From Shameless to X-Men, Atonement and His Dark Materials…James McAvoy seems to have mastered his craft in-front of the camera - so has decided to try his hand at calling the shots.
His directorial debut, California Schemin', sees two chaps from Dundee in Scotland pretend to be American rappers to land a record deal.
A story that sounds stranger than fiction - but is true.
So now seemed like the perfect time to hear about the music that inspires him.
Inherited: Maggie May by Rod Stewart
Passing on: Ally Bally Bee sung by Mary Anne Paterson
Producers: Anna Bailey and Ben Mitchell
Published on Saturday, 18th April 2026.
Available Podcasts from Inheritance Tracks
Subscribe to Inheritance Tracks
We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the Inheritance Tracks webpage.