James McAvoy came to Toronto with more than an acting job to talk about. At a TIFF panel, he discussed Faith, the supernatural drama in which he stars opposite Erin Doherty, and California Schemin’, the film that put him behind the camera as a feature director. The two projects show how much wider his work has become.
McAvoy first attended the festival with The Last King of Scotland two decades ago. This time, he said, he could not simply arrive, promote a film and leave. Directing and producing an independent movie also means meeting the people who can help it reach an audience.
What did McAvoy say about becoming a producer?
He joked that taking the producer’s chair had made him the “monster I never wanted to be.” It was a laugh line, but the point behind it was practical. He has spent most of his career on the performer’s side of a film set. Now he has to think about financing, distribution and decisions that affect everybody involved.
California Schemin’ is based on the story of two Scottish rappers who pretended to be American to land a record deal. McAvoy directed the feature, which is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters October 9. Its path to cinemas is part of why he is talking so openly about the business work that follows an independent film.
Faith brings him back in front of the camera
In Paul Andrew Williams’s Faith, McAvoy plays Michael, a mysterious stranger who enters the life of a mother coping with a devastating loss. Erin Doherty stars opposite him. It is a very different pitch from the music-world deception of California Schemin’, but McAvoy’s comments suggest he is drawn to the emotional risk in both.
Discussing the supernatural film, he said, “The film is called ‘Faith’ and it demands a bit of faith in it.” He also described pain, loss and trauma as central themes. The title is not just a reference to what might be happening on screen; it hints at what the characters must decide to believe while they are hurting.
Faith has premiered at TIFF, but the production information does not give a specific U.S. release day. California Schemin’ has the clearer near-term date: October 9 in U.S. theaters. Keeping those two release paths separate matters because they are at different stages.
Why this moment matters for McAvoy
For audiences who know him from X-Men or Split, it is easy to treat the latest festival appearance as another acting stop. McAvoy sounds more interested in what happens next: new filmmakers, new stories and how a smaller film survives after its premiere. Faith gives him a challenging role; California Schemin’ gives him a second career responsibility.
Read the cast and story details on our Faith movie page.
Quick answers
Faith stars James McAvoy and Erin Doherty and has no announced U.S. release date. California Schemin’, which McAvoy directed, is set for U.S. theaters October 9.
