James McAvoy is a Scottish stage and screen actor. James McAvoy is known for his roles in Atonement, The Last King of Scotland, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, Wanted, Frank Herbert`s Children of Dune, and the British TV series Shameless and Early Doors. James McAvoy has won the BAFTA Rising Star Award and a BAFTA Scotland award.

James McAvoy is married to Anne-Marie Duff. James McAvoy was born in Port Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Elizabeth, a psychiatric nurse, and J, a builder. He was brought up as a Roman Catholic. His parents divorced when James McAvoy was seven, and he subsequently lived with his maternal grandparents, Mary and J Johnstone, in Glasgow.

His mother lived with them intermittently but James McAvoy has not been in contact with his father since childhood. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Jordanhill, Glasgow, a Catholic school. During his education James McAvoy worked at a local bakery. He was a member of PACE Youth Theatre before he eventually graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2000.

His sister, Joy, is a singer and actress. James McAvoy enjoys science fiction from the age of 11 with The Lord of the Rings. He considers himself a spiritual person who no longer practices Catholicism. His big interest outside acting and science fiction is football; James McAvoy is a huge fan of Celtic Football Club, stating that his dream role would be to play Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone.