James McAvoy to auction off autographed Oscar shirt for children’s charity
JAMES McAvoy’s Oscar-night gag may end up fetching armfuls of cash.
On Hollywood’s biggest night, the 39-year-old actor took the Dolby Theatre stage alongside Danai Gurira to present statuettes for best sound editing and best sound mixing. At some point after handing out those awards and making it to the Vanity Fair Oscar party, McAvoy found a marker on the ground. The random discovery led to a takeover of his black-tie ensemble as he then asked celebrities like Brie Larson and Taylor Swift to sign his white tuxedo shirt. By the end of the night (or early morning), more than 20 stars had signed.
Now, the shirt is up for sale to the highest bidder on Prizeo as a fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House in New York. With a minimum donation of US$10, memorabilia enthusiasts can enter for a chance to win the shirt, which has been inked by Frances McDormand, Charlize Theron, Amy Adams, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael B. Jordan, Amanda Peet, Melissa McCarthy, Sophie Turner, Joe Jonas, Nicholas Hoult, Karamo Brown, Taylor
Sure, it was an off-thecuff, alcohol-infused idea, but now I get to auction it off and raise money for an organisation that means a lot to me! — James McAvoy, actor
Swift, Rumer Willis, Rashida Jones, Maya Rudolph, Sam Rockwell, Hellen Mirren, Elizabeth Banks, Kerry Washington, Zoe Kravitz, Jason Momoa and Michelle Yeoh. McAvoy himself also signed the shirt.
“When I found a Sharpie lying on the floor, I just asked people to totally deface my beautiful white shirt,” the ‘Dark Phoenix’ star wrote in a post on the campaign website, adding that he’s visited the house in the past. “Sure, it was an off-the-cuff, alcohol-infused idea, but now I get to auction it off and raise money for an organisation that means a lot to me!”
In a statement, Ruth Browne, CEO and president of Ronald McDonald House New York, praised the actor for going “above and beyond” to make the initiative come to life. “James has been a strong supporter of the House for several years through our relationship with MDC Productions and we are so appreciative of his generosity of time that he has given to the families of Ronald McDonald House New York who have a child fighting paediatric cancer.”