James McAvoy

James McAvoy is a Scottish actor known for his films like 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,' 'X-Men: First Class,' etc.

Childhood & Early Life

In Glasgow, Scotland, he was born on April 21, 1979, to his mother, Elizabeth, a psychiatric nurse, father, James McAvoy Sr, a builder. James has a sister, Joy, and a brother, Donald. James's parents divorced when he was seven years old; the divorce was because of his mother's poor health. He then was sent to live with his grandparents, where James attended a Catholic school 'St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary'. From his childhood days to date, he has had no contact with his father. His father spoke to the Sunday Mirror when McAvoy won the 'Rising Star' award from the BAFTA; he would want to get in touch with his son but knew nothing about contacting him. James didn't read the article but heard about his father but remained unmoved. 

As a child for a brief period, James wanted to become a priest and join the Catholic priesthood.

Personal Life

James McAvoy and his co-star actress Anne-Marie Duff began dating while shooting for the TV series Shameless.' The couple turned their dating into marriage in 2006, in a quiet ceremony involving their closest of friends and family only. Together they have a son, Brendan, born in 2010. But, in 2016, the couple announced their intention to divorce and separate from the marriage bond. To stop their son from being mentally traumatized, the couple shared a home in North London when not working away.

As reported by the Sun, James is believed to have married his girlfriend Lisa Liberati secretly after Lisa was spotted wearing a wedding ring. James met Lisa during his split with his ex-wife Anne-Marie Duff. 

Being bought up as a Catholic, James no longer practices his religion but still considers himself a spiritual person. James loves watching soccer, and he is a zealot fan of Celtic Football Club and stated that his dream role would be to portray Jimmy Johnstone, a soccer player for Celtic, in a movie.

Career

At the age of fifteen, James made his acting debut in the 1995 film 'The Near Room.' At the time, he wasn't entirely convinced by the idea of acting and making it into a profession. But, he decided to learn more about it. He completed his graduation from the 'Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2000' and began appearing in several TV shows, mainly as a guest. His first significant role came in the German film 'Swimming Pool' in 2001; he played the role of a lead character in the movie. A series 'State of Play' created by Paul Abbot and directed by David Yates in 2003 rose James to popularity. And with several offers in line, James became a prominent actor and acted in many Tv series and films. Soon, he started appearing in 'Shameless,' a British adult comedy-drama series. The series, which won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama series in 2005, also boosted James' career.

Awards

James McAvoy won the BAFTA Rising Star Award and the BAFTA Scotland Award in 2006 for his fantastic performance in the film 'The Last King of Scotland.' In 2007, his 'Atonement' performance won him an Empire Award and a London Film Critics Circle Award for 'Best Actor and 'Best Supporting Actor. James won three 'London Film Critics Circle Awards' in his career to date and many other prestigious awards.