Louis Theroux Biography
Louis Theroux is an esteemed British-American journalist, documentarian, author, and broadcaster. He is famous for When Louis Met… Jimmy (2000), My Scientology Movie (2015) and Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends (1998). Since 2003, he has been the documentarian of BBC Two Specials and has been the host of The Louis Theroux Podcast since June 2023.
Louis Theroux’s Quick Facts
| Profession: | Documentarian |
| Wife: | Nancy Strang |
| Documentaries: | 11 Documentaries |
| Age: | 54 years (May 20, 1970) |
| Net Worth: | $4 Million |
Family
Theroux was born in May 1970, in Singapore to Paul Theroux and Anne Castle. Paul is an 83-year-old novelist and travel writer who has authored numerous books. Anne and Paul met at an upcountry girls’ secondary school in Kenya, via Voluntary Service Overseas. Theroux grew up with one older brother Marcel Theroux who is a 56-year-old novelist and broadcaster and author of A Stranger in The Earth.
He has two uncles from his father’s side, Alexander Theroux and Peter Theroux. Theroux’s parents divorced in 1993 and his father married Sheila Donnelly in 1995. Additionally, his cousin is Justin Theroux. Theroux identifies as an atheist and dabbled with cannabis at 17.
Louis Theroux Wife
Theroux has been married twice. First, he was married to Susanna Kleeman from 1994 until they divorced in 2001 where he shared that their marriage was of convenience. On July 13, 2012, Theroux got married for the second time to Nancy Strang and they share three sons. His family lived in the Harlesden area of London until they relocated to Los Angeles in 2013 so that he could focus on his LA Stories series.
Louis Theroux Justin Theroux
Justin Theroux is a 53-year-old American actor and filmmaker and Theroux’s cousin. He is famous for his movie Mulholland Drive published in 2001 and Inland Empire in 2006.
Education
Theroux attended Tower House School in East Sheen and then Westminster School. While in school, he became friends with comedians Adam Buxton Joe Cornish, and Nick Clegg. Theroux participated in several school theatre productions, including Ritual for Dolls, Bugsy Malone, and The Splendour Falls. He subsequently graduated with honors from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1991, earning a degree in Modern History.
Louis Theroux Documentaries
As a documentarian, Theroux has published several documentaries which include:
- Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends.
- When Louis Met…
- Louis Theroux’s BBC Two specials.
- LA Stories.
- Dark States.
- Altered States.
- Life on the Edge.
- Forbidden America.
- Louis Theroux Interviews…
- My Scientology Movie.
- KSI: In Real Life.
Rap Jiggle Jiggle
Theroux decided to do a rap himself in the Duke & Jones viral TikTok song in 2022. Jiggle Jiggle was created based on a rap trend that Theroux had been involved in. It features a snippet of him rapping on the “Gangsta Rap” episode of the show Weird Weekends. The song is available on YouTube.
Weird Weekends
Theroux aired the TV documentary Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends. In his documentary, he gives viewers a chance to get brief glimpses into the worlds of individuals and groups. Theroux moved ahead and interviewed people with extreme beliefs of some kind, or just generally belonging to subcultures. Weird Weekends has three seasons with 17 episodes that aired from January 15, 1998, to October 30, 2000.
Movies and TV Shows
Theroux has been a writer and producer of various movies and tv shows. Some of them include:
Movies
- When Louis Met… The Hamiltons in 2001.
- Louis and the Brothel in 2003.
- Louis and the Nazis in 2003.
- The Most Hated Family in America in 2007.
- The Jumbo Revolution in 2014.
- David Baddiel: Jews Don’t Count in 2022.
TV Shows
- Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends from 1998 to 2000.
- Louis Theroux’s LA Stories in 2014.
- Gods of Snooker in 2021.
- The Bambers: Murder at the Farm in 2021.
- Sex Actually with Alice Levine in 2021.
- Joe Wicks: Facing My Childhood in 2022.
- Lockerbie in 2023.
- Louis Theroux Interviews… in 2023.
Forbidden America
“Forbidden America” is a documentary by Theroux in which he explores various groups such as the alt-right, rappers, and pornographic film actors. The documentary consists of a three-part series.
Interview With Louis Theroux
Theroux has performed numerous interviews with various celebrities some of which include Stormzy, Yungblud, Bear Grylls, Anthony Joshua, Rita Ora, Dame Joan Collins, and Ashley Walters.
