James McAvoy has reflected on his three-decade career as he marked his directorial debut, California Schemin’, at a premiere in London’s Leicester Square, admitting he may have taken earlier moments in the spotlight for granted.
The film tells the true story of two aspiring rappers from Dundee who reinvented themselves as Californian artists in a bid to break into the music industry, securing a record deal in London before their deception was eventually exposed.
Speaking on stage at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on Wednesday, the 46-year-old actor described the project as deeply personal, drawing on his own upbringing in Drumchapel, Glasgow.
The BAFTA winner also admitted he has taken moments in career for granted as he celebrated his directorial debut.
“I’m really lucky to have worked with these guys, I’m really lucky because we’re in bloody Leicester Square – that is something that I've been lucky enough in my 30 year career to do a couple of times – and I did enjoy it and I did look around and then go like, ‘Oh my God I’m a wee guy from Drumchapel’ a place like you're going to see in this film, although not, in Dundee,” he said after introducing the cast and crew.
“And I thought, ‘oh my god, I'm in Leicester Square.’ But I think I took it for granted compared to how I feel tonight.”
McAvoy said the film was shaped by his memories of growing up on a council estate, aiming to capture both its challenges and its sense of possibility.
“This film is really personal to me,” he continued.
“It's personal to me because it was about people that I recognise from my own childhood, from the environment I remember from my own childhood, but also because the tone of the film is trying to emulate the feeling I had in a council estate in my own childhood, whilst it was gritty, it wasn't bad, whilst it was perilous sometimes, it was also viewed with adventure.
“There were horizons and they were near and there were opportunities elsewhere, but I still felt like something cool might happen one day, and that's why I wanted to try and make a film based on the council estate, or start on an council estate that may actually be a fun watch as well, instead of just looking for black and white film awards.”
He closed by thanking Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, whose story inspired the film.
California Schemin’, which is due for release on April 10, stars Séamus McLean Ross, Samuel Bottomley, Lucy Halliday and Rebekah Murrell.
McAvoy was joined on the red carpet by his wife, Lisa Liberati, who also produced the film.
The actor recently revealed that he welcomed a child with Liberati four years ago.
California Schemin’ hits UK and Irish cinemas from Friday, 10 April
