Culture

Hollywood Star Sucker-Punched by Stranger in Late-Night Bar Attack

SNEAK ATTACK

He was hoping his directorial debut would be a hit, but not like this.

James McAvoy attends the 2025 British Academy of Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) at the Royal Festival Hall in the Southbank Centre, London, Britain
Toby Melville/REUTERS

Split star James McAvoy was sucker punched while enjoying a night out in the aftermath of his new movie’s premiere. He and his wife, Lisa Liberati, both 46, had been enjoying some downtime with producers of ​​California Schemin’ at Charlotte’s Room in Central Toronto, Canada, inside the city’s Entertainment District, when a drunk man allegedly wandered over to him and hit him. According to People, a source close to McAvoy said, “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.” Not to let a hiccup get in the way of a good time, McAvoy is reported to have stayed and laughed about the incident. His new movie—the Atonement star’s directorial debut—premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. It follows the true story of two Scottish men who pretend they are from the U.S. to pursue careers in hip hop.

Read it at PEOPLE