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'Atonement' star James takes whole new tack with quirky comedy

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Although they don't attend many Tinseltown events together, there was a red carpet appointment for The Last King Of Scotland star James McAvoy and his actress wife Anne-Marie Duff in LA this week.

The couple joined star guests at the premiere of the handsome Scot's quirky new flick Penelope.

The bizarre romance tells the tale of Penelope, aka Sleepy Hollow actress Christina Ricci - an aristocratic heiress who is born with a pig's snout for a nose as a result of a family curse. To break the spell she must find true love. Things start looking up when she crosses paths with James' character Max, a down-on-his-luck gambler who finds himself falling for Penelope after being hired by a reporter to pose as a suitor.

While it's something of a departure from his BAFTA-nominated Atonement role, producer Reese Witherspoon - who also stars in the flick, and joined James and Christina at the special screening - assures fans they'll be equally impressed with his performance.

"James is the heart of the film," she says. "His caring and compassion for Penelope is just palpable. He’s a really soulful actor, incredibly intelligent and kind."

Photo: © Alphapress.com
The Scottish actor and his wife Anne-Marie Duff joined star guests at the premiere of his latest flick, comedy romance Penelope, which tells the tale of a girl born with a pig's snout who must find true love to break a family cursePhoto: © Getty Images
Photo: © Alphapress.com
With him on the red carpet were co-stars Reese Witherspoon, who also produced the film, and Christina RicciPhoto: © Getty Images

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