Bright Young Thing

He wanted to be a priest when he was growing up, but instead James McAvoy is making waves as one of the most promising and successful young actors in the business.

It wasn't so much a crisis of faith but more a bout of teenage laziness that led James McAvoy away from the priesthood and eventually into acting. "I stopped going to Church because I couldn't be arsed," he is happy to admit.

In the nine years since he made his acting debut, it certainly seems that the acting world has benefited from the Church's loss, as James McAvoy has proved himself to be a rare breed- an actor who's never been out of work.

In his short career James has crammed a lot in, so far appearing in ten TV series (including supporting roles in State of Play, Early Doors and White Teeth), eleven films- playing the lead role alongside Preeya Kaldis in Bollywood Queen, and as gossip columnist Simon

Balcairn in Stephen Fry's Bright Young Things amongst others, and not to mention numerous stage plays- most notably as Private Steven Flowers in Privates on Parade. Not at all bad considering James never really considered acting until director David Nyman visited his school and called him up six months later suggesting that he audition for the film, The Near Room. "I hadn't thought about acting until the chance was put in front of me by a complete fluke. If I hadn't got into drama school, I probably wouldn't have become an actor because I'd have thought: oh well, its not for me" James says.

Most recently seen as loveable rogue Steve McBride in Shameless, Channel 4's Mancunian comedy drama about a dysfunctional family living on a council estate, James McAvoy is fast proving that he is one of the best actors of his generation, some critics going to far as to say he is the best thing to come out of Scotland since Ewan McGregor. Despite fast becoming a household name, James is a little more apprehensive and is quick to admit his insecurities about his profession, saying in a recent interview, "I accept jobs that I think I'm not right for. Or not not right for' but which deep down I think God Im not good enough for that."

Insecure or not, the secret to James McAvoy's success ultimately lies in the fact that he simply is a very good actor who has made very good and varied career choices, proving himself to be extremely versatile and capable at whatever he turns his hand to. At the same time he was offered Shameless, James was also offered a part in a Hollywood film, but instead of following the big bucks and jumping the plane to LA, he chose to stay on British soil and work with writer Paul Abbott again (the two worked together on State of Play.) "When you're had a collaborative experience with someone and you get the chance to do it again, you jump at it" he explains. The gamble paid off, Shameless was met with excellent review, the Guardian newspaper called it "the drama that everyone is talking about." It's got something to say and it knows how to say it. And the unheard of happened- a second series was commissioned before the first ever episode aired.

However he chooses the roles he takes, James is on to a winner- the current series of Shameless has just finished showing on Channel 4, but he won't be disappearing from our screens for too long- this summer James stars in two very different films- one a big budget affair starring alongside some of Hollywood's hottest talent, and in the other he stretches his ability further than ever before in his most challenging role to date. In "Wimbledon", James appears alongside Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst in the story of a pro tennis player grappling for his last chance for glory. Whilst in "Inside Im Dancing" his character suffers from muscular dystrophy- a wasting disease that often causes the death of its sufferers by their mid-twenties.

As well as a second series of Shameless, James McAvoy is also set to reprise his role as journalist Dan Foster in State of Play and another series of Early Doors is on the cards. For the man recently named as Scotland's second most eligible man behind Big Brother winner Cameron Stout and ahead of Pop Idol comeback king Darius, the future certainly looks bright.

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