James McAvoy is being lined up to play late rock legend Kurt Cobain in a new movie. The ‘Atonement’ star is hotly-tipped to portray the Nirvana frontman, who committed= suicide in 1994, in a film about his life, which is due to be produced by Cobain’s widow Courtney Love.

A source said: “James is making a big impact in Hollywood at the moment. Hollywood bosses are convinced he is the perfect choice to play Kurt Cobain.”

The film will be largely based on Charles Cross’ biography ‘Heavier than Heaven’. Cobain’s unpublished journals will also be used to fill in personal details for the screenplay, which is being penned by ‘Troy’ writer David Benioff.

Cobain enjoyed massive success fronting Nirvana with bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl in the early 90s with hits like ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘Come As You Are’, but his life was dogged by depression and drug use.

He was just 27 when he shot himself, leaving behind Courtney and their daughter Frances Bean Cobain, now 16.

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Keira Knightley’s Atonement costar, James McAvoy, says he’s sheepish at best when it comes to getting intimate in front of the cameras.

“It’s always a nightmare, isn’t it?” he said in a recent television interview. “It’s never easy and it’s always a little bit sweaty and uncomfortable.”

McAvoy, 28, appeared on Britain’s Michael Parkinson show to discuss his role in Atonement. In the film, Knightley, 22, plays Cecilia Tallis, an upper-class beauty who has an affair with the housekeeper’s son played by McAvoy.

The Scottish actor – whom Knightley called the best kisser ever – said he prefers directors to give specific instructions when filming sex scenes. And if they don’t, the situation can suddenly become a bit awkward.

“When they call action, if you feel the lady’s breast, it’s your decision to feel the lady’s breast. It’s like, this is wrong. You have no parameters,” he said.

“What was great about Atonement was Joe Wright [the director] was very, very, very on the ball with what he wanted, so when you were doing something it was at his behest.”

Still, McAvoy and Knightley felt the need to apologize for invading each other’s personal space after the steamy scenes. “We carried on and about 10 seconds later we just said very sheepishly, ‘Sorry about that.’”

Just a FYI, I had a advanced screening of this movie (Atonement) and it is WONDERFUL! The book is awesome and the movie was just beautiful. It goes right by the book pretty much! I say go see it December 9th!

Keira, Keira, Keira…you need some meat on those bones.

James McAvoy is to play Scotty in a new Star Trek film, it was reported yesterday. The 28-year-old is understood to have won the role of the Starship Enterprise’s famously dour chief engineer. Scotty was played in the iconic TV series by Canadian James Doohan and was immortalised in Captain Kirk’s phrase “Beam me up, Scotty”. Glasgow-born McAvoy, who starred in the Oscar-winning The Last King of Scotland and hit TV series Shameless, will appear in the 11th film of the hit sci-fi series. The movie reportedly takes the crew back to Starfleet Academy.

A source reportedly said: “McAvoy had to go through a full casting process – and was up against famous names and total unknowns. “He was called back a couple of times before getting the phone call from one of the producers to say he had won the role.”
It is believed that William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, now both 76, have signed up to play Captain Kirk and Mr Spock once again in flash- forward scenes. It will be directed by the creator of TV series Lost, JJ Abrams, and shooting begins this autumn with release planned for Christmas next year.

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