'Split' Actor James McAvoy Confirms He Secretly Married His Girlfriend, Lisa Liberati
Published Feb. 4 2022, 11:56 a.m. ET
Well, folks, it seems we've all missed our shot with the devilishly handsome James McAvoy. The Scotsman, best known for his roles as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan in The Last King of Scotland and Professor X in the X-Men franchise, revealed that he is indeed a married man. Here's everything we know about his wife, Lisa Liberati, and their secret marriage.
Meet James McAvoy's wife, Lisa Liberati.
During an interview with The Guardian on Feb. 3, the 42-year-old heartthrob confirmed that he secretly married his American girlfriend, Lisa Liberati. The pair met in Philadelphia, Pa. on the set of M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological thriller Split, in which James starred, while Lisa served as Shyamalan's personal assistant.
"They began a relationship a couple of years later and, he confirms, recently got married," the outlet announced.
When asked if he now considers himself an honorary Philadelphian, James said, "Yeah, it’s like a second home for me." He then declined to further comment on their relationship and his private life "for fear of creating tabloid fodder."
Though Lisa's Instagram account remains private, her bio states that she works as the Managing Director of En Commún. Per the company website, "En Commún official expands on the narrative of fashion as an art form."
The Los Angeles and London-based business values "drawing inspiration and designing collections through dialogue with artists across disciplines." They added, "We are committed to furthering the conversation by focusing on the parallels between art and fashion. Thus, starting a creative endeavor, where fashion and commerce are in an open relationship, not exclusive but driven by exploration."
From 2006-2016, James was married to actress Anne-Marie Duff.
James was previously married to his Shameless co-star, Anne-Marie Duff. The couple met in 2004 on the set of the British dramedy series, in which they portrayed love interests —and eventually husband and wife — Fiona and Steve McBride.
While together, James and Anne-Marie were notoriously private individuals.
In 2011, James told USA Today, "We've played it very cautiously ... It's who we are individually, and it's also a strategy. We respect the media, and we use it respectfully to sell movies and sell theater."
He added that he and Anne didn't "like going to parties or premieres if we're not involved. If my career isn't going that well, I'd rather it flounder than desperately trying to show up on red carpets: 'I'm for hire! Remember me!'"
In 2016, the former partners announced their divorce via a joint statement to USA Today.
"It is with tremendous sadness that we have come to the decision to divorce. We enter this next phase with continued friendship, love, and respect for one another and the shared focus of caring for our son. We ask that you respect our and, most importantly, our child’s privacy during this time."
James and Anne-Marie share a son, Brendan.
In Jan. 2010, a rep for James McAvoy confirmed that he and his former wife Anne-Marie were having a child together.
"I am very lucky. I have known wonderful romantic love in my life but to actually see this little creature and find him to be the most beautiful creature in the world," Anne-Marie expressed of her son to Daily Record in April 2011. "I know all mothers and fathers feel that way. Yes, he's just gorgeous."
The pair chose not to know the sex of their baby before birth; however, they convinced each other they were having a girl. So, when it came time to name their baby boy, Anne-Marie told the outlet that they hardly had any names picked out. But, soon enough, the pair decided on Brendan in honor of Anne-Marie's father.