James McAvoy was reportedly punched by a man while at a Toronto bar on Monday evening, just a day after premiering his directorial debut California Schemin’ at the Toronto International Film Festival.
The Scottish actor had been socialising with producers of his new film at Charlotte’s Room when the incident occurred shortly before midnight on Monday.
A source told People: “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.
“James’s back was to him and the man just punched him.”
Witnesses claimed the Atonement star was “caught off guard” when a man being escorted out of the venue suddenly punched him.
Despite the confrontation, McAvoy reportedly chose to remain at the bar afterwards, laughing off the altercation.
The Standard has contacted both James McAvoy' representatives and Charlotte's Room for comment.
The incident came as McAvoy debuted California Schemin’ at the Toronto International Film Festival, his first project as a director.
The biopic tells the story of Dundee rappers Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, who reinvented themselves as Californian duo Silibil N’ Brains in a bid to break into the London music scene in the early 2000s.
Turned away by the industry for their accents, the pair duped record labels, secured a Sony UK deal, and lived the lifestyle of chart stars, despite never releasing an album.
Their ruse eventually unravelled, with Bain continuing a solo career as Brains, while Boyd left music altogether for work in the oil industry.
Speaking at a Q&A ahead of the premiere, McAvoy explained why he wanted his directorial debut to focus on the story.
“This came along and I saw an opportunity to tell a story about people with limited horizons, yet still be aspirational and entertaining and comedic,” he shared.
“I wanted my debut to be Scottish, because we’re underrepresented. And this film is partly about one of the reasons that you don’t have more Scottish films.
“The noise that comes out of our mouths alienates people. They think it’s exotic. They think we’re talking about kilts or porridge, but they can’t listen to it for an hour and a half.”
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