James McAvoy Had to Dig Deep in Speak No Evil to Show Us a Version of Masculinity That Became “Positively Toxic at Times”

James McAvoy is perhaps most widely known for his role as a younger version of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film series. As many might remember, the character is internally conflicted as he struggles between his ideals. On the other hand, this version of Xavier is also empathetic, showing just how much of a nuanced character he is.

Apparently, McAvoy has an affinity for such characters. From Atonement to Split, he has showcased his range as an actor. The most recent example of this is his role as Paddy in the movie, Speak No Evil. In a recent interview, he reflected on how the masculinity this character possessed turned toxic at times and insisted that the toxicity was positive.

James McAvoy on How He Channeled a Version of Masculinity That Was “Positively Toxic” in Speak No Evil

James McAvoy made his acting debut as a teenager in 1995’s The Near Room. A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, he first earned public recognition in 2005 when he played the role of the fawn Mr. Trumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

He further gained attention for his roles in period films like The Last King of Scotland, Becoming Jane, and Atonement. These days, he is earning praise for his role as Paddy in Speak No Evil. The movie follows the story of an American couple, Louise and Ben Dalton who become fast friends with a British couple, Paddy and Ciara. Louise and Ben accept Paddy and Ciara’s invitation for a holiday which takes a dark turn soon after their arrival.

McAvoy portrays Paddy who seems to be very happy in his marriage with Ciara. The actor recently opened up to CBR about how the character is not just a clash of cultures (British and American), it is also a clash of urban and rural.

I wanted to excavate an exploration of masculinity that seems positive at times and seems positively toxic at times […] There’s a bit of a discussion in the film about masculinity, and an exploration of masculinity. I went further into that and added into it a kind of old English and rural thing.

He further stated that at the beginning of the film, the rural British tone might have come off as retro. However, it was meant to add a sinister air to it, the kind that makes people wonder if Paddy really is the person he appears to be. To make it this way, McAvoy had to explore the positive side of masculinity as well as the toxic one.

James McAvoy on How He Switches Between Emotions While Portraying a Character

Paddy is not our usual villain. He is passive-aggressive and switches between emotions swiftly enough for people to be confused and scared at the same time. McAvoy does an excellent job at bringing this to the screens. When asked how he manages to do it, the actor said:

I don’t know, I’m kind of emotionally incontinent, I guess. I have access to that just myself. If it helps tell the story, and if it’s appropriate for the story, it just ends up happening when it should. If the writing is good, it just happens. 

He further explained that it is not forced, instead, it is “pre-considered”, and that it happens when all the elements come together which proved that the script is really good. Elsewhere in the interview, he said that he had read the scripts many times, so perhaps that also helped.

Speak No Evil is available for renting and buying on Apple TV.