Speak No Evil: James McAvoy Found Being Asked to Play “Such a Malevolent Person” Was “Really Interesting”
- James McAvoy portrays a malevolent character in 'Speak No Evil', who can be both jolly and terrifying.
- McAvoy reveals that the role allowed him to explore complex aspects of masculinity.
- Audience reactions at the film's premiere were so intense that viewers threw stuffs at the screen.
James McAvoy has delivered some complex characters in his career, but his work in Speak No Evil looks to be his creepiest just yet. The psychological horror thriller is a remake of the 2022 Danish-Dutch film. McAvoy portrays a British family man with a dark secret.
Directed by James Watkins, Speak No Evil is about an American family who were invited to spend a weekend by a British couple they met on vacation. What begins as a perfect vacation becomes a nightmare as soon as they arrive. McAvoy has been praised for his unsettling and intense portrayal of his character.
James McAvoy Dives Deep Into His Speak No Evil Role
In Speak No Evil, James McAvoy stars as Paddy, a Brit who lives with his wife and invites the American Dalton family to their countryside farmhouse in Devon. Initially, one might think that Paddy is a free-spirited and welcoming host. However, his sinister acts start showing up as the weekend advances into violence.
McAvoy revealed what interested him in the role of Paddy. One of the most important aspects of playing Paddy was his duality- his ability to be happy while doing terrible things. In an interview with Comic Book Resources, he said,
To play such a malevolent person who’s capable of being happy was like, “Wow, that’s a really interesting, messed up person to play.
The actor took his time to do his homework before he stepped into the set. He read the script again and again, letting the story get to him completely. McAvoy also found other layers of Paddy’s character arc as he explored different aspects of masculinity. He told Comic Book Resources,
I wanted to excavate an exploration of masculinity that seems positive at times and seems positively toxic at times.
Perhaps one of the most horrifying things in McAvoy’s acting is the ability to transition between Paddy’s charming facade and his true, malevolent nature. McAvoy explains,
That kind of exploration of playing with the positive side of masculinity, the happy face of masculinity, and then the toxic side of it coming out and then switching back and forth between those two things on a dime at times.
McAvoy picked up on Paddy’s background as well. He decided to make the character rural, with a vision of the Woodsman, who was capable of hunting his own food. This significant addition deepened the clash between urban and rural cultures shown in the film.
Audience Threw Stuff at James McAvoy’s Character
McAvoy was surprised at the premiere of Speak No Evil that took place at ComicCon due to the audience’s reaction. Talking to Sky News, McAvoy admitted that the response was so overwhelming that he may never attend another movie with a crowd again.
Every time I wanted them to laugh they laughed, every time I wanted them to get shocked and scared they were scared and then they surprised me with other stuff that happened. People were throwing stuff at the screen at one point when my character was being particularly toxic, which was amazing, it was brilliant.
Such a reaction was interesting proof that McAvoy portrayed Paddy’s unsettling nature and creepiness quite effectively. The actor attributes this kind of reception to the movie’s theme. He said,
One of the things that this film is about is compliance and how compliant we become as a society and that is potentially a big problem.
McAvoy believes that the movie forces the audience to start thinking and questioning about not only accepting toxic persons but toxic structures as well. He wanted his character to challenge others’ masculinity while maintaining a cover of politeness.
Speak No Evil is available to buy or rent on Prime Video and Fandango.
