James McAvoy Nearly Joined J.J. Abrams Star Trek & Harry Potter

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As a seasoned movie buff with decades of cinematic experiences under my belt, I can’t help but marvel at the what-ifs in James McAvoy‘s career. The man has graced our screens as Professor Xavier and Mr. Tumnus, and almost donned the Starfleet uniform or cast a spell as a young Voldemort!

James McAvoy has quite a history with film franchises, as he portrayed Professor Charles Xavier in four prequel films within the X-Men series and Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Interestingly enough, McAvoy was on the verge of being part of two other highly influential series – Star Trek and Harry Potter. Had he joined the latter, he would have taken on the role of a younger version of one of cinema’s most memorable villains.

Discussing his upcoming movie “Speak No Evil” on the podcast “Happy Sad Confused”, hosted by The Playlist, James McAvoy shared an interesting tidbit about his acting career. As a die-hard fan of “Star Trek”, he had auditioned for a role in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot, but unfortunately, didn’t secure the part he desired. When another role was offered to him, he decided against it. McAvoy himself stated this.

“I almost landed a role, but I can’t reveal the details. I was offered something initially, but I declined because I felt it wasn’t suitable for me. They wanted to test me with a camera, but I politely turned them down, not because I didn’t want to, but because I thought the role wasn’t right for me. I shared my thoughts on what I believed the character should be and the kind of actor that would fit it with J.J., and they agreed, but the person who ended up getting the part was not who I had envisioned, which was fascinating. I loved the new choice; I admire J.J.’s films; they are exceptional.

Prior to trying out for Star Trek, McAvoy was already gaining recognition in the industry. Alongside The Chronicles of Narnia, he had roles in movies like The Last King of Scotland and Atonement, which were nominated for Academy Awards. Interestingly, during the early stages of his career, McAvoy almost secured a significant role in the Harry Potter series. He would have portrayed young Voldemort in one of the initial films. However, he was presented with an offer to be on retainer, which would have prevented him from working for nearly a year, and he chose not to accept it as it would have hindered his other opportunities. McAvoy mentioned this in his own words:

As a budding actor, I had an intriguing brush with stardom in the magical world of Harry Potter. It was the debut film, and I was in the running for the enigmatic role of Tom Riddle, who made his appearance in a flashback, wasn’t he? The offer came at the nascent stage of my career, and it seemed surreal; they wanted to retain me along with ten other actors, promising us a chance later to decide who would eventually claim the role. The remuneration was staggering for a newcomer like myself – around 40,000 pounds, an astronomical sum, but the catch was that I wouldn’t be able to take on any projects for approximately seven months. Alas, I had to pass on this unique opportunity, as enticing as it was.

How Star Trek & Harry Potter Would Be Different With McAvoy

Regarding “Star Trek”, since McAvoy is Scottish, it’s plausible to think he was considered for the part of Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, portrayed by Simon Pegg. McAvoy might have tried out for various roles, as he seems fitting for characters like Spock or Hank “Bones” McCoy. Although Chris Pine has been exceptional as Captain Kirk, McAvoy could have been a thrilling choice to embody the legendary Starfleet Captain. Moreover, considering that McAvoy portrays a young Professor X in the “X-Men” films, originally played by “The Next Generation” actor Patrick Stewart, McAvoy has been widely preferred as a candidate for the role of a younger Jean Luc-Picard.

It could have been intriguing to see McAvoy portray Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, but given the producers’ preference for a prominent actor for that role, it seems his participation would have only amounted to a brief appearance or an interesting trivia fact for fans, rather than a significant part of his career. It is unclear if McAvoy was considered for the early appearances of Tom Riddle (played by Tom Riddle in The Sorcerer’s Stone and Christian Coulson in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets).

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2024-09-13 23:33