James McAvoy has disclosed that his 2017 film "Split" is the only movie that consistently provides him with residual income. The actor made the revelation during an appearance on the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast with host Josh Horowitz.
McAvoy explained that while he occasionally receives small residual checks from other projects, sometimes as little as 25 cents, "Split" remains his sole reliable source of such income. He attributed the film's financial success and subsequent residuals to its low production budget and strong initial box office performance.
"It was made for $6 million or something like that," McAvoy stated. "I’d say they spent $30 [million] advertising it. Our first weekend, we made $40 [million], so we made profit. Our first residuals check came at the end of the first weekend."
He lauded director M. Night Shyamalan for the film's success, calling the situation "bonkers" and praising the director's acumen. McAvoy portrayed a character with 24 distinct personalities in "Split."
Despite the significant role and performance, McAvoy expressed a nuanced view on awards season recognition. He noted that while some horror performances are gaining traction, he believes there is still a lack of representation for strong work in the genre, and in film more broadly. "For the amount of good work that’s done in that field, I still don’t see enough representation of that good work," he said. "I kind of feel like that with all awards shows anyway of every genre."
McAvoy also touched on the recent attention garnered by the film "Obsession," praising lead actress Inde Navarrette's performance as "unsettling" and comparing its impact to his own work in "Split."
In addition to his thoughts on residuals and awards, McAvoy recently spoke about an on-set conflict from his time on "Band of Brothers," recounting an instance where a co-star allegedly bullied him.