I love stories of humble, down-to-earth actors. The opposite of the MTV Cribs sort. Actor James McAvoy appears to be just this sort. The actor, who is currently starring with Keira Knightley in “Atonement” lives a life that isn’t just down to earth, it’s downright humble. According to the Daily Mail, McAvoy and his wife, actress Anne-Marie Duff, live in a small apartment Duff bought for £178,000 (about $346,000 USD) before they were married. It’s in the untrendy Stroud Green area of North London. They also drive a 10-year-old Nissan Micra that’s worth less than $2000. McAvoy could be the worst actor in the world and I swear I would love him just for his lifestyle.

James McAvoy doesn’t seem to even understand why anyone would bother following him or taking his picture. He told Newsweek about an incident where he and Duff were followed by a photographer, who eventually decided not to bother taking pictures of the couple, as they weren’t worth the $20 parking lot he’d have to park in.

I’ve only ever had anybody waiting outside my house once. We got in our car and we were followed, and it was very weird and disconcerting. We thought we would just go about our daily life and just ignore it, all that kind of thing. I think because we had once read that Clive Owen said just ignore it. Like, do whatever Clive Owen does—he’s a solid guy. We were going into town to buy something for the house, and we went into a parking lot that costs £10 an hour, and on seeing the price of the parking, the paparazzi went, “F— that.” They left us alone. So the lesson is, if you’re being chased by paparazzi, don’t drive fast. Just find a really expensive parking lot, and you will be fine.

[From Newsweek]

Sounds like good advice. Next time the press is following me and I just can’t shake them, I’ll swerve into the most expensive lot I can find. McAvoy is getting rave reviews for his performance in “Atonement,” and will next be starring with Angelina Jolie in “Wanted.” Though he’s certainly making some decent money, his neighbors say you’d never know it. Commenting on his lack-of-flash lifestyle, McAvoy told the Daily Mail “I’d rather be who I am and do what I do without seeking any attention.” Something tells me he’ll end up getting more attention for his regular Joe attitude than if he blended in with all the other celebs.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s James at the Hollywood Life Magazine’s 7th Annual Breakthrough of the Year Awards on December 9th. Header of James and Keira Knightley at the “Atonement” Screening Hosted by The Cinema Society on December 3rd. Images thanks to PR Photos.