James McAvoy recently made an appearance on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast to discuss his latest role in the horror movie "Speak No Evil." However, it was his revelation about his casting process for M. Night Shyamalan's "Split" that caught the attention of social media users.

During the podcast interview, McAvoy shared that he had a mere two weeks to prepare for his multiple roles in the intense thriller. His involvement came about unexpectedly, as he was cast at the last minute after it was reported that Joaquin Phoenix had dropped out a couple of weeks before production was due to start.

When asked if it felt strange to take over the role from Phoenix, McAvoy quickly dismissed any notion of competition, stating, "No, definitely not. I'm confident enough to think that I will do it better anyway. I'm joking. I just like saying the wrong thing." He went on to praise Phoenix, acknowledging that the acclaimed actor would have undoubtedly delivered a remarkable performance, albeit different from his own interpretation. McAvoy emphasized that sometimes stepping in at the eleventh hour can bring unexpected advantages.

With only a brief window of preparation, McAvoy dove into portraying a character with dissociative identity disorder, bringing to life 23 distinct personalities in "Split." He continued to portray the character in the 2019 film "Glass." The actor admitted that it wasn't until the table read that he truly discovered all the complexities of the various characters, given the limited time he had to undertake the role.

Variety has reached out to Phoenix's representative for further comment on his departure from the movie. Recently, Phoenix made headlines when he pulled out of a new Todd Haynes project, just five days before filming was scheduled to begin. The sudden decision caused the film's production to be put on hold indefinitely, even after sets had been meticulously built in Guadalajara, Mexico. A source close to the production revealed that Phoenix had cold feet.

During the Venice Film Festival, where his film "Joker: Folie à Deux" premiered earlier this month, Phoenix was asked about his decision to withdraw from the Haynes movie. In response, he chose not to provide any opinion, expressing that he didn't feel it would be fair to share his perspective without the involvement of the other creatives.

"Speak No Evil," the movie in which McAvoy's villainous role is generating buzz, is currently playing in theaters nationwide. For the full interview with McAvoy on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, you can watch the video below.

0 Comments Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC.