The charismatic star left Glasgow film fans asking that very question after he took part in a ‘conversation with’ style event at the Glasgow Film Festival on Sunday afternoon.
Taking to the stage with TV presenter Edith Bowman, he delighted city film buffs as he spoke in depth about his career spanning three decades.
Now 45 years old, the Drumchapel-born actor spoke candidly about his upcoming directorial debut California Schemin.
Filmed in Glasgow, the movie is based on the true story of two friends from Dundee who pretended to be an American rap duo and conned the music industry.
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On why he choose this script for his first venture into directing, he told the audience: “When I said I wanted to be a director, I looked at my career, I have done a few Scottish things but really I have not done that much.
“But the minute I said I wanted to be a director…every single script I got sent was Scottish council estate, Scottish council estate, Scottish council estate.”
He added: “I love stories set in Scottish council estates but I am also aware that my communication to an audience, if it’s just going to be from my heart, my real response and not just copying other directors, is that I want to make films that are entertaining.
“I wanted to make a story that was aspirational and entertaining as well as taking in the realities of what its like to come from a low income background
“I rejected a lot of scripts that came my way. Brilliant scripts and totally valid films I would love to see, but I needed to wait for something else.
“Thankfully, it was still a Scottish film that managed to satisfy my desire to tell a story about people from somewhere like a council estate.”
Funny, honest, and as Glaswegian as they come, McAvoy also revealed he wasn’t quite sure about taking a lead in a biopic despite previous reports he would be interested in playing the late Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone in a film.
A member of the audience asked him who he would he like to play in a biopic and he admitted: “I am a wee bit allergic to biopics to be honest, and yet the first film I make as a director is a biopic.
“I can never be bothered watching biopics, isn’t that weird?
“So naebody is the answer.”
McAvoy also revealed that his ‘jakey’ Glaswegian accent didn’t go down too well with US audiences when he toured with the theatre production of Cyrano de Bergerac which included a run at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal.
He had the audiences in stitches as he revealed: “We started in London, brought it here (Glasgow), then went to the States.
“I didn’t change anything about my accent for America but there was one scene in it where he pretends to be from the moon. His voice has to change so much and if you were doing a conventional production, you would have a disguise and all that. But we were just doing voice and no costumes.
“His voice had to be so different that he seemed so different so I made him like a wee jakey guy. It worked in London great. Up here when I started doing that, it was like a f**king rock concert, it was hilarious. I upped it for here as well because I could go further and know that you guys would get it.
“When we went to America, it was just like crickets man. They didn’t even hate it, they were just so confused.”
The event finished with McAvoy being given the Cinema City Honorary Award to recognise his contribution to cinema.
In the 1930s, Glasgow was said to be home to more cinemas per person than anywhere else in the UK and became affectionately known as the Cinema City.
Last year, the inaugural Cinema City Honorary Award went to The Lord Of The Rings star Viggo Mortensen.
McAvoy said: “I am extremely honoured to receive this from the Glasgow Film Festival. I am a son of Glasgow, I have been away for a long time but I am really really glad to be back having made this film here and to receive this award.”
@journostacey James McAvoy receives the Cinema City Honorary Award at Glasgow Film Festival for his contribution to cinema. #glasgowfilmfestival #jamesmcavoy #actor #film ♬ original sound – Stacey📺TV🎵Music🗣️Chats
