James McAvoy had an unexpected encounter during what should have been a happy night out. The actor recently recalled how a stranger suddenly attacked him while he celebrated a film milestone. The whole scenario soon escalated from a peaceful farewell to a tense confrontation. McAvoy also shared how he reacted before his friends stepped in.
James McAvoy says a drunk man punched him in the back of the head at a Toronto bar
During his Thursday appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, McAvoy described the incident from last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. He had spent six days at the festival while promoting California Schemin’, which he directed. He sat at a bar with the film’s two producers to celebrate their success after they sold the movie. McAvoy recalled that they were wrapping up their time together when a drunk man got thrown out of the bar.
The man had behaved badly, and a bouncer escorted him out. As he passed McAvoy, who had his back turned, he suddenly punched the actor in the back of the head. “He just cold-cocked the first guy he could reach,” McAvoy explained. The unexpected hit left him confused as he looked at his producers and asked, “That was you?”
McAvoy soon realized what had happened and rushed toward the man. However, his producers grabbed him before he could reach the attacker. Then he considered heading back to London to be with his wife and kids instead of running into trouble with the cops. McAvoy said he calmed down, but the man turned around and mistook the situation for another confrontation.
The attacker then came back toward McAvoy, restarting the argument. McAvoy recalled that the man shouted, “I’m from Mexico!” The actor responded by declaring, “Well, I’m from Drumchapel!” His unexpected reply made the audience laugh as he explained how people sometimes announce where they come from during fights.
Host Seth Meyers praised McAvoy for naming his Glasgow neighborhood during the confrontation. McAvoy compared the moment to characters in Game of Thrones shouting their allegiances. “If you’re from Drumchapel, you’re like, ‘I’m from Drumchapel!’” he joked. The story turned a frightening encounter into a funny memory for the actor and the audience.
