What happened in this episode?
Dax Shepard interviews actor and director James McAvoy, focusing on McAvoy’s upbringing in Glasgow, his early career and his move into directing with California Schemin’ (titled California Scheming in the transcript). McAvoy discusses growing up on a council estate in Drumchapel and describes Glasgow’s long-running problems with substance misuse, calling it Europe’s ‘drug death capital’ while reflecting on how early exposure to addiction and mental illness shaped his outlook.
McAvoy offers behind-the-scenes accounts from major projects, including disputing a common narrative about casting on Wanted, where he says studio reluctance over his profile — not availability — drove delays. He also describes the collaborative directing style of Joe Wright on Atonement and how it influenced his own approach on set.
In a significant personal disclosure, McAvoy recounts a medical scare in which a lung biopsy for a suspected cancer shadow led to a punctured lung, later collapse at home, and weeks in hospital. Turning to directing and the theme of sacrifice in showbusiness, he argues that ‘show must go on’ culture can facilitate exploitation and unsafe practices, particularly affecting younger performers.
On California Schemin’, McAvoy explains that the real-life subjects were involved in the production, and says the film had to recreate music from scratch because the original tracks contained costly sampled material that could not be cleared for use. He also recounts being punched from behind at a Toronto bar while promoting the film.
