The transcript does not contain information about Louis Theroux having a favorite or least favorite person featured in his documentaries, nor does it mention any regrets about platforming individuals.
In this episode of The Diary of a CEO, Steven Bartlett interviews documentarian Louis Theroux. They discuss Theroux's early life, his relationship with work, his struggles with anxiety and intimacy, and how his drive for professional success has impacted his personal life. Theroux also shares insights into his interviewing techniques and his new TV series.
Louis Theroux described himself as an anxious child, often worrying about future events and tasks he had to undertake, like Maypole dancing or learning to read. He believes this tendency to worry was a significant part of his background. To manage these feelings, he found himself working hard and focusing intensely on academic pursuits, which, while leading to good performance in school, also served as a way to control his anxiety.
Regarding intimacy, Theroux admitted to having an "emotional intimacy and affection issue" growing up. He found it difficult to express affection and even felt uncomfortable when a friend declared him their "best friend" at age ten, preferring actions over verbal declarations of closeness. He notes a duality in his personality, with a disruptive, trickster impulse alongside his sensitivity. This, coupled with his work often being a "license to be intimate without consequences," suggests a struggle to navigate deeper emotional connections in his personal life. He mentioned his wife is more emotionally attuned than he is, and while he believes he has a good marriage, he acknowledges he could be more present and attentive in his relationships, and is working on improving this aspect.
Louis Theroux described his relationships as a "life support system for my work self," rather than the other way around. This meant he viewed his personal connections primarily through the lens of how they served his professional ambitions.
Specifically, he explained that in his twenties and thirties, he would prioritize his work commitments, even to the extent of being readily available for last-minute filming opportunities. He recalled telling his wife, "This is what I do," implying that his career demands were a given, and his relationships needed to accommodate them. This perspective meant he often went away for extended periods for filming without fully considering the impact on his family, particularly after they had children.
He admitted that his wife pointed out this imbalance, suggesting that he needed to adjust his approach to accommodate their family life. Initially, he was inflexible, believing they could simply hire help to manage the household, similar to his upbringing. However, with time and further reflection, he recognized the validity of her perspective and the importance of his presence in his children's lives, leading him to make changes to his work schedule and priorities.
Based on the transcript, Louis Theroux expressed that his children are now 16, 14, and 8 years old. He reflected that older children, in many respects, need more management and parental presence than younger ones. He mentioned making an agreement with himself during lockdown to travel less and be around more for his children, particularly as his wife, Nancy, took on more responsibilities with their company. This shift in his schedule allows him to be more present, which he found to be a "creative boon" and a positive influence on his well-being. While he acknowledged that his wife was instrumental in helping him become more involved in family life, he did not explicitly state the current state of his relationship with his children, only that he is more present for them now.
