California Schemin'

California Schemin' (2026)



6.0 2026 107 min United Kingdom, United States of America

Director: James McAvoy

Cast: Séamus McLean Ross, Samuel Bottomley, Lucy Halliday, Rebekah Murrell, James McAvoy

Comedy Drama Music
In the late ’90s, two Scottish musicians, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd, kept getting laughed out of rooms because their accents didn’t fit the hip-hop mold. Tired of being written off, they took a wild gamble—scrapping their true identities and rebranding as a hard-hitting rap duo straight out of California. They re-recorded their songs with phony American inflections, then hit London claiming to be West Coast legends who’d grown up alongside Eminem. The stunt worked: they landed a record deal, pocketed a massive advance, and even scored an MTV spot. But the facade was fragile, and when the truth finally surfaced, their entire empire unraveled in spectacular fashion.

More About This Film

California Schemin' is a musical biographical comedy-drama based on the extraordinary true story of Scottish rappers Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd. The pair discovered that the music industry was more interested in their supposed American identity than their real Scottish one, leading them to invent a California-based persona.

Samuel Bottomley and Séamus McLean Ross play the two musicians, with James McAvoy appearing as Anthony Reid and also directing. The film balances humor and music-industry satire while exploring ambition, identity and the cost of maintaining a lie once the deception becomes successful.

  • Directed by James McAvoy in his feature directorial debut.
  • Based on Gavin Bain's memoir California Schemin'.
  • James McAvoy also appears in the cast.
  • The real story was previously explored in the documentary The Great Hip Hop Hoax.
  • James McAvoy received the President's Spotlight Award at the 2026 Gasparilla International Film Festival.

Where to Watch

California Schemin' has a theatrical release in the UK and a U.S. theatrical rollout, while digital availability varies by market.