Whether you know James McAvoy from theX - Menmovies or have been a fan since his other gigs on Britishtelevision , there ’s no denying that 2019 has already been a very good yr for the Scots actor . In increase to his starring role in M. Night Shyamalan’sGlass , McAvoy is set to star in June’sDark Phoenix , will be consume on the theatrical role of an adult Bill Denbrough inIt : Chapter 2 in October , and will seem in the upcoming TV interlingual rendition ofHis Dark Materialslater this class . And to top it all off , he ’s turning 40 on April 21 .
In celebration of McAvoy ’s big day — and even bigger year — here are some things you might not know about the Golden Globe - nominated actor .
1. He was raised by his grandparents.
James McAvoywas bornin Glasgow , Scotland , to a psychiatric nurse and a builder . However , his parents split when he was seven , and because his mother was in poor health , McAvoy and his sister move to experience with their parental grandparent . While his mother lived with them on and off throughout his childhood , McAvoyhasn’t spokento his father since he was a fry .
2. He considered becoming a priest.
McAvoy was convey up in the Roman Catholic church , but that was n’t the ground he considered becoming a priest . Long before he decide to go the dramatic event school route , he considered entering the priesthood because he thought it would give him an alibi to move the world .
" I need to be a missionary , but it was only because I wanted a loose ticket to go and search the world , " McAvoytoldTheTelegraphin 2006 . " I realize I was using God and faith to get my beef so I knocked that on the promontory . "
3. He married his on-screen love interest.
While ferment on the UK version ofShamelessin the early 2000s , McAvoy meet his on - cover sexual love interestingness and next married woman , Anne - Marie Duff . The couplet bug out a relationship that they kept very private , and marry in 2006 . They snuff it on to also star in 2009’sThe Last Stationtogether , but McAvoy afterward announced he would no longer be working with his then - wife .
" You have to consider it up against how much of a headache it would be . It exposes you to a batch of question , " he toldUSA Todayin 2011 . " I ’m very big in saying that I do n’t match that if you put yourself in the spotlight , you have to accept it . I do imagine that if you form together as husband and married woman , you ’re kind of asking for it . " Ultimately , the couple split in 2016 .
4. Acting was never his plan.
In accession to the priesthood , McAvoy considered a few others careers before he settled on acting . In fact , do kind of happened by accident . While speaking toThe Guardianin 2006 , McAvoy explained that it was n’t until directorDavid Haymancame to his school to verbalise about the amusement business that he knew he wanted to give it a go . He was so sure , in fact , that he reportedly approached Hayman after the talk and ask him for some work . ( McAvoy ’s first credited part was in 1995’sThe Near Room , which Hayman direct . )
“ I always believed that I never wanted to be an doer ; I only did it because I was allowed to do it and I had to do something , ” McAvoy explained . “I felt as if my career just happened to me . I had n’t actually hire in it . I suppose I felt totally disempowered , just by this destiny thing . ”
5.Band of Brotherswas his big break.
McAvoy ’s giving jailbreak came in HBO ’s 2001 miniseriesBand of brother , produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks . The histrion played quality James W. Miller in just one instalment , but that ’s all it take for his phone to start ring ; shortly thereafter , McAvoy grade notable role on BBC’sShameless(2004),The Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion , the Witch and the Wardrobe(2005 ) , andThe Last King of Scotland(2006 ) . He was n’t the onlyup - and - comerwho made a name for himself withBand of Brothers : Michael Fassbender , Tom Hardy , and Dominic Cooper were among his carbon monoxide gas - stars .
6. He’s a Golden Globe nominee.
In 2007 , McAvoy played Keira Knightley ’s love pursuit in Joe Wright ’s stop dramaAtonement , based on the Ian McEwan novel . The use was one of the histrion ’s most moving performance to engagement , and grade him a Golden Globe nominating speech . Although he has wowed audience in numerous component part since , such as the man with 23 unlike personalities in 2016’sSplit(and 2019’sGlass ) , his role inAtonementhas clear him the most critical plaudit . McAvoy , too , is a fan .
" [ T]o find a film that was so epic , sweeping and romantic , yet be level-headed , was nice to me , " McAvoysaid . " Also the fact that it ’s a very authoritative story , but it ’s secern in a very contemporary and advanced way . "
7. He was slightly tipsy the first time he met M. Night Shyamalan.
Speaking ofSplitandGlass : McAvoy was definitely in the correct position at the right time — and in the right skeleton of mind — when he first meet director M. Night Shyamalan . In a 2017interviewwithThe Guardian , McAvoy shared how he and Shyamalan just happened to cross paths at San Diego Comic - Con in 2015 . " There was a big party , you could n’t turn around without bumping into somebody off the telly , " he said . " My mate Jesse was playing miniature golf game in the middle of it . We were getting especially drunk , and then I saw M. Night Shyamalan . He go : ‘ You ’re James McAvoy ! ’ And I read : ‘ You ’re M Night Shyamalan ! What do I call you ? ’ I was very drunk . ”
Inebriated or not , Shyamalan saw something he liked . One month later , he was on the Seth ofSplit(in a part that Joaquin Phoenix was originally arrange to play , but set down out of at the last moment ) .
8. He admires Samuel L. Jackson’s no-nonsense attitude.
While promotingGlass , McAvoy participated in a fate of closet consequence with Samuel L. Jackson , and was impress by what he saw . " I understand instance of what I might be able to do when I got the ball he ’s get , ” McAvoysaid . " That guy does not suffer fools , which is a positive tone . If he gets any sort of query that is in any path not thought out properly , he just drops the F - bomb and is like , ‘ What are you talking about ? What ? What ? ’ He hollo out [ the diarist ] so firmly , and it ’s the funniest matter . "
9. He credits his success to a lot of luck.
When ask about the closed book to his winner , McAvoy does n’t mince words : " I got favorable , " hetoldThe Talks . " I got so fing lucky that I shine into the lap of a director when I was 16 and he gave me a part in a film and my horizons forthwith exploded wide with all the unearthly people in it and all these crazy fing player and directors and esthetic people who were from all over the world . Through that one job I gather people from England , I met people from America , and I converge people from all over the place with challenging point of view and sympathetic points of eyeshot to mine . And then I went to a youth theater for six month as well , and that expanded my mind massively . It gave me so much more trust to find out who I was and not be afraid of who I was simply because I ’m in a scenario that I do n’t understand … I got really lucky . I got really , really golden . It ’s been a well ride for me . "
