James McAvoy went to TIFF to premiere and promote his directorial debut, California Schemin’. He attended the world premiere at TIFF several days ago, and he’s been networking and schmoozing at the festival. On Monday night, he went to Toronto bar Charlotte’s Room with some producers. While he was there, a drunk man sucker-punched him. What in the world??
James McAvoy was attacked by a stranger in a Toronto bar on Monday, Sept. 8, while he was in town for his directorial debut California Schemin’. The actor, 46, and his wife Lisa Liberati attended the world premiere of California Schemin’ at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, Sept. 6.
While having a quiet night at the bar Charlotte’s Room in Toronto on Sept. 8, McAvoy was hit by a man at about 11:55 p.m., and, caught off guard, the X-Men star tried to deescalate the situation as others intervened to remove the man.
“James was having a casual get-together with the producers of his movie and, as he later learned when speaking with the staff, there was a man who drank too much who was getting escorted out,” a source close to McAvoy tells PEOPLE. “James’ back was to him and the man just punched him.”
Afterwards, the source says, McAvoy stayed at the bar and even laughed off the incident with other patrons and the staff. PEOPLE reached out to Charlotte’s Room for comment.
When I drank, I never sucker-punched anyone or got punched by anyone, but one time a very drunk guy did pour a drink in my face. I was so stunned, I just stood there motionless and horrified. And all of the people to sucker-punch, this douche picked James McAvoy? Generally regarded as one of the nicest actors out there? Crazy. I hope the punch was nothing serious and nothing was broken or bleeding. If James continued to hang out in the bar, it probably wasn’t serious. But still… my god.
Per EW: “The Speak No Evil actor had not interacted with the man previously, nor did he provoke the attack, which occurred around 11:55 p.m. Other patrons of Charlotte’s Room rushed in to restrain the man, who was eventually escorted out.”
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Toronto, CANADA Celebrities at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival presentation of California Schemin’ at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, Canada. Pictured: James McAvoy BACKGRID USA 6 SEPTEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Toronto, CANADA Celebrities at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival presentation of California Schemin’ at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, Canada. Pictured: James McAvoy BACKGRID USA 6 SEPTEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Toronto, CANADA Celebrities at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival presentation of California Schemin’ at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, Canada. Pictured: James McAvoy BACKGRID USA 6 SEPTEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Toronto, CANADA Celebrities at the 50th Toronto International Film Festival presentation of California Schemin’ at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto, Canada. Pictured: James McAvoy BACKGRID USA 6 SEPTEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
If you get violent when you get drunk, don’t drink!
I am sure that the Scottish McAvoy has seen worse.
I was just going to say, James McAvoy is a working class lad from Glasgow so that fella is very lucky he didn’t instinctively punch back. JM reminds me a lot of my beloved who is also a funny, mild-mannered not-so-tall working class lad from a tough post-industrial town. He won’t start a fight, but he knows how to finish it if he must.
From what I’ve read about him, James is probably not going to be phased by an incident like this. I think he’s had his share of partying down at the pub. Sometimes something stupid happens.
Just last night I rewatched the episode of The Great Celebrity British Bake Off that James McAvoy was part of…swoon, sigh, swoon. To think that handsome face was punched. Find the culprit, I want a word with him! 😡
Me? I would call the police and press charges.
Learn to hold your liquor or don’t drink.
This post makes me want to rewatch Wanted. McAvoy and Angelina. Too much beauty on one screen.
Torontonian here, things have gotten noticeably worse here in the last several years. It’s not safe on the streets.
Former Vancouverite here- it’s a Canada-wide issue, I think. We left Canada in part because we didn’t feel safe living in Vancouver’s West End with young children.
I am a Canadian and feel very safe in my neighbourhood. I’m not disputing there are unsafe areas or that certain areas have gotten worse over the last years. Both are absolutely true. But I wouldn’t want to promote the idea that there is a “Canada-wide issue”. Canada is a huge country. Just like issues in a particular bar, neighbourhood, city or state aren’t indicative of what’s happening across the US.
@dee – Go to any city in the world and you’ll find an idiot like the one who punched McAvoy. That doesn’t mean “it’s not safe on the streets” in Toronto, as you said.
The Economist ranked TO as the safest larger metropolitan city in North America, and the sixth safest city in the world. That was in 2021, but a quick google search will show you many ranked lists by reputable media showing that TO ranks highly in terms of safety.
Anecdotal evidence is not factual, and blanket statements are never useful.
Of course I don’t condone violence generally, but wondering if maybe this was a bit of instant karma for James?
Apparently he’s signed up for giving more money to hurt trans people/the new harry potter series. I thought he seemed like such a nice guy but I can’t with any of the actors that sign on for that mess.
So ya, very surprisingly for me I’m on the punchy drunk guy’s side…
Yes, he signed on for the Harry Potter Audio Books. I certainly wouldn’t support it, but also would not support all these people getting sucker punched in a bar…random violence is never an acceptable form of punishment for anyone. Except a Nazi, that’s acceptable.
Hugh Laurie: Albus Dumbledore
Matthew Macfayden: Lord Voldemort
Riz Ahmed: Professor Snape
Michelle Gomez: Professor McGonagall
Mark Addy: Hagrid
Alex Hassell: Lucius Malfoy
Daniel Mays: Dobby
Kit Harrington: Professor Lockhard
Keira Knightley: Professor Umbridge
Iwan Rheon: Professor Lupin
Ruth Wilson: Bellatrix Lestrange
Ambika Mod: Nymphadora Tonks
Leo Woodall: Bill Weasley
Simon Pegg: Arthur Weasley
James McAvoy: Mad-Eye Moody
Gemma Whelan: Professor Sprout
Matt Berry: Sir Cadogan
Sara and Avni Deshmukh: The Patil Twins
Cush Jumbo: Narrator
Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, Arabella Stanton: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger (Books 1-3)
Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, Nina Barker-Francis: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger (Books 4-7)