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“All I’ve really wanted in a project is to flex some new muscles.”
screen, sparking feverish internet discourse connecting McAvoy to the project. But as the world now knows, McAvoy never planned on being in Deadpool & Wolverine. Instead, Emma Corrin shaved her head and was introduced to the cinematic universe as Cassandra Nova. At the same time, across the Atlantic Ocean in the U.K., McAvoy was heading into uncharted waters on the set of Speak No Evil.
Over the past few years, there’s been a pattern of veteran A-list stars disavowing such blockbuster franchises while simultaneously collecting cheques as if it were a mandatory chore. In 2023, Sir Anthony Hopkins discussed his recurring cameos in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok by telling The New York Times, “They put me in armour; they shoved a beard on me. Sit on the throne; shout a bit. If you’re sitting in front of a green screen, it’s pointless acting it.” Last month, Harrison Ford addressed the press line at ComicCon when asked why he returned to Marvel in his new role as Red Hulk, explaining, “What did it take? It took not caring. It took being an idiot for money, which I've done before.”
Of course, both Hopkins and Ford are known for their unapologetic candour. But while it’s usually endearing — a means of defying the industry’s corporate authorities — such statements don’t just alienate major film studios, but the audience themselves. McAvoy, conversely, positions himself somewhere entirely outside the conversation. He doesn’t ridicule the genre, yet he’s never been one to blindly chase the next cheque. As for his thoughts on the superhero craze that he helped ignite, he doesn’t disparage its potential for storytelling. Rather, he maintains the same process he would when considering any other project.
“If it’s a good story, if I feel like I’m able to add something new to a conversation, then sure, I’d be into it,” he says. “But there are a lot of stories to be told, and a lot of acting muscles I’m still trying to work on. If I can do it in that universe, that’s great. But there’s other things on my list, I’d say.”
As for what that list might entail, it’s hard to imagine. He’s worked around the globe, learned under an array of celebrated directors, and exercised enough
acting muscles to make him a thespian bodybuilder, of sorts. Plus, he bought the house he always dreamed of.
“Yes, the house,” he laughs. “I should say, there’s one caveat to that. For a long time, that was really the only tangible goal. But these the last two years, I started chasing the chance to direct my own film. And now I’m about to do it. I can’t say much but I feel ready. I mean, I’m losing more sleep over it than my babies have ever cost me. But I’m excited. I can’t wait to share it. So, I suppose the next goal will be to do well enough with my first movie that they let me direct another.”
His directorial debut will add yet another touch point for fans to associate with his career. But this isn’t anything new for McAvoy. After nearly 30 years of leading roles, when he sees the familiar wide-eyed expression of a stranger recognizing him, there’s no telling what they might recall.
“If you ask 10 people how they know me, they’ll give you 10 different answers,” he says. “People stop me on the street to say, ‘Oh my God, you're that actor from —’ and I think they're going to say Split or X-Men. And they bring up some obscure TV show that I’d assumed nobody had watched. I just think, ‘How the fuck did you see that?’ It always makes me really happy.”
For someone who’s committed to working out as many acting muscles as possible, such interactions help to validate the exercise. Perhaps years from now, fans will rush to tell him how much Paddy kept them on the edge of their seat, or how they felt when they watched his directorial debut. Whatever it might be, McAvoy welcomes the trip back in time.
“You play these characters, and you forget that you end up occupying a place in people’s lives,” he says. “I love when I get surprised. Recently, I was walking around with the music supervisor for the new film coming up with ideas. I was a bit in my head, and we walked past someone on a park bench, and she said, “I loved you in Narnia!’ I mean, 21 years later — here I am caught up thinking about directing my first movie — and someone still remembers me as Mr. Tumnus. That just tickles me, man.”
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