James McAvoy was struck by a man at a Toronto bar late Monday night, and security intervened to remove the assailant, a source told People.
The 46-year-old actor was in the city for the Toronto International Film Festival, where his directorial debut, California Schemin', premiered on Sunday. McAvoy was reportedly at the bar with his wife, Lisa Liberati, and producers from the film when the incident occurred at about 11:55 p.m. The source said McAvoy tried to de-escalate the situation and that other patrons and venue staff helped to escort the man out. The source added that McAvoy remained at the bar and "even laughed off the incident" after it ended.
People reported the account, and the Daily Mail said it had contacted McAvoy's representatives and the venue, Charlotte's Room, for comment. The actor and his team have not issued a public statement, according to those reports.
California Schemin' follows the true story of Dundee hip-hop duo Sillibil N' Brains, who reportedly posed as Californians to secure record deals. McAvoy directed the film and appears in it as a producer. At the festival, he said he chose a Scottish story because he felt the Scots accent was "underrepresented," and described wanting to tell a story that was "aspirational and entertaining and comedic" while reflecting working-class roots. He noted that many screenplays he had seen were set on Scottish housing estates and lacked hope.
The real-life duo at the center of the film, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, found short-lived success after their ruse; Bain later performed as a solo artist under the name Brains, while Boyd left the music industry for work in the oil sector, accounts of the case say.
McAvoy's acting career includes roles in films such as Wanted, Atonement, Split and Speak No Evil. The incident at the Toronto bar occurred the night after the film's premiere; there were no reports of significant injury, and witnesses described the actor remaining at the venue after the man was removed.
No criminal charges or police statements connected to the incident have been reported publicly as of Tuesday.