With literary adaptation Atonement due out Friday September 7, Eileen Condon sit down with James McAvoy to discuss being one of the hottest British stars around, and tackling serious subjects on film.
He's the toast of Hollywood thanks to critically acclaimed movies such as The Last King of Scotland and the Chronicles of Narnia - and he's starring in Oscar-bait literary adaptation Atonement alongside Keira Knightley. But you won't find actor James McAvoy chasing the LA limelight.

The actor says he has a 'pathological hatred' of celebrity culture and would run a mile rather than be photographed with the likes of Paris Hilton.

"I absolutely don't care about her and all that crowd on the party scene over there," he states. "We're so obsessed with celebrity and it's terrifying, I just don't care about who's wearing what or the nightclub you stumble out of."

However, if anyone does have a right to hit the Hollywood party scene it's James. He's got a lot to celebrate. At just 28 he's risen rapidly from virtual unknown to one of the movie world's hottest talents.

After making his name in the popular TV comedy drama Shameless he progressed to the big screen in hit films such as Starter For Ten, Becoming Jane and his BAFTA winning turn in The Last King Of Scotland.

Not surprisingly, the down-to-earth star is relishing every bit of his new-found status as Tinseltown's golden boy.

"It's really, really nice to be working," he smiles broadly. "That's the way I've always looked at it. It's always about the work. I'm very lucky that fantastic scripts have come up - you don't get them everyday. I've loved the fact I've been able to do such a range of different things.

"I always wanted to do an Eighties comedy and Starter For Ten came along and Last King Of Scotland was a different trip again. I've just appreciated the variety."

The Glasgow born star insists he's not about to take any of it for granted though. "You just say 'thanks very much for this work' and hope that it continues, because it can all disappear as soon as it appears," he reasons. "You can't really count your chickens but you can be really grateful."

James knows from personal experience how insecure life can be. Raised on a Glasgow housing estate, his parents split up when he was seven and he and his sister went to live with his maternal grandparents. He insists he only became an actor to avoid going into the Navy, but admits drama school was a huge upheaval.

"Though I went to drama school in Glasgow it was as far removed from Glasgow as you can imagine," he recalls. "It was a massive culture shock. I made a lot of mistakes and when I think back to them I still want to curl up and die," he laughs. "Hopefully you learn from them and start to decide who you want to be."

James, who now lives in North London, credits his actress wife Anne-Marie Duff with bringing much needed stability to his life.

The pair met on the set of Shameless, which, despite its success, marked a troubled time for the actor.

"I felt a bit of a fraud because I'd always felt that I'd fallen into acting. I was only doing it because someone had given me a job, for others it was their vocation," he explains. "I felt I was lying to myself and about what I wanted in life. It was Anne-Marie who taught me how to respect life and it took my career to a whole new level."

The star says his latest movie Atonement also helped him to rediscover his joy for acting. Based on the acclaimed book by Ian McEwan, the film stars James as Robbie Turner, an idealistic young man whose world is turned upside down when a 13-year old childhood friend (Romola Garai) makes false accusations against him.

Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, and filmed on location in Shropshire and Redcar, the movie also stars Keira Knightley and Vanessa Redgrave and looks like being another sure-fire hit for James.

McEwan has already heaped praise on the young star and James himself says making the film has been the highlight of his career so far.

"It was just deadly," he says gleefully. "It's definitely been the finest acting experience of my career. I loved the character of Robbie. He has empathy for everyone and forgiveness for everyone. Then something terrible happens to him and his world view changes from the most positive kind to a negative kind. He ends up fighting a bigger war than the one going on around him. He's fighting a war for his soul."

The role called for James to change physically from a groomed, impeccable young man to a beaten, despairing soldier, a process he found liberating.

"I felt privileged that I could go through that whole process from start to finish," he smiles. "It's been enlightening. I have learned and grown, the director Joe Wright has definitely made me a better actor."

The star says he's now raring to go with other film projects. First up, there's quirky comedy Penelope, in which he appears alongside Christina Ricci and then comic book action adventure Wanted, in which he plays an assassin opposite Angelina Jolie.

But though we'll be seeing a lot more of the talented star, you can guarantee it won't be on the party scene.

"I'm only doing my job. I'm absolutely not in it for the fame," he says. "Who I am isn't important. What I do is."

Real name: James Andrew McAvoy
Age: 28.
Significant Other: Married to actress Anne-Marie Duff
Career High: A right royal BAFTA success for The Last King Of Scotland
Career Low: Suffering a crisis of confidence during the making of Shameless
Famous For: Falling in love on and off screen with his Shameless co-star Anne-Marie Duff.
Words of wisdom: "We're in a horrible, repugnant place now where kids are told it's their right and due to be hugely

Note: The Press Association