Taylor-Joy: Grateful McAvoy Replaced 'Method Actor'

Anya Taylor-Joy expressed profound gratitude that James McAvoy ultimately starred alongside her in the 2016 film "Split." She revealed that the role was initially slated for a prominent "method actor," and she believes this would have led to a vastly different and potentially unsettling experience. Taylor-Joy stated that McAvoy's presence was a comfort, especially for herself and co-stars Haley Lu Richardson and Jessica Sula, whom he made sure to support after takes. The film, a psychological thriller directed by M. Night Shyamalan, featured McAvoy portraying a character with dissociative identity disorder. This marked the second film in Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" trilogy, with McAvoy reprising his role in "Glass" in 2019. McAvoy himself acknowledged the last-minute nature of his casting, noting Joaquin Phoenix had reportedly withdrawn weeks before filming commenced. McAvoy highlighted that he had a brief two-week preparation period, finding most characters quickly but spending more time developing Hedwig.