Vegas
Theroux had a one-hour TV documentary that he wrote and presented on Gambling in Las Vegas. In his documentary, he heads to the Las Vegas Hilton where he shares the world behind the myths of casino culture. He was able to meet with two of the casino’s ‘high-rollers’ and an employee. Additionally, Gambling in Las Vegas was first broadcast on BBC Two in February 2007.
Uk
Theroux holds a United Kingdom and United States citizenship.
Podcast
Theroux serves as host of society and culture podcast, The Louis Theroux Podcast on Spotify Podcasts. The podcast commenced on June 6, 2023, where he does freewheeling conversations with a curated collection of fascinating figures from across the globe. The podcast is in season two episode 9 as of March 19, 2024, and has a total of 20 episodes.
Show
Theroux serves as the host of feature-length BBC Two specials, characterized by a more serious tone compared to his earlier work on Weird Weekends. The show, which debuted in 2003, has produced 50 episodes to date, with the most recent episode, “Forbidden America: Porn’s MeToo,” airing on February 27, 2022.
Grounded
Grounded was a one-hour radio and podcast series that Theroux hosted for BBC Radio 4. In each episode, he had the privilege of having an interview with a different high-profile person whom he has always wanted to talk to. The show first aired during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown and it has 21 episodes.
Extreme Love
In 2012, he made a documentary on Extreme Love – Autism. In his story, he visited a school for autistic children in Warren, New Jersey where he met the students and their families to get a glimpse of what life is like for them. He also got to experience the pleasures and the strains of one of the most extraordinary kinds of relationships. Additionally, the show is available on BBC One.
Jail
On May 22, 2011, Theroux visited Miami County Jail as part of his documentary. In his show, he was able to discover a strange jail culture where the men fight each other for food, status, and just to pass the time.
Jimmy Savile
Theroux discussed Jimmy Savile’s central role in British entertainment and charitable fundraising over several decades and how he was able to avoid punishment for committing numerous crimes.
Westboro
In 2007, he released a documentary about the Westboro family which is said to be the most hated in the United States. Westboro’s family has 71 members who are actively protesting against an America that tolerates homosexuality.
Shooting Joe Exotic
Shooting Joe Exotic is a documentary that Theroux released on April 5, 2021. The documentary is about former zoo owner and convicted felon Joe Exotic and also interviews other people associated with Exotic. Shooting Joe Exotic was a follow-up of Theroux’s 2011 documentary film America’s Most Dangerous Pets.
Behind Bars
Theroux wrote and documented the TV documentary Behind Bars which is about one of America’s most notorious prisons, San Quentin. While there, he can meet up with serial murderers, gang members, at-risk inmates, and guards. Additionally, Behind Bars aired on BBC Two on January 13, 2008.
Nick Fuentes
In February 2022, he authored and produced explicit and web-based programs featuring Nick Fuentes. These productions attracted a large online viewership while endorsing a discriminatory ideology characterized by racism, misogyny, homophobia, and anti-Semitism.
By Reason Of Insanity
By Reason Of Insanity is a 2015 documentary film where Theroux explored the nature of mental illness. In his documentary, he looked at how to reintegrate a patient into society when they have previously committed a serious crime. The show runs for one hour.
Chelsea Manning
Theroux had the chance to interview Chelsea Manning who is known to be an activist and data security expert. The show appeared in Theroux’s interviews episode 5 where the analyst previously 2020 shared the largest set of classified documents in American history, resulting in a 35-year sentence at a military prison for her actions.
Drinking To Oblivion
Drinking To Oblivion is a documentary that he wrote and documented. He spent his time at the specialist liver center at King’s College Hospital, London. While there he also met patients in the grips of alcohol addiction struggling to find a way out.
Net Worth
Working as a journalist, documentarian, author, and broadcaster has earned Theroux a net worth of $4 Million.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Louis Theroux?
Theroux is a renowned 54-year-old documentarian, journalist, broadcaster, and author. He moved to the United States after college and served as a journalist for Metro Silicon Valley and Spy. In his profession, he has been in numerous documentaries with the BBC where his current show is BBC Two Specials since 2003.
Where To Watch Louis Theroux Documentaries?
Theroux’s documentaries for BBC are available on BBC iPlayer.
How Old Is Louis Theroux?
Theroux is 54 years old and he celebrates his birthday every year on May 20 bor in 1970.
Is Louis Theroux Married?
Theroux has been hitched to Nancy Strang since July 13, 2012, and together they share three sons.
Social Media Account
Twitter – @louistheroux
Instagram – officiallouistheroux