James McAvoy, the Glasgow-born actor famous for his roles in X-Men and Shameless, is debuting his first feature film, California Schemin’, at the Glasgow Film Festival on Sunday, March 8. This UK premiere brings home a story deeply tied to Scotland, reflecting McAvoy’s commitment to telling authentic Scottish experiences through cinema.
The film centers on a duo of rappers from Dundee, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, who created a bold ruse by pretending to be Californian artists to secure a record deal. This true story reveals the lengths they went to in order to break into the music industry.
A Local Story Set Against Scottish Backdrops
California Schemin’ was filmed throughout Dundee and Glasgow, incorporating iconic locations like the Barrowlands Ballroom and Dundee United’s Tannadice Park. The production showcased a primarily Scottish cast and crew, emphasizing the film’s local roots.
Actors Samuel Bottomley and Seamus McLean Ross bring to life Gavin and Billy’s characters, portraying their gradual entanglement in the increasingly complicated deception and the ultimate revelations they must face.
Championing Working-Class Narratives in Scottish Cinema
Discussing the importance of the film, McAvoy told The National that while he wasn’t sure if it was “important,” it certainly felt like a story he needed to share. He said,
“This felt like the kind of thing I’ve been dying to see. I want to see entertaining movies, not just entertaining films, but entertaining movies about working-class people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds with limited horizons and limited opportunities – but they’re still entertaining, almost mainstream, fun movies as well.”
McAvoy expressed frustration that films presenting such perspectives are rare, especially in the UK, asserting his aim was to depict characters who felt deeply familiar and relatable to him, such as Gavin and Billy, who come from a Dundee council estate similar to his own upbringing in Drumchapel.
“felt like people I absolutely recognise and identify with growing up in Drumchapel myself”
Redefining Scottish Film Perceptions with Cultural References
California Schemin’ consciously confronts longstanding views of Scotland portrayed on screen. Notably, the film includes a mural referencing Ewan McGregor’s famous line from Trainspotting, “it’s shite being Scottish,” which has a symbolic presence throughout and is eventually painted over. McAvoy acknowledged the risk involved in including this homage, saying,
“It was a bit of a gamble putting that in the film,”
highlighting the iconic status of Trainspotting and questioning what recent works have matched its cultural impact. He added,
“That’s quite upsetting that it’s 30 years old, and where’s the next stuff in between?”
McAvoy sees this as a broader issue impacting Scotland and other UK regions, lamenting the lack of cinematic representation afforded to working-class communities.
“you have a whole region of people that are just underrepresented and don’t get to have themselves explored in celluloid in the way that America does, or maybe even parts of England do”
He emphasized that while this is a global phenomenon, he is specifically addressing it from a Scottish viewpoint. The nod to Trainspotting was meant
“to highlight that it’s been a long time,”
with McAvoy clarifying,
“Not because I think it’s shite being Scottish, but because they at that point have been told that it’s shite to be Scottish for what they want to do, and that’s really sad.”
Balancing Directing and Acting Challenges
In addition to directing, McAvoy also appears in the film as Anthony, a record label manager who remains skeptical of Gavin and Billy’s scheme. The role reveals the harsh realities of capitalism within the music business, a perspective McAvoy felt was necessary to include early in the story.
“I thought it was good to show really early somebody contradicting the choice [Billy and Gavin] had to make,”
“But also, he’s representative of a capitalist business – that’s the bottom line. That’s why they ask him what he thinks of them and he’s like, ‘well, I think you can make some money’. That’s it.”
Despite his extensive acting career, McAvoy described concurrently directing and acting as highly stressful and unenjoyable. Managing multiple aspects behind the scenes left him stretched thin, especially as he had to ensure his own performance met the film’s standards.
“I really wish I didn’t have to be in the film. Anything where I was acting in it, that day was just really stressful.”
“You’re spinning so many plates and managing so many logistical issues, outside of just trying to create a nice image and get good performances and make sure the story’s told – like, the porta-potties can’t come the next day, and so you have to change location.”
“Looking at my own performance was horrifying, really. I never look at my own performance, but I had to as a director to make sure we were getting what we needed.”
“It was the least enjoyable part of it, which is probably why my character comes across as being so grumpy.”
Worldwide Reactions and Glasgow’s Unique Response
California Schemin’ premiered internationally at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by showings in cities such as Rome, Zurich, and Tallinn. Audiences around the world have resonated with the film’s themes of underdogs striving against the odds.
“gone down so well and people really get it”
However, McAvoy is particularly interested in the response from Glasgow, testing the film there and noticing a slightly muted laughter compared to other places, like London.
“I’d like to see if that was just an outlier, rando reaction and see if we get a big response [at the premiere],”
He hopes the premiere will connect deeply with Scottish audiences, affirming the film’s intended authenticity as a piece made
“for Scottish people, by Scottish people.”
“But this is also a film for Scottish people, by Scottish people – it is for Scotland.”
Following its Glasgow debut, the film is scheduled for UK-wide cinema release starting April 10, inviting wider audiences to engage with this distinctively Scottish story rooted in real-life struggles and audacity.
