Louis Theroux, the acclaimed documentary-maker known for his probing style, appeared unusually prickly during a recent interview to promote his new Netflix film, Inside the Manosphere. The journalist conducting the interview described feeling confused and baffled after Theroux seemed testy and uncomfortable with standard questions about his career and the documentary.
Theroux, 55, has built a 30-year career on immersive documentaries, often embedding himself in controversial subcultures such as Nazis, gun nuts, and porn stars. His work has evolved from shock-driven gonzo journalism to more serious investigations of prisoners, opioid addicts, and the Church of Scientology. He is also known for his viral rap 'Jiggle Jiggle', which has been streamed hundreds of millions of times on TikTok and YouTube.
His recent podcast interview with musician Bobby Vylan sparked controversy after he failed to press Vylan on calls for 'death to every single IDF soldier'. Critics accused Theroux of 'soft-soaping' the guest, and British Airways paused sponsorship of his show. Theroux defended the interview, saying he is willing to have difficult conversations and that his is a 'unique place in the British broadcasting landscape'.
During the interview for the Netflix documentary, Theroux shrank from recording devices and began reading the transcription aloud in a repetitive loop, making the journalist feel the tables had been turned. The encounter left the journalist questioning whether Theroux, who usually skewers the bad guys, was uncomfortable being on the receiving end of tough questions.
