Louis Theroux has disclosed which of his documentaries he considers his finest achievement, and it is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The celebrated filmmaker made the revelation during a conversation with UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall on the The Inner Game podcast.
The Most Hated Family in America
Theroux told Aspinall that his son had recently asked him which documentary he was most proud of. Theroux replied: 'I said, well I don't really like to say, but probably one I did called The Most Hated Family in America.' The documentary, first released in 2007, explores the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, a small, homophobic religious group known for picketing soldiers' funerals with offensive placards.
Theroux noted that the documentary was originally intended as a standalone piece but later expanded into a three-part series after he returned to film additional instalments. He explained: 'The first one in particular, for various reasons, I do think, I'm particularly proud of that one.'
Behind the Scenes of a Hate Group
Theroux described the Westboro Baptist Church as a 'cult-like religious group' led by Fred Phelps, with about 100 members. They believed it was their duty to picket funerals, especially those of dead soldiers, with homophobic placards reading 'Thank God for dead soldiers', claiming the deaths were God's punishment for America's tolerance of homosexuality.
Despite their hateful public stance, Theroux revealed that behind the scenes they were 'very welcoming'. He said: 'They were so friendly... they were very civil and highly educated.' He attributed their openness to their belief that everyone in the world needed to hear their message for Jesus to return. Theroux added: 'They were like, 'We know you hate us and God hates you because you're hellbound sinners, but while you're here, would you like some lemonade? Please come in, sit down.''
Why It Stands Out
Theroux reflected on why this documentary remains his best work: 'I think that one, you know someone who didn't know who I was, no history with me, they could watch that and be like, 'Oh yeah, that's really good.' I can sort of hold that and go like, 'Yeah, that's really good.'' He noted that documentaries are more challenging when subjects expect favourable portrayal or are sensitive to criticism.
Theroux, who has been making documentaries for the BBC for nearly 30 years, recently released Inside the Manosphere on Netflix. The Most Hated Family in America is now available on BBC iPlayer.
