This article contains discussions of grooming and murder.
SPOILERS for Speak No Evil (2024) are ahead!
Paddy and Ciara’s age gap inSpeak No Evilbecomes the subject of discussion in the 2024 horror movie, raising questions about James McAvoy and Aisling Francoisi’s actual ages. Based on the Danish 2022 movie,Speak No Evilis an unnerving thriller that follows an American couple who visit a British couple that they met on vacation, where they discover the horrors that come from social niceties.
Despite the original movie being exceptionally well received,2024’sSpeak No Evilgained better reviewsthan its predecessor becauseit adds extra layers of nuance and character development that weren’t present in the original movie. One of the most prominent examples of this is Paddy and Ciara’s backstory. InSpeak No Evil, the couple has a significant age gap that shapes their relationship, foreshadowing a twist.
James McAvoy Is 14 Years Older Than Aisling Franciosi In Real Life
Speak No Evil Leans Into The Age Gap Between The Actors
When looking at James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi inSpeak No Evil, the two have a noticeable age gap, raising questions about how old the two are in comparison.James McAvoy is 45 years old, and Aisling Franciosi is 31 as of the release of Speak No Evil, which givesthem a 14-year age gap. This is an interesting contrast with the actors from the original movie, Fedja van Huêt and Karina Smulders, who are only seven years apart in age.
Karin
August 02, 2025
While the 14-year age gap is significant, the difference is even more notable because of the way the characters Paddy and Ciara are styled. Despite James McAvoy having a young face, Paddy has a long beard, which makes him look like someone in his mid-40s. He also wears clothing that looks like it came from the 90s, bringing more attention to his age.
Conversely, Ciara wears minimal makeup and long hair inSpeak No Evil, which makes Aisling Franciosi look younger than she is. The character also wears youthful clothing, including fashionable knit crop tops and shorts. While none of these clothing and hairstyles are exclusive to one demographic, they are generally worn by younger people. With all these elements combined, Franciosi’s character looks more like she’s in her mid-20s.
Paddy & Ciara’s Age Gap In Speak No Evil Is Similar To McAvoy & Franciosi’s
Louise Notices That Ciara Is Much Younger Than Paddy
In Hollywood, actors' ages don’t necessarily reflect those of characters. Often, actors will play characters up to five years above or below their age. Theoretically, if James McAvoy had aged down five years and Aisling Franciosi had gone up five, the gap between the two characters inSpeak No Evilcould have been just four years. However, the movie leans into the age gap instead, one of the most significantchanges from the originalSpeak No Evilto the 2024 remake.
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WhileSpeak No Evildoesn’t directly confirm the age of the adult characters,the age gap between Paddy and Ciara appears to be about the same as the actors'.The dialogue confirms this when Louise comments about their age difference after Ciara says the couple has been married for 17 years. Louise looks disturbed, asking Ben how old she would’ve been when the pair started a relationship.
Paddy & Ciara’s Age Difference Connects To A Speak No Evil Twist
Paddy Groomed And Victimized Ciara
The duration of Paddy and Ciara’s relationship is the first hint about a massive twist at theend ofSpeak No Evil. Presuming the actors and characters were exactly the same age,Paddy would have been 28, and Ciara would have been 14 when the two got married.Since she was a child, she could not have consented to that relationship, making her one of Paddy’s victims. Because she is in all the photos with the other couples, it seems like she was Paddy’s first target.
Paddy victimizing Ciara, who then victimizes other children, also makes her one of the most complex characters in the 2024 remake ofSpeak No Evil.
It’s unclear whether he kidnapped her as he did the other kids. The only information established about her background is that she grew up in the foster system. It’s possible she did actually grow up in that system, and he kidnapped her from there. Her background would make her the ideal victim because she doesn’t have a family to look for her if she’s taken.At the same time, Paddy is a kidnapper, murderer, and child groomer. As such, he’s an unreliable narrator, and his statements about Ciara’s past can’t be trusted.
Speak No Evil Cast & Character Guide
2024’s American remake of Speak No Evil unites a brand new cast featuring some recognizable actors like James McAvoy and Mackenzie Davis.
In either case,he groomed her into having a relationship with him and being okay with murder.This doesn’t excuse her crimes but provides context as to why she acts the way she does. Paddy victimizing Ciara, who then victimizes other children, also makes her one of the most complex characters in the 2024 remake ofSpeak No Evil.
