James McAvoy
Known for: Acting
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
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
2015
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self - Guest
2014
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
2014
Series
The Daily Show
Self
1996
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975
Series
Conan
Self - Guest
2010
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self - Guest
2007
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self - Guest
2003
Series
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Series
Band of Brothers
James W. Miller
2001
Series
Top Gear
Self
2002
Film
X-Men: Apocalypse
Professor Charles Xavier
2016
Film
Deadpool 2
Charles Xavier (uncredited)
2018
Series
Foyle's War
Ray Pritchard
2002
Film
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Charles Xavier
2014
Series
His Dark Materials
Lord Asriel
2019
Series
The Sandman
Golden Haired Man (voice)
2022
Film
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Mr. Tumnus
2005
Film
Dark Phoenix
Charles Xavier / Professor X
2019
Series
Shameless
Steve McBride
2004
Series
WIRED's Autocomplete Interviews
Self - Guest
2016
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Film
It Chapter Two
Bill Denbrough
2019
Series
Hot Ones Versus
Self
2024
Film
Speak No Evil
Paddy
2024
Film
Split
Dennis / Patricia / Hedwig / The Beast / Kevin Wendell Crumb / Barry / Orwell / Jade
2017
Series
The Inspector Lynley Mysteries
Gowan Ross
2002
Film
Atonement
Robbie Turner
2007
Film
Atomic Blonde
David Percival
2017
Film
Once Upon a Deadpool
Charles Xavier / Professor X (uncredited)
2018
Film
Wanted
Wesley Gibson
2008
Film
Glass
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
2019
Series
Friday Night with Jonathan Ross
Self - Guest
2001
Film
Gnomeo & Juliet
Gnomeo (voice)
2011
Series
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
Self - Guest
2018
Film
Arthur Christmas
Arthur (voice)
2011
Film
Pose
Thomas
2026
Series
Murder in Mind
Martin Vosper
2001
Series
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune
Leto Atreides II
2003
Film
Victor Frankenstein
Victor Frankenstein
2015
Series
Watership Down
Hazel (voice)
2018
Film
The Last King of Scotland
Dr. Nicholas Garrigan
2006
Film
Becoming Jane
Tom Lefroy
2007
Film
Filth
Bruce
2013
Series
State of Play
Dan Foster
2003
Film
Trance
Simon
2013
Film
Muppets Most Wanted
UPS Guy
2014
Film
Penelope
Johnny/Max
2007
Film
The Bubble
James McAvoy
2022
Film
My Son
Edmond Murray
2021
Film
Sherlock Gnomes
Gnomeo (voice)
2018
Film
Wimbledon
Carl Colt
2004
Film
The Book of Clarence
Pontius Pilate
2024
Film
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her
Conor
2014
Film
Together
He
2021
Film
Welcome to the Punch
Max Lewinsky
2013
Film
The Conspirator
Frederick Aiken
2011
Film
Starter for 10
Brian Jackson
2006
Film
One World: Together at Home
Self
2020
Series
ShakespeaRe-Told
2005
Series
The Claudia Winkleman Show
Self
2026
Film
The Last Station
Valentin Bulgakov
2009
Film
Inside I'm Dancing
Rory O'Shea
2004
Series
Early Doors
Liam
2003
Film
Submergence
James More
2018
Series
Lorna Doone
Sergeant Bloxham
2000
Film
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them
Conor Ludlow
2014
Series
White Teeth
Josh Malfen
2002
Film
The Summers of It - Chapter Two: It Ends
Self
2019
Faith
Michael
Film
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him
Conor
2014
Film
Bright Young Things
Simon Balcairn
2003
Film
Strings
Hal
2004
Film
The Pool
Mike
2001
Film
X-Men: First Class 35mm Special
Self
2012
Film
California Schemin'
Anthony
2026
Film
Children of the Atom - Filming X-Men: First Class
Self
2011
Series
The Bridge: Race to a Fortune
Narrator
2020
Film
X-Men: First Class
Charles Xavier
2011
Film
National Theatre Live: Cyrano de Bergerac
Cyrano de Bergerac
2020
Film
Regeneration
Anthony Balfour
1997
Film
The Near Room
Kevin
1997
Film
ShakespeaRe-Told: Macbeth
Joe Macbeth
2005
Film
The Space Between Attack and Decay
Narrator
2025
Film
Lorna Doone
Sergeant Bloxham
2001
Film
Bollywood Queen
Jay
2002
Film
The Making of 'Split'
Self
2017
Film
Svensken bakom Hollywoodkroppen
Himself
2023
The Magical World of Julia Donaldson
Self - Readings
2020
Film
Double Take: Xavier & Magneto
Self
2014
The Gruffalo and Me: The Remarkable Julia Donaldson
reader
2020
Film
White Teeth
Josh Malfen
2002
Control
Dr. Conway
Film
The Sands Between
Man
2021
Film
Lions Uncut: Australia 2025
Narrator
2025