Wilson's husband, Tom Hanks, despite having worked with him twice before. 'I don't know why but I do this thing sometimes when I get around famous people... and I go into this weird sort of put on working class [voice]... and I don't know why that happens!' McAvoy revealed.
The interview also touched on McAvoy's personal life, including his recent revelation that he welcomed his second son four years ago with wife Lisa Liberati. Comparing fatherhood in his forties to his earlier experience parenting his now 15-year-old son Brendan (from his previous marriage to Anne-Marie Duff), McAvoy told The Guardian: 'Having a kid at 42 is definitely easier in some ways I worry less. I'm a bit more philosophical. But it's also harder, because you're just older and tireder.'
Balancing Career and Parenthood
McAvoy discussed the difficulties of juggling filmmaking with family responsibilities, noting: 'I'm getting all that first-timer stress in my 40s. When we were shooting the film, I’d wake up at 2:30am with the film buzzing in my head.' He suggested that building a career is typically 'a young man's game,' explaining: 'That’s the time that you work your socks off, burn the midnight oil, run the extra mile – and usually when you’re doing that, you’re in your 20s.'
California Schemin', which tells the remarkable story of the Dundee rap duo's American impersonation scheme, is scheduled for release on April 10. The Claudia Winkleman Show airs on Fridays at 10:40pm on BBC1 and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.
