James McAvoy Described Kissing Angelina Jolie as ‘Awkward’ and ‘Sweaty’
James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie first met on the set of their 2008 action movie, Wanted. The actors’ first scene together involved a smooch that looked great on screen.
But according to McAvoy, their vibe behind-the-scenes wasn’t remotely romantic. And he even described his kiss with Jolie as “awkward.”
James McAvoy doesn’t get comfortable when filming romantic scenes
McAvoy is a Scottish actor known for his roles in films like Atonement, X-Men: First Class, and Split. He’s also starred in several romances over the years. But the 43-year-old admitted he doesn’t let himself get too comfortable while filming intimate scenes.
“I rarely manage to be fully in the moment ever when I do a kissing scene or the sex scene,” McAvoy said in a 2008 appearance on Today with Ann Curry. “If I were truly in the moment, then I would worry that I was molesting someone.”
While many of his kissing scenes look believable on screen, McAvoy noted that they are usually far from glamorous. “You’re meant to do the kissing last thing,” he explained. “But you end up doing it first thing, just after you’ve had your breakfast and you’re all funky in the mouth.”
James McAvoy shared what it was like kissing Angelina Jolie
In Timur Bekmambetov’s action thriller, Wanted, McAvoy plays an office worker recruited into a secret organization of assassins by Jolie’s character, Fox. When the actors met on set, McAvoy had already been filming for two weeks.
Their first scene together involved a kiss. And because it was just moments after they met, McAvoy felt it was awkward.
“Yes, we have a big old snog,” he told Parade via HuffPost. “It was memorable for its awkwardness. It was our first day, and it was like, ‘Hey, how you doing? Are you alright? Yeah?’ ‘Action.’ ‘Oh, no. Here we go.'”
The His Dark Materials star noted he’s often more worried about smelling bad than enjoying the moment. McAvoy revealed that because he’s always conscious of making sure his co-stars don’t feel exploited, his kissing scenes, like the one with the Salt star, make him nervous.
“It’s sweaty and uncomfortable,” McAvoy explained to The Daily Record. “My paranoia is the girl I’m doing the sex scene with will think I’m getting off on her.”
“I have nightmares about that the night before a sex scene,” he added. “There’s no chance of getting any kind of stimulus because you’re so nervous and there’s all these people watching you.”
Ethan Hawke once said kissing Angelina Jolie made him weak
While McAvoy felt conscious and awkward about his kiss with Jolie, Ethan Hawke had a completely different experience. In a 2014 interview with Andy Cohen, the actor revealed how smitten he was with Jolie while filming their 2004 movie, Taking Lives.
“The best on-screen kiss I ever had was Angelina Jolie,” Hawke said on Watch What Happens Live. “Angelina Jolie was born to whittle men and to make them weak when she kisses you. You don’t know your name.”
