Empire UK

“I really like

offending people!”

JAMES McAVOY

Inspector Roderick

Turpin (Andrew Scott)

gets more than he

bargained for.

Young Victor Von

Frankenstein

(James McAvoy)

takes a break.

Igor: the young

apprentice with

a very dark past.

r45:-*/(+".&4.$"70:

$)&3:-0/5&)$"30-)":&4%"/3"%$-*''&

+6-*"/("/*0

Dan’s make-up and costume and hair at
the very beginning — even though he
goes through a massive transformation
quite early — there’s something about
that look which seems to be everywhere.

There’s an old joke that when writers
get together they don’t talk about
writing they talk about money.
What do actors talk about?
Radcliffe: Lunch.
McAvoy: You’re so fucking right. It is
food. We talk about food all the time.
We never talk about money do we?

You are both in a pretty select group
of actors in the UK who can get stuff
made. Is that a pressure?
Radcliffe: I don’t think I feel it as pressure.
That doesn’t inform my choices in any
more ways than like I’m very lucky to be
in that position. And me being involved in
a film is not enough to guarantee that film
gets made. It takes a lot more than that.
McAvoy: I’ve had the opposite experience
actually where a couple of times I felt
responsibility on my shoulders not to do
a film. Because I’ve thought it is a valid
film well constructed arguably an
important story but it’s the wrong time
to offend people. I’ve got no problem
offending people for the right reasons.

Clearly you’re not afraid to offend
people generally — we’ve seen Filth...
McAvoy: I really like offending people!
On film I’ve done it a little bit and in
theatre I’ve done it a little bit more. It’s
just nice to kind of fuck with people and
make them sit through something they
don’t think they’re capable of sitting
through. But not for the wrong reasons.

Is it fair to say that in your take on
Frankenstein the most dangerous
element isn’t the monster but Victor
and that Igor is his conscience?
Radcliffe: Definitely yeah I think that
what becomes so exciting about the last
part of the film is that actually the most
unpredictable element in all of it is Victor.
McAvoy: What’s quite interesting is that
though the obvious dynamic in the
relationship is that Igor is another one of
his creations I feel like Igor helps to shape
Victor as well. And quite a lot of the time
fails to make him do the right thing.
They’re vying to manipulate and create
each other a little bit. It’s much more of
a two-way street than seems apparent.

Finally do you have a question
for each other?
Radcliffe: Mine’s really silly. James
if you could based on what we do in the

film create some sort of multi-animal

hybrid what would it be?

McAvoy: It would have to be an otter’s

head. And with a small sort of handbag-

dog body. Then some kind of big flappy

beaver tail. So it’s like a really cumbersome

house pet that’s always happy.

Radcliffe: You designed a cute

animal there.

McAvoy: Could you answer your

own question?

Radcliffe: I’d go for the head of a wolf just

’cause they’re the best. I love wolves. And

the arse of an elephant just to see if those

two things could work together.

McAvoy: Oh my God. Alright. So what is

my question for you? Who’s the worst

actor you know? — okay no. Are you

circum—? No that’s too much. Have you

ever had sex on—? No not going to ask

you that. Alright gonna go boring: what

is your favourite part you ever played?

Radcliffe: Oh... Probably maybe when

I got to do the musical (How To Succeed

In Business Without Really Trying which

Radcliffe starred in on Broadway in 2011)

just because singing and dancing on stage

with a load of other people is pretty much

the most fun you can have standing up.

I know that all the Harry Potter fans will

kill me for not saying Harry but really that

was probably the most fun I’ve ever had.

McAvoy: Have you ever met a Harry

Potter fan that you didn’t like?

Radcliffe: Ooh that’s a good question.

Umm... Yeah I feel like I can say yes

to that. Generally speaking they are

fantastic. The people that I don’t like are

the people who are Harry Potter fans

but don’t want me to know they’re Harry

Potter fans. I’m sure you experience

some version of this James. Where

people come up to you and they want

a picture but they also don’t want you

to think that they think you’re worth

shit. So they come up to you and the

first thing they say is “Oh I didn’t really

like Harry Potter all that much mate

but can I have a picture?” And it’s like

“Oh yeah cool. Thanks for shitting

on ten years of my life and then asking

for something from me. That’s really

cool of you!”

McAvoy: I had somebody come up the

other day who said “Can I get a picture?

I’m a massive fan of some of your work.”

Radcliffe: That’s great! And in that

person’s head they probably weren’t being

rude. It’s just an amazing thing to say.

McAvoy: I was like “Wow okay. Well

I’m gonna give you some of myself in

this picture!”

VICTOR FRANKENSTEIN IS OUT ON DECEMBER

4 AND WILL BE REVIEWED IN A FUTURE ISSUE.