Best known for his roles in such films as 'Atonement' and 'Last King of Scotland', James McAvoy takes quite a different turn as Wesley Gibson in the action film adaptation of Mark Millar and JG Jones' graphic novel 'Wanted'.
The role is very much a departure for McAvoy who typically is seen in period films and very dramatic roles. Comics2film sat down for a discussion with McAvoy where he talked about everything from drinking great beer in Czech Republic to making out with one of the hottest women in Hollywood.
Q: So you wanted to be a priest growing up?
James McAvoy: Um for a little while, but amongst many many other things. That would be unfair to say that took precedence over anything else. Just one of the many things I wanted to be.
Q: Was it fun for you for to go from something like 'Rory O’Shea Was Here' where you are pretty much immobile for the whole film to doing Wanted where you never stop running around.
JM: Very different, but that’s the joy of it man. You know you want to do stuff that’s really different and really challenging in many ways not just artistically or mentally, or psychologically, but physically as well. So yea it was different. Totally challenging in a different way. That’s what you look for hopefully.
Q: What was tougher to get a grip on, firearms or an American accent?
JM: Firearms to be honest with you. I was freaked out and am still a bit scared of them. I’m not sure I ever became totally totally comfortable with them. Hopefully it’s not too evident in the film. Yea the American accent I was just winging it. Lots of American around set so I was copying whatever they were saying, know what I mean? I mean I usually use a voice coach that has an American accent. There was a woman on 'Band of Brothers' she just oversaw everyone and she was great. When I did Penelope I sought her out and she is just brilliant, best voice coach around. She wasn’t available so I decided on winging it to see how it goes.
Q: Can you talk about as an actor the transformation you made throughout the film? Initially the character of Wesley is pretty much a loser and there’s a pretty big transformation with this character. Can you talk about the process you went through in order to do that?
Q: What was tougher to get
JM: One of the things that really attracted me to the film was that it was a big silly piece of entertainment and action of course. The basis of the journey for which we create this action hero or antihero, the basis is really clinically depressed person ya know. A real sufferer of post modern depression and apathy and angst and I thought that was quite a true and sad place to begin.
It was important for me that it wasn’t all done with just costume, which is easy to do. It was important that the journey still had a long way to go and that’s done physically. Walking taller when you are further along in the film, how you wear your shoulders. He is so disempowered that it’s difficult for him to take control of his face; I know that sounds weird. He’s so disempowered in the beginning, it’s very difficult for him to mobilize his face and he gets more expressive as the film goes on, which hopefully signifies more kind of self worth and willingness to communicate. You feel more powerful in your space and all of that. I didn’t prepare for it too much. Those were the things that I thought about how to plot the journey. He starts in a very interesting depressed place, and he ends in a very interesting psychopathic place. The most interesting thing is how he gets from A to B isn’t it? That’s the best thing.
Q: The end of the film isn’t exactly a victory lap for Wesley? It’s not exactly yea he’s a great guy?
Q: What was tougher to get
JM: No he has done some questionable things. He has murdered a lot of people and I don’t think he goes off walking into the sunset saying, ‘yeah I can get on with my life now.’ I think he’s probably really screwed up and possibly quite a bad person at the end of the film. I’m not sure he goes off and becomes a good person.
Q: Hypothetically, if Wanted made a big chunk of money, would you be interested in following Wesley on his journey?
JM: Yea definitely. Not if they wrote a terrible script, but I’m sure they wouldn’t. I am sure they would write something good. Yea totally. I have no idea where he goes though, no idea what happens to him.
Q: What was it like transitioning from drama films like Atonement to a big budget CGI film like Wanted?
'Wanted' opens in theaters everywhere this Friday.
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