Who is Louis Theroux? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

British Celebrities Born In May

Also Known As: Louis Sebastian Theroux

Age: 54 Years, 54 Year Old Males

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Nancy Strang (m. 2012), Susanna Kleeman (m. 1998–2001)

father: Paul Theroux

mother: Anne Castle

siblings: Marcel Theroux

children: Albert Theroux, Frederick Theroux

Born Country: Singapore

Journalists British Men

Height: 6'2" (188 cm), 6'2" Males

Notable Alumni: Magdalen College, Oxford

Ancestry: Italian American, British American, German American

City: Singapore, Singapore

More Facts

education: Magdalen College, Oxford

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1

What documentaries has Louis Theroux made?

Louis Theroux has made documentaries such as "Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends," "Louis Theroux's LA Stories," and "Louis Theroux's Altered States."
2

What is Louis Theroux's approach to interviewing subjects?

Louis Theroux is known for his empathetic and non-judgmental approach to interviewing subjects, allowing them to share their stories in a candid and open manner.
3

Has Louis Theroux ever faced criticism for his documentary style?

Yes, Louis Theroux has faced criticism for his documentary style, with some accusing him of exploiting vulnerable individuals for entertainment purposes.
4

How does Louis Theroux prepare for his documentaries?

Louis Theroux prepares for his documentaries by extensively researching his subjects, conducting pre-interviews, and immersing himself in their world to gain a deeper understanding.
5

What topics does Louis Theroux often explore in his documentaries?

Louis Theroux often explores controversial and thought-provoking topics such as crime, addiction, mental health, and subcultures in his documentaries.

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Early Career

Louis Theroux began his career as a journalist for ‘Metro Silicon Valley,’ a free weekly newspaper in San Jose. In 1992, he started writing for Spy magazine. During this time, he also served as a correspondent on the ‘TV Nation’ series. After the series ended, he signed a contract with BBC for developing the documentary series ‘Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends.’ Till date, Theroux has served as a writer for numerous publications including ‘The Idler’ and ‘Hip Hop Connection.’

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Documentaries

In 1998, Louis Theroux developed the documentary ‘Weird Weekends’ for BBC. This documentary gave the audience the chance to get brief glimpses into the lives of American subcultures, such as black nationalists, survivalists, adult film stars, and white supremacists. The documentary series ran for three seasons and ended in 2000.

After this, Theroux came up with the documentary ‘When Louis Met...’ in which he interviewed a different British celebrity in each episode. Then he began working on his BBC Two specials. In these specials, which began airing in 2003, the British-American documentary filmmaker returned to American subjects, working in a more natural way. The documentaries in these specials include ‘Louis, Martin & Michael,’ ‘Louis and the Nazis,’ ‘Gambling in Las Vegas,’ ‘Transgender Kids’ and ‘Savile.’

A 2007 special titled ‘The Most Hated Family in America’ garnered strong critical praise from the global media. The last documentary of the series titled ‘Talking to Anorexia’ was released on 29 October 2017.

In 2014, Theroux also developed a documentary series titled ‘LA Stories’. The episodes of this documentary series included ‘LA Stories: City of Dogs’, ‘LA Stories: Edge of Life’ and ‘LA Stories: Among the Sex Offenders’. Two years later, he premiered the feature length documentary ‘My Scientology Movie’ in which he recreated accounts of incidents shared by ex-members of the controversial Church of Scientology. In 2017, he came up with the documentary series ‘Dark States’.

Other Works

Theroux did a cameo in the 1997 gay adult flick ‘Take a Peak’. In 2015, he appeared on BBC Four's quiz ‘Christmas University Challenge’ in which he served as the captain of the team representing Magdalen College, Oxford.

Theroux has published a book titled ‘The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures’.

Personal Life

Louis Sebastian Theroux was born on May 20, 1970 in Singapore to American novelist/writer Paul Theroux and his English wife Anne. He has an elder brother named Marcel who is also a writer as well as TV presenter. His cousin Justin Theroux is an actor and screenwriter. Theroux’s uncles are writer Peter Theroux and novelist Alexander Theroux. His great-great-grandparents were music critic/author Gustav Kobbé and financier/ railroad magnate H. B. Hollins.

Theroux studied at Westminster School and later graduated from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1991. Talking about his love life, the British-American broadcaster cum documentary filmmaker was earlier married to Susanna Kleeman. Their marriage was a marriage of convenience which eventually ended in a divorce. In 2012, he married his longtime sweetheart Nancy Strang. As of now, the couple has three children.

Facts About Louis Theroux

Louis Theroux is known for his distinctive deadpan interviewing style, which often leads to candid and revealing conversations with his subjects.

He comes from a family of successful writers and journalists, including his father, Paul Theroux, and his brother, Marcel Theroux.

Louis Theroux has a degree in Modern History from Magdalen College, Oxford University, and has also worked as a journalist for various publications.

In addition to his documentary work, Louis Theroux has written several books, including "The Call of the Weird" and "Gotta Get Theroux This: My Life and Strange Times in Television."

Louis Theroux is a dedicated advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken openly about his own struggles with anxiety and depression.

2002	Richard Dimbleby Award for the Best Presenter (Factual, Features and News)	Winner
2001	Richard Dimbleby Award for the Best Presenter (Factual, Features and News)	Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends (1998)

Louis Theroux Biography

You wanted to know

What documentaries has Louis Theroux made?

What is Louis Theroux's approach to interviewing subjects?

Has Louis Theroux ever faced criticism for his documentary style?

How does Louis Theroux prepare for his documentaries?

What topics does Louis Theroux often explore in his documentaries?