Divergent star Theo James may be used to pristine Hollywood glamor now, but there was a time when the big time actor was a university student navigating the dating pool. Just like anyone in their early 20s, James navigated the dating scene, experiencing all the surprises young love and college life had to offer. Unfortunately, even for a heartthrob like him, not every meet-up went as planned. The White Lotus actor recently shared a crazy story about a date going “divergent” when his companion pooped in his tub.
The star recently attended an Emmys FYC panel moderated by Entertainment Weekly with The Gentleman co-star Daniel Ings. The two talked about their binge-worthy Netflix series and also shared behind-the-scenes stories from the set. The conversation turned silly when they started playing a game of “Two Truths and a Lie,” where James shared that once during a date in college, he woke up to find that his date had left a present in his bathtub. He said of the incident:
[While at] university, I went on a date that I thought went pretty well. We had some fun, and we were young and dumb and full of fun. And in the morning she had left, and there was a present for me in the bath. And it was a small turd.
During the game, he confirmed that this was an absolutely bonkers true story. His cast member didn’t ask too many follow-up questions about the date but, of course, I have several. Did he ever see her again? Did he ever find out why she decided to poop in the bathtub? Was this a prank, or was it done on purpose? Notable prankster George Clooney once pooped in Richard Kind’s cat’s litter box to freak him out. Was this a similar attempt at humor on Theo James’ date’s part? The questions are endless, but it’s safe to say it was certainly a memorable evening.
I’ve heard some pretty crazy dating stories, but this is definitely up there. Luckily, the Mr. Malcolm’s List alum had future dates that went much better for the actor. He is currently married to Irish actress Ruth Kearney, who he met when they were in theater school together in Bristol, England. They have two children and have been married since 2018. I guess to find true love, you truly have to go through some crap, and, in this actor’s case, it was more literal.
One can’t help but find the irony in him having such a night that “diverged” from normalcy ahead of him joining Divergent, which he says hurt his career. Nevertheless, I’d say that Theo James has done quite well, as he’s amassed more than a few notable projects since that film series ended in 2016. We all go through learning experiences, and there’s wisdom to gain from them. And that even includes rare scenarios in which a date poops in your tub.
Now that you’ve heard Theo James recount his unbelievable university dating story, check him out in The Gentleman, which is now streaming for Netflix subscribers. That same membership will also get you access to the three Divergent films. James is also part of the cast of The Monkey, an upcoming horror film that’s set to open as part of the 2025 movie schedule.