Years before Joaquin Phoenix left Todd Haynes hanging, he dropped out of another major director’s film with days to spare. James McAvoy recently recounted his “last minute” preparation for the starring role in M.
Night Shyamalan‘s 2016 thriller Split after the Oscar-winning actor exited the production two weeks before filming kicked off in Philadelphia. “I’m confident enough to think I’ll do it better.
I’m joking!” said McAvoy on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “He’s an amazing actor. I think he’d give a very different performance to the one I did, but I think he’d give an incredible performance.” He added, “Sometimes coming in last minute is the best way.
I think he ditched it two weeks before they started shooting. It was really last minute. I had two weeks.” McAvoy stars in Split as Kevin, a man living with more than 20 personalities, one of which orchestrates the abduction of three teen girls (portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula).
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