July 4th 2024.
Louis Theroux recently shared his thoughts on the challenges he faces while working as a broadcaster. Known for his popular documentaries such as Weird Weekends and When Louis Met..., he has interviewed various public figures, from Jimmy Savile to Ann Widdecombe. While most of his documentaries are set in the United States, he has also filmed in other countries like South Africa, Israel, and Nigeria.
Despite his success, Louis, 54, revealed that his growing public profile in the United Kingdom has made his job more difficult at times. He explained, "I think the best thing that's happened to me is that I'm not well known in America. And you know, it's changed a little bit for various reasons. So, I have a little bit of a profile, but I think the fact that I can go in, if I did a documentary in the UK I'd be very well known."
He went on to say that although being recognized can generate goodwill and make it easier for him to access certain events, it can also be distracting. "In some ways, it generates more goodwill because they're like 'oh well, we like Louis, we'll let him in'. And then off camera, you're maybe doing selfies and whatnot, which is fine, although it kind of eats into your time a bit," he shared.
Louis, who is best known for his series Weird Weekends and When Louis Met..., also expressed his frustration at being asked for selfies while covering serious events like riots. "You think, 'I'm supposed to be a serious journalist, slightly flying under the radar, and here I am doing selfies at a riot'," he said.
During an appearance on the This Past Weekend podcast with Theo Von, Louis recalled a specific incident where he was trying to film while someone was being arrested, but was interrupted by a fan asking for a selfie. "I'm like, 'I really need to be filming this right now. So sorry, someone's being arrested over there'. 'Oh, just a quick selfie, come on, mate'," he shared.
However, Louis also acknowledged that his fame has its perks, especially when filming in the United States. "In America, I'm just going around Miami jail. No one's going to ask me for a selfie there. And I love that part," he said.
Despite having interviewed some of the world's most famous figures, Louis still has a few names on his wish list. "The door is always open for Tom Cruise," he said at a screening for the second season of his BBC series Interviews. He also mentioned Lisa Marie Presley and Dave Chapelle as ideal interviewees, along with Erkyah Badu and John Travolta.
Even after decades of meeting and interviewing celebrities, Louis admits that he still gets starstruck at times. "It feels a bit like playing favorites to say who, but in the rushes, I think I can play it off...but when we look at the material, my face gives me away and sometimes I can look too excited. It can be a problem," he shared.
Despite the challenges and distractions that come with fame, Louis remains dedicated to his job as a journalist and filmmaker. And if you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures to share, don't hesitate to reach out to his team - they would love to hear from you.
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