James McAvoy on California Schemin'
WHAT WENT WRONG
Sad Boom Media
4.8 • 4.2K Ratings
🗓️ 10 April 2026
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, the one and only James McAvoy joins Chris and Lizzie to break down what went wrong - and very right - on his directorial debut, California Schemin’.
The film follows two young Scottish rappers who get laughed out of the music industry… until they start pretending to be American. It’s a true story of ambition, delusion, and the blurry line between reinvention and outright fraud.
Find out what drew McAvoy to the script, how he assembled the perfect cast, and what surprised him most about stepping behind the camera for the first time. Plus, discover the tricks he borrowed from some of the best directors he’s worked with (and which ones actually worked).
Check out California Schemin’ in UK theaters starting today!
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Guys, this is, this is kind of weird. |
| 0:03.7 | Is it weird? |
| 0:04.5 | I listen to you guys a lot. |
| 0:06.1 | Stop. |
| 0:07.2 | Here's what's weird for me. |
| 0:08.5 | When I was in college, a girl I dated, we saw Atonement together. |
| 0:13.2 | And I think we both realized we weren't for each other because I fell in love with |
| 0:16.5 | Karen Knightley and she fell in love with you. |
| 0:18.4 | And we drew like drawings for each other. We were weird |
| 0:22.7 | artsy kids and I drew a drawing |
| 0:24.6 | of you from Atonement for her. |
| 0:26.6 | It's a very weird time in my life. So it's very |
| 0:28.7 | weird to be talking to you right now. |
| 0:30.6 | My natural curiosity just means I want to see |
| 0:32.7 | the picture. It's like a full |
| 0:34.4 | shot of you in your like |
| 0:36.5 | Dunkirk Army gear. |
| 0:38.2 | Maybe she still has it. |
| 0:39.4 | I don't know. |
| 0:40.0 | I hope so. |
| 0:40.6 | We don't stay in touch. |
| 0:42.3 | But anyway, Lizzie, please speak. |
... |
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