James McAvoy Quotes

I've been in a few fights and I know what it's like to get punched in the face.

I wanted to join the navy to get some perspective on the world and explore.

Every time I do a movie, especially an animated movie, I just seem to scream and shout and hyperventilate for money.

The minute you start to strategize too much, the more you start to think you're in control of your own fate. And you're not, really.

When you can see kids smiling, that's one of the best things. That's why I did 'Narnia.'

I'd like to have stayed in the Scouts beyond the age of 12.

I'm 5 foot 7, and I've got pasty white skin. I don't think I'm ugly, don't get me wrong, but I'm not your classic lead man, Brad Pitt guy.

When I was 15 or 16 - I slept really well then. Now I sleep on a bed of anxiety-tipped nails.

That's the main thing that attracts me - characters who have big journeys. I like playing those people.

Leading man seems to quite often be an idealized figure.

I don't know if anybody's ever ready for another award season. It's kind of like Christmas.

If my career isn't going that well, I'd rather it flounder than desperately trying to show up on red carpets: 'I'm for hire! Remember me!'

I wanted to be a missionary and work abroad, but girls started to become a bigger part of my life around the time I lost interest in the priesthood.

I've never worked as hard as when I was at drama school. It's the most professional environment I've ever been in.

Basically, every character I've ever played, I've based entirely on internal conflict. And I love doing that, because I think it's very human.

I've spent a long time giving people the benefit of the doubt, and I'm tired of it.

I don't know why I get cast in a lot of period pieces. Stephen Fry told me that I had a face for period, that I look like someone from 1920.

People come up to me and they're usually nice, but as it goes on you realise that some people aren't nice. Some people are not nice at all.

A story about my life would be utterly dull.

I look at the Christian Bale movies, the 'Batman' films, and that shows you that superhero movies don't just have to be about men in tights.

Until I'm on the set of a film, to me it's still not for real.

Fear is really powerful; it's really useful to me.

I still take work if I think it's good. If I like the script, I'll do it. If I don't, I won't.

I judge people very quickly.

My favorite name of a fandom is Benedict Cumberbatch's - 'the Cumberbatches' is just the best name.

As an actor sometimes you can be a bit emotional and forceful, and that's not always the way to be.

Passing my motorcycle theory test gave me a disproportionate feeling of greatness.

I am a nerd, but I don't dive head-first into any fiefdom of nerdiness, except for maybe 'Star Trek.'

I don't mind playing somebody who's not likable, or makes the audience feel slightly conflicted.

One of the weird things about Hollywood is we're all imposters; we're all just glammed up.

I think fear is one of the natural states of most actors, to be honest.

I always believed that I never wanted to be an actor. I only did it because I was allowed to do it and I had to do something.

Shakespeare's stories are still very strong. He structured fantastic stories about things that were fundamental to the human being and psyche.

I'm probably more dangerous in a car than I am on a motorbike; on a bike I'm very mindful of the fact that if you make a mistake, you're dead.

As I get older, I want to do more films for kids because they're the best audience around. Just putting a smile on a kid's face is the best thing.

I play football once or twice a week. I eat pretty healthy. I'm in fairly good shape most of the time.

I don't want to be all worthy about it, but I don't do red carpets, I don't do events and I don't accept freebies that much.

I want to be like Matt Damon and do a hugely successful thinking-man's action franchise like 'Bourne.'

Filmmaking is a miracle of collaboration.

I think I'm losing my hair finally. And, yeah, that's kind of all I know.

I've cried a lot because of women. I cry a lot, as a person.

I take a lot of pride in being myself. I'm comfortable with who I am.

The world seemed less scary and I started to like myself a little bit more.

Shooting films in Britain is always difficult, because we've never got enough money to make them.

It's nice to be in a movie that hasn't been absolutely slaughtered by the press.

A cry-wanking scene is the struggle to live, in a single moment.

Next year, if no one gives me any work, that's fine. I'm not going to do well anyway. I'm not an actor, I'm just exploiting this industry.

For me, Charles Xavier is a monk. He's like a selfless, egoless almost sexless force for the betterment of humanity and mortality.