James McAvoy
Born: 1979-04-21 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
James McAvoy (born April 21, 1979) is a Scottish actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in The Near Room (1995) and appeared mostly on television until 2003, when his feature film career began. His notable television work includes the thriller State of Play, science fiction miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune and the channel 4s BAFTA award-winning series Shameless (British TV series). He has performed in several West End productions and has received four nominations for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor, and has also done voice work for animated films including Gnomeo & Juliet, its sequel Sherlock Gnomes, and Arthur Christmas. In 2003, McAvoy appeared in a lead role in Bollywood Queen, then in another lead role as Rory in Inside I'm Dancing in 2004. This was followed by a supporting role, as the faun Mr. Tumnus, in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). His performance in Kevin Macdonald's drama The Last King of Scotland (2006) garnered him several award nominations, including the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor. The critically acclaimed romantic drama war film Atonement (2007) earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination and his second BAFTA nomination. He later appeared as a newly trained assassin in the action thriller Wanted (2008). In 2011, McAvoy portrayed Professor Charles Xavier in the superhero film X-Men: First Class, a role he reprised in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018), and Dark Phoenix (2019). McAvoy starred in the crime comedy-drama film Filth (2013), for which he won Best Actor in the British Independent Film Awards. In 2016, he portrayed Kevin Wendell Crumb, a man with 23 alternate personalities, in M. Night Shyamalan's Split, for which he received critical acclaim, and later reprised the role for the sequel Glass (2019). Since 2019, he has portrayed Lord Asriel Belacqua in the BBC/HBO fantasy series His Dark Materials.
Filmography
2026
- Pose as Thomas
- The Claudia Winkleman Show as Self
- Faith as Michael
- California Schemin' as Anthony
2025
- The Space Between Attack and Decay as Narrator
- Lions Uncut: Australia 2025 as Narrator
2024
- Speak No Evil as Paddy
- Hot Ones Versus as Self
- The Book of Clarence as Pontius Pilate
2023
- Svensken bakom Hollywoodkroppen as Himself
2022
- The Sandman as Golden Haired Man (voice)
- The Bubble as James McAvoy
2021
- My Son as Edmond Murray
- Together as He
- The Sands Between as Man
2020
- One World: Together at Home as Self
- The Bridge: Race to a Fortune as Narrator
- National Theatre Live: Cyrano de Bergerac as Cyrano de Bergerac
- The Magical World of Julia Donaldson as Self - Readings
- The Gruffalo and Me: The Remarkable Julia Donaldson as reader
2019
- His Dark Materials as Lord Asriel
- Dark Phoenix as Charles Xavier / Professor X
- It Chapter Two as Bill Denbrough
- Glass as Patricia / Dennis / Hedwig / The Beast / Barry / Heinrich / Jade / Ian / Mary Reynolds / Norma / Jalin / Kat / B.T. / Kevin Wendell Crumb / Mr. Pritchard / Felida / Luke / Goddard / Samuel / Polly
- The Summers of It - Chapter Two: It Ends as Self
2018
- Deadpool 2 as Charles Xavier (uncredited)
- The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer as Self - Guest
- Once Upon a Deadpool as Charles Xavier / Professor X (uncredited)
- Sherlock Gnomes as Gnomeo (voice)
- Watership Down as Hazel (voice)
- Submergence as James More
2017
- Split as Dennis / Patricia / Hedwig / The Beast / Kevin Wendell Crumb / Barry / Orwell / Jade
- Atomic Blonde as David Percival
- The Making of 'Split' as Self
2016
- X-Men: Apocalypse as Professor Charles Xavier
- WIRED's Autocomplete Interviews as Self - Guest
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self
- Victor Frankenstein as Victor Frankenstein
2014
- The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as Self - Guest
- Late Night with Seth Meyers as Self - Guest
- X-Men: Days of Future Past as Charles Xavier
- Muppets Most Wanted as UPS Guy
- The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them as Conor Ludlow
- The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him as Conor
- The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her as Conor
- Double Take: Xavier & Magneto as Self
2013
- Trance as Simon
- Filth as Bruce
- Welcome to the Punch as Max Lewinsky
2012
- X-Men: First Class 35mm Special as Self
2011
- Arthur Christmas as Arthur (voice)
- Gnomeo & Juliet as Gnomeo (voice)
- 50/50 ... (Thanks)
- The Conspirator as Frederick Aiken
- Children of the Atom - Filming X-Men: First Class as Self
- X-Men: First Class as Charles Xavier (24 Years)
2010
- Conan as Self - Guest
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- The Last Station as Valentin Bulgakov
2008
- Wanted as Wesley Gibson
2007
- The Graham Norton Show as Self - Guest
- Atonement as Robbie Turner
- Penelope as Johnny/Max
- Becoming Jane as Tom Lefroy
2006
- The Last King of Scotland as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan
- Starter for 10 as Brian Jackson
2005
- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as Mr. Tumnus
- ShakespeaRe-Told
- ShakespeaRe-Told: Macbeth as Joe Macbeth
2004
- Shameless as Steve McBride
- Wimbledon as Carl Colt
- Inside I'm Dancing as Rory O'Shea
- Strings as Hal
2003
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self - Guest
- Frank Herbert's Children of Dune as Leto Atreides II
- State of Play as Dan Foster
- Early Doors as Liam
- Bright Young Things as Simon Balcairn
2002
- Top Gear as Self
- Foyle's War as Ray Pritchard
- The Inspector Lynley Mysteries as Gowan Ross
- White Teeth as Josh Malfen
- White Teeth as Josh Malfen
- Bollywood Queen as Jay
2001
- Band of Brothers as James W. Miller
- Friday Night with Jonathan Ross as Self - Guest
- Murder in Mind as Martin Vosper
- The Pool as Mike
- Lorna Doone as Sergeant Bloxham
2000
- Lorna Doone as Sergeant Bloxham
1997
- Regeneration as Anthony Balfour
- The Near Room as Kevin
1996
- The Daily Show as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
1953
- The Oscars as Self