Born 21 April 1979 Early life

James McAvoy was born in Glasgow,Scotland, the son of Elizabeth (nee Johnstone), a psychiatric nurse, and James McAvoy, a builder. McAvoy's parents divorced when he was seven, and he subsequently lived with his maternal grandparents, Mary and James Johnstone in the Drumchapel area of Glasgow, His mother lived with them intermittently but McAvoy has not been in contact with his father since childhood,  McAvoy attended St Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Jordanhill, Glasgow, a Catholic school, and briefly considered joining the priesthood He was in the Pace Youth Theatre for over six years, trained by Mhari Gilbert, and graduated from the RoyalScottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2000. His sister, Joy McAvoy, is a singer