Qulture Magazine

Words: Madi Briggs

What do you get when you combine one of the most unbelievable true stories from Scotland’s music history and a directorial debut from one of Scotland’s most revered actors? James McAvoy’s (Shameless, X-Men, Split…) jaw-dropping new film, California Schemin’.

Detailing the lives of Gavin Bain (played by Seamus Mclean Ross) and Billy Boyd (played by BAFTA-nominated Samuel Bottomley), the infamous Dundee hip-hop duo Silibin N’ Brains who faked being Californian, in order to establish themselves within the music industry. You can expect a mix of comedy, heartfelt moments and the chaos of the 2000s.

On a sunny Sunday afternoon right in the heart of Glasgow (which is also the backdrop of the film), I found myself lucky enough to sit down with McAvoy and some of the cast to discuss what exactly this film means to them. After lots of easy going chats featuring mentions of the UN (thanks to Lucy Halliday who plays Mary Boyd) and grievances at TV speakers, it’s clear to see why the film has so much chemistry running through it, that other filmmakers find it hard to replicate. At times, it felt like I was gate crashing a close-knit family reunion, rather than attending an interview, with the cast highlighting the warmth and time that McAvoy invested into them with Bottomley highlighting that “he really believed in us”.

The message of ‘being themselves’, was the most important thing that kept coming up and that offscreen closeness, that proudness that radiates out of McAvoy watching these guys do what they do best, easily translates itself onto the big screen.

I think one of the most profound things to have arisen though, came from Ross who stated “to live is to die and to embarrass yourself, and do something you think you can’t do, and go beyond expectations you put onto yourself”.

I think that really encapsulates what this whole experience is about. That’s exactly what Bain and Boyd did in order to reach the heights of the stardom that they went on to achieve and I think that’s what we do in small ways too. Everyday, we make tiny decisions that we don’t really give much thought to at the time but looking back, they all snowballed into something bigger and that’s exactly what happened with the boys and what California Schemin’ truly gets at.

Decisions and trying to prove your worth when no one else believes in you. The film is one for the “underdogs” in society and that really shines through here. It’s difficult when art (and mainstream media more generally) focuses on one type of background and the rest get disregarded, so by changing that narrative and making art more diverse (like Halliday mused upon) it’s a breath of fresh air that leaves me very excited to watch the full movie when it comes out. 

For a directorial debut, it’s seemingly faultless. He credits Oliver and Tony award winning theatre director Jamie Lloyd and James Watkins, for helping Scottish actors fully embrace the challenge and also the public of Glasgow too – when people say “people make Glasgow”, they’re not kidding. The public came in their masses to help make the movie just what it is with them filling out the iconic Barrowland Ballrooms and bringing the energy after each take, turning the shoot into a full-on concert. Although, while not purposefully setting out to create something in Scotland, it’s fitting what fate brought forward and I, much like the rest of the cast, can’t imagine this debut filmed anywhere else.

All in all, California Schemin’ is set up to be one of the greatest releases of 2026. Having already received praise after showcases at last year’s Toronto International Film Fest and this year’s Glasgow Film Festival, I think the critics might be right.

Coming out on the 10th of April, it would be foolish not to grab yourself a ticket!