'California Schemin' Interview: Director James McAvoy

James McAvoy stars in 'California Schemin'.

Opening in New York and Los Angeles theaters on October 9th before opening wider on October 16th and 23rd is the new biographical film 'California Schemin', which is based on the true story of Scottish hip-hop group Silibil N' Brains and marks the directorial debut of actor James McAvoy ('X-Men: Days of Future Past').

California Schemin'

"Get rich or try lying."

RDrama Comedy Music

Audience

Release Oct 9, 2026Runtime 1h 47m

In addition to McAvoy, the film stars Samuel Bottomley ('The Last Rifleman'), Séamus McLean Ross ('Outlander: Blood of My Blood'), Lucy Halliday ('The Testaments'), Rebekah Murrell ('Ted Lasso'), and James Corden ('Cats').

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with James McAvoy about his work on 'California Schemin', his first reaction to the screenplay, the true story the film is based on, making his directorial debut, what he learned from other directors he's worked with, the casting process, how he worked with the actors on set, designing shots with his cinematograoher, the post-production process, and if he's ever lied to get an acting job.

James McAvoy in 'California Schemin''. Photo: Magenta Light Studios .

Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and were you aware of the true story it is based on?

James McAvoy: My sister, who's in the movie, she was in a female hip-hop band about this time, and I remember her talking about these guys. But that's all I had. I remember the documentary, which came out in 2013, but never watched it. So really my exposure to it was just by reading the script to begin with and then the book of the same name.

MF: What were some of the themes you wanted to explore with this film as a director?

JM: In a less sensational and movie-worthy way, I've walked a version of these guys' path for the last 30 years of my acting career, which is to make it show business, how much of yourself are you willing to sacrifice? How much are your integrity, your authenticity, your identity, your mental health? Are you willing to put it on the line to get what? Like stardom or a good part or an award or money or whatever. Even though this was the music industry and it was hip-hop, I thought I really recognized that dilemma, and that that fine tight rope that you're walking.

(L to R) Séamus McLean Ross and Samuel Bottomley in 'California Schemin''. Photo: Magenta Light Studios .

MF: As a young actor, did you ever lie to get a job like the characters in this movie? Did you ever lie about your special skills and for example, say you knew how to ride a horse when you didn't?

JM: Oh, mate, I think it was my second gig out of drama school. I totally told them I could ride a horse. I got the part and I swiftly took myself off to learn how to ride a horse. Then I realized that I'm hopelessly, desperately allergic to horses, which is why you've never seen me in a playing a knight or a cowboy or anything like that. So, that was pretty hard. Even though I did kind of get good enough to ride a horse, I literally had to close my nose with Vaseline, and take 20 antihistamines. It was disastrous. I mean, look, my business is about pretending to be other people anyway. So it's not quite apples to apples, but it's more off camera when you're being asked to be something you're not to get ahead and that's potentially quite dangerous.

MF: Was directing something you always planned to do?

JM: Yeah, I mean, I've been thinking about doing it since I was 16. I found myself on a film set when I was 16 and I was playing a part. I'd never done any acting at all in my life. But even at 16, my first exposure to acting, I was like, "I would put the camera over there." I've been really lucky as an actor. I'm having a really great career that I couldn't have envisaged for myself, and it's maybe held me back from directing because it's been going so well as an actor, but I should have done it sooner.

MF: As an actor, you've worked with many great directors. Did you talk to of them for advice or take influence from anyone that you've worked with before?

JM: I took a lot of influence from Jamie Lloyd, a theater director, and Joe Wright, and how he communicated with his crew. With Jamie it was how he would empower the actor to feel like they were enough and like they were more important than the character they were playing. Jon S. Byrd, who directed me in 'Filth', and he's directed a lot of great films, 'Stan and Olly', and 'Tetris'. I've just worked with him again. He watched the film for me quite a lot and he was great with giving me notes and stuff like that. He really helped us in the edit. So yeah, there were a lot of directors that I pulled from.

MF: What was it like for you to be on the other side of the casting process?

JM: Casting was long because I was looking for new guys, like unknowns really. It's not like America where I'm looking for a couple of 20 year olds and I'd get like 100 actors who've all done 50 movies. You're in Scotland, so there's not a lot of movies made in Scotland, unfortunately. So you're getting a lot of people who are inexperienced. For Seamus, it was his first job. Sam had been working since he was 10, thankfully, so that was that was easy. But it was about trying to find the best chemistry rather than the best two actors. Luckily, I think the best two candidates, Sam and Seamus, they also had the most magnificent chemistry. It was the same with Rebecca, who played Tessa, and for Lucy Halliday, who played Mary. The stuff they brought from themselves became so important to me, more than getting the nuances of the character right. I wanted the actors more than the characters.

(L to R) Samuel Bottomley and Séamus McLean Ross in 'California Schemin''. Photo: Magenta Light Studios .

MF: Did you work with the actors on set the way you want a director to communicate with you when you're acting?

JM: Yes, I think. But I couldn't hold back on the first day or two from just talking too much. I think I was getting in the way of their truly authentic response. So I pulled back, I made myself be more concise, and it's really about putting what you want into them, even before you get to set, so that they can ingest it. When it comes out, it's coming from them organically and it's not just an imitation of what they think you want them to do. It's a combination of concise conversation, but also a kind of manipulation so that you're trying not to tell them what to do. You help to lead them to what you definitely want them to do.

MF: Can you talk about working with your DP to select your shots?

JM: My DP, James Rhodes, was an incredible asset for us, because he's great just generally, but he's also shot a lot of concerts and live performance photography, which was amazing for us. It just was a godsend, especially on a low budget like we had. We didn't make a shot list, although everybody wanted us to, because I wanted to be free with it, but we did basically make a shot list between ourselves. So that whenever we walked up on set, we knew where we were putting the cameras. We definitely conveyed that to the crew, but we left space for inspiration on the day as well. I'd say, I was as prepared as you possibly could be, and that was working closely with James. We were in each other's pockets for months. So that when we got there, we had to move. We had to get it and go because we had a lot to get. We were a very location intensive shoot. We had a different location every single day, which is, again, ambitious on a low budget. I didn't quite realize when I was at the scriptwriting level with the two writers, I should have consolidated some scenes to be in the same space. But it's a virtue in the end product. You got a visually dynamic film because it's moving forward just geographically always.

MF: Finally, what was the post-production process like for you? Do you feel like you found the film in the edit?

JM: Yeah, 100%. I mean, look, the film was edited by a guy called Joe Sawyer, and I think for a first time director to have somebody like Joe as my editor, was incredible. I landed on my feet and he really helped me in a part of the business that I've never been exposed to. I've been on film sets as an actor, and if you keep your eyes open, you're invited into the process of directing sometimes and the techniques of physical production. But post, I had no idea. So he was incredible for me and I loved it. I saw the editing process was a real joy. we delivered an 89 minute movie with our first cut and we were delighted. I wanted to make a 90 minute movie and I've done it, brilliant. Then we showed it to people and they were like, "It's really good. It's just too fast. You need to slow it down and put some air in it." That was our biggest task was just having enough breathing space in the film, but keeping that pace and forward momentum.

What is the plot of 'California Schemin'?

The film tells the true story of Silibil N' Brains, a rap duo from Dundee who, for three years, pretended to be American in order to be taken seriously by the record industry.