James McAvoy looked back on one of the most awkward moments of his early acting career.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the actor admitted that he once tried to secure a role in Manchester by pretending to be from the local area.
McAvoy revealed that his agent told him that the casting directors were only interested “in seeing people from the area.”
Determined to land the role, the actor decided to improvise. When asked where he was from during the audition, McAvoy, who is originally from Glasgow, Scotland, responded with a made-up place name with a forced accent.
“I don’t know where the hell I come from, [I’m] just making things up. And it didn’t go well,” McAvoy admitted.
In addition, James McAvoy also encountered Tom Hardy in the waiting room afterwards, who looked at him knowingly, which added to the embarrassment.
Despite the failed audition, the actor has built a successful career in film and television. McAvoy is currently promoting his directorial debut, California Schemin’.
The film follows two Scottish teenagers who forge American identities to break into the music industry.
The film’s synopsis reveals that the two Scottish boys from Dundee “defrauded the music industry by posing as an established Californian rap duo, landing a record deal and appearing on MTV until their scam was unraveled.”
