James McAvoy has proven himself to be the most versatile actor to ever step foot in front of a camera. The Scottish actor has established himself as the chameleon of the film industry, as he is not limited to one genre of movies. Ever since his debut in the 1995 film, The Near Room, he has received immense love from fans all over the world and has a massive fan following.
Between diversifying his filmography by working in experimental indie films, smash-hit blockbusters, and major franchises, James McAvoy has won numerous awards in his career, including several nominations for the Academy Awards. But he never managed to win one. However, the Trance actor had the opportunity to win one but he stepped down from his campaign as it made him feel cheap.
James McAvoy Felt Cheap for Doing an Oscar Campaign
James McAvoy as Robbie Turner in Joe Wright’s World War II romance was one of the best films. The 2007 film was based on the novel by Ian McEwan that followed a budding romance with Keira Knightley’s Cecilia Taylor and her housekeeper, Robbie Turner. However, Turner was forced to abandon her and join the war.
Needless to say, the X-Men: The First Class actor was fantastic in the film, as his first interaction with Knightley’s Taylor was playful and amusingly innocent, and it was heartbreakingly beautiful. Everyone thought the actor was going to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. However, during an interview with GQ Magazine UK, McAvoy shared that he found himself at the crossroads, as he had been nominated for The Last King of Scotland, the year before, but lost.
“[With the Last King of Scotland campaign], it was made clear to me that I was doing it for the benefit of other people. And I was totally down with that. But by the time Atonement came along, I was 26 or 27, and I was just like, I can’t do it, I’m not doing it, I don’t wanna do it.”
The actor added that he would have done anything but the campaign, as he was extremely uncomfortable with it, and made him feel cheap too.
“I didn’t want to play that part. I’ll push the film, I’ll try and get bums on seats. But the campaign, I felt… I felt cheap.”
While James McAvoy felt extremely cheap for his Oscar campaign, he did not feel cheap at all for laying the conditions of his MCU appearance as Professor Charles Xavier.
James McAvoy’s Condition To Return as Professor Charles Xavier
The Wanted actor appears in the biblical comedy-drama The Book of Clarence and attended the U.S. premiere of the film. During the event, ET posed him a question about his X-Men role, and if he’d return as Professor X, as Hugh Jackman had already made his MCU debut. McAvoy shared how Marvel hasn’t contacted him yet, and stated his conditions.
“Anything I say will get me in trouble on something like that. I’ve had no contact from them. If they want me to come back, they need to talk to me. Need to be a good script. They need to want me. All that stuff. When stuff like that happens or doesn’t happen, that’s the reality of it. I am not saying anything.”
James McAvoy’s response had raised questions from the fans, as it looked like the actor was evading the question, and anything he said would land him in serious trouble.
Atonement can be rented on Apple TV.
