Louis Theroux

Louis Theroux is a British documentary filmmaker, broadcaster, and author who has been entertaining and informing audiences around the world for more than two decades. Born in Singapore in 1970 to British parents, he grew up in London and attended Oxford University, where he studied modern history.

Theroux began his career as a print journalist, writing for national newspapers and magazines such as The Observer and The Guardian. In 1994, he made his television debut with a series of BBC documentaries called Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends. The series saw Theroux travelling around the world to explore various subcultures, from survivalists and swingers to biker gangs and porn stars. His style of interviewing was unique, often combining humour with genuine curiosity and insight.

The success of Weird Weekends led to several follow-up projects, including Louis Theroux's Weird Christmas (1999) and Louis Theroux's Gambling in Las Vegas (2007). He also made documentaries about Scientology (2007), extreme plastic surgery (2008), and the Westboro Baptist Church (2011). In 2017, he released the critically acclaimed My Scientology Movie.

Theroux has also written several books over the years, including The Call of the Weird: Travels in American Subcultures (2005) and Gotta Get Theroux This (2012). He has also presented several BBC radio and television series, such as Louis Theroux: Behind Bars (2011), Louis Theroux's LA Stories (2014), and Louis Theroux: Life on the Edge (2018).

Theroux has won numerous awards for his work, including the Broadcasting Press Guild Award for Best Documentary (2002) and the British Academy Television Award for Best Specialist Factual (2011). He is considered one of the most respected and influential documentary makers of our time. His ability to make complex topics accessible, interesting, and engaging is unparalleled.