James McAvoy is a Scottish actor who gained prominence for his starring roles in The Last King of Scotland, Atonement, and the X-Men film series. He further gained fame for playing Detective Sergeant Bruce Robertson in the crime comedy-drama film Filth, which earned him the British Independent Film Award for Best Actor.
He met with critical acclaim for his role in M. Night Shyamalan’s horror-thriller film Split, where he played Kevin, a man with 23 personalities. His television credits include his performance in Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune and Shameless. As of 2024, James McAvoy has a net worth of $20 million.
Contents
James McAvoy Biography
James McAvoy was born on the 21st of April 1979, in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. He is currently 44 years old.
| Birth Name | James McAvoy |
| Nickname | Jamesy Boy, Jimmy, Floyd |
| Date of Birth | April 21, 1979 |
| Place of Birth | Glasgow, Scotland, U.K. |
| Age | 44 years old |
| Sun Sign | Taurus |
| Profession | Actor |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Ethnicity | White |
Family and Education
James McAvoy was born to Elizabeth (née Johnstone), a psychiatric nurse, and James McAvoy, Sr., who worked as a builder. He has a younger sister, Joy, who is a singer and actress. She appeared as ‘Estelle’ alongside McAvoy in the 2013 film Filth. He also has a younger half-brother, Donald.
He was raised by his maternal grandparents, Mary and James Johnstone, a butcher who lived in a terraced council house in the nearby Drumchapel area of Glasgow after his parents divorced when he was seven years old. After divorce, his mother handed him over to her parents which she thought was the best for him as she suffered from poor health.
James attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School in Jordanhill, Glasgow, and then attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, graduating in 2000.
Religion
He was raised Catholic and attended a Catholic school for school education. He even thought of becoming a Catholic priesthood so that he could travel the world. Later, he stated in an interview that he no longer practices Catholicism, but he still considers himself a spiritual person.
James McAvoy Married Life
James McAvoy was married to English actress Anne-Marie Duff from 2006 to May 2016. The two developed feelings for each other when they worked together in the first two seasons of Shameless, where she played his love interest. They married on 11 November 2006 and they have a son named Brendan, born in 2010. They parted ways in May 2016 after ten years of marriage.
McAvoy is currently in a relationship with Lisa Liberati since 2016. They both started dating each other during the filming of the thriller film Split. She worked as an assistant for M. Night Shyamalan, who directed the film. They made their relationship public in October 2017, posting a picture of them celebrating Halloween on Instagram.
Physical Statistics
| Height | Feet – 5 feet 7 inches Centimeters – 170 cm Meters – 1.7 m |
| Weight | Kilograms – 67 kg Pounds – 148 lbs |
| Body Build | Athletic |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Hair Color | Light Brown |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Shoe Size | Unknown |
| Distinctive Features | Blue eyes Wavy hair Scottish accent |
Professional Statistics
Film Debut
James McAvoy made his acting debut with the film The Near Room in 1995m in which he played the role of Kevin Savage.
He’s got his first major break when he was cast in the lead role playing Jay in the 2003 British Indian romantic-drama film, Bollywood Queen. The film is based on William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
Television Debut
McAvoy landed his first television gig in the ITV’s police procedural series The Bill, playing Gavin Donald in an episode entitled “Rent. in 1997.
Famous For
McAvoy’s major acting credits include his p[performances as Nicholas Garrigan in The Last King of Scotland (2006), Professor Charles Xavier in the superhero film series X-Men and in its sequels and prequels, Robbie Turner in the romantic drama war film Atonement (2007) and Kevin Wendell Crumb / The Horde in the 2016 physiological horror-thriller film Split.
Brand Endorsements
McAvoy has endorsed the brands like Samsung and Motorola and appeared in their commercials as well.
Favorite Things
- Movies – The Goonies (1985), Kes (1969), My Name Is Joe (1998), Back to the Future (1985), The Great Escape (1963), Brief Encounter (1945)
- Director – Ken Loach
- Art Gallery – The Tate Modern, London
- Book – The Old Testament
James McAvoy Net Worth
McAvoy has accumulated an impressive amount of wealth over the years from his acting career. As of 2024, James McAvoy has a net worth of $20 million.
James McAvoy Facts
McAvoy and his sisters was raised by his single mother and maternal grandparents.
He worked at a local bakery while studying in school.
He moved to London when he was 20. His acting debut came when he was 15 in The Near Room.
Though, he was not interested in acting initially, he developed an interest for it lately and joined the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama to study acting.
In 2008, he was ranked #18 on Entertainment Weekly’s ’30 Under 30′ the actors list.
His fans call themselves as “McAvoyeurs”.
McAvoy had once said that the script for Atonement was the best he had ever read. For his work in the film, he won him an Empire Award and a London Film Critics Circle Award, for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively.
His first car was a Citroen C3 Picasso.
He is an avid fan of Celtic Football Club.
McAvoy is known for his charity works. He jumped off the roof of the world’s tallest hospital to raise awareness and money for a Ugandan children’s charity.
