Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - S14 Ep 7: Theo James

Episode Date: November 9, 2022

I’m still on tour but was missing mum and the podcast so she hopped on a flight (with my three kids, thanks ma) and got the recorder out.  We also bagged a star of The White Lotus s2, Theo James! After a morning of surfing, he arrived very promptly, thanks to his wife Ruth who knew what would happen if he was late (immediate judgement). We had a good old natter about wine, being the youngest child, The White Lotus (of course) all whilst eating delicious Greek food thanks to our favourites at Greekmans.We chatted about his Greek heritage, his dad’s wine society, his mums Scottish burns night supper & favourite places to eat in London & LA.Thanks Theo for being such a great guest. The White Lotus Series 2 is out now on HBO Max / Sky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to Table Manners. I'm Jessie Ware and I'm joined today not only by my mum but a very enthusiastic leaf blower. That's what they do in Los Angeles. Yeah, they blow a lot of leaves away. On their astroturf lawns. It's very noisy and we're hoping that he goes away in time for our guests to arrive. um so yeah we're in los angeles we're recording one in la because i've been on tour for about a month now and you came to join me in los angeles i saw both your shows what did you think i thought you were fabulous darling darling um thank you i think everybody else did as well I tell you what though so okay run through

because obviously everyone that's been listening to this podcast for a while uh will know already that I was supporting Harry Styles in Chicago that was fantastic not only because he's lovely and they're all just lovely the food in Chicago is bloody lovely sensational um the people are amazing i got to pop in to a really rainy new york i've never really been there when it's been so rainy i was quite excited about pumpkin spice lattes in the fall and new york but it just wasn't that but nonetheless it was an amazing gig now the place that blew my mind not only because it wasn't the most amazing gig, the food, Mexico City. Mum, I've got to take you. I don't like Mexican food, darling. You don't understand how good the food is.

Darling, I'm not good with hot sauce. You need to be open to this. You don't have to have hot sauce. Or goat. Do you like a churros? Yes, I do like that. I like a fish taco, but not spicy. You don't have to have spice it's all put

on the thing i had the best tuna tostada of my life from contramar and it wasn't spicy in the slightest because you put it add it on after good the one of my new favorite things is they give you tequila with this thing called sangrita which is like tomato so it's kind of like a Bloody Mary, but you drink it like a chaser and it's delicious. You're not excited by that? No. It was so good. Who were you chasing?

The sun. That time when you were enjoying the sangrita and tequila. Can you just remember where I was? You paint the picture where you were. I was at home in West Hollywood not my natural habitat with three small children getting quality time with your grandchildren quality time but quite exhausting but I think I did quite a lot with them we did Pony Rising Griffiths Park Little Train Petting petting zoo we all got bitten by fleas there yeah we we then went on to Mr Bone's pumpkin patch did you eat anything good I can't even remember Jessie it's a blur when you got back I couldn't even move

my mouth I was so tired she was like my mouth actually wouldn't move I was exhausted but I loved every minute of course but yeah Mexico City was just the most magical place. And not only for food, culture. Oh my God, the best weather. Nicest people. Had the best time dancing at Rico's later on. Drunk loads of tequila. And yes, mum was here with the kids.

Anyway, back to Los Angeles. And thank you, Dr. Alex. Leaf blower. Oh yeah, Dr. Alex was dr alex leaf blower dr alex was here the leaf blower is still going um i think he's blown over the other way we are really excited to have this guest on he is well i am now i've seen him my goodness mother he is a matinee idol what's that mean well matinee idol was old-fashioned people used to queue up to can you talk about this with elvis yeah so it was as soon as you could get there you'd go in the afternoon and it was mostly women that went in the afternoon to watch very handsome men they were matinee idols well he's actually a really acclaimed actor. Yeah, he is completely gorgeous and really, really good in his new role.

I didn't realise he's English. Jesse! I know, he must be very good at acting. He's got very good accents. With a Greek grandad. Well, there you go. So it's going to be Calimero all round. We have Theo James. You may know him from Divergent, where he was a kind of smouldering action man. Or The Time Traveller's Wife, or City of Angels. They know him from Divergent, where he was a kind of smouldering action man.

Or The Time Traveller's Wife, or City of Angels. He's been around the block, but most recently, he is in the new season of The White Lotus, which is based in Sicily. His wife in it is Sutton from The Bold Type, if anybody's watched that on Netflix. Anyway, The White Lotus, we've been lucky to be able to have a little screener. I've watched four episodes, binged them. I've got only one more that I'm allowed to watch. I only watched two. I thought I was only allowed to. No, you were fine. Okay. It is so good. White Lotus obviously was this massive Emmy award winning TV show that was

based in a Hawaiian resort last time. This time it's in a Sicilian resort. And Theo James' character is in it and has quite a saucy plot that I'm yet to discover what's about to happen to him, his comeuppance or if he gets one. But it's really, really good. It's just started now on telly. It's premiered.

It's got Jennifer Coolidge still in it. She's the only person that's still in it and her husband um it's really really brilliant you're gonna love it and yeah we've got theo james coming on now theo i think lives in between america so i'm interested to see how that plays out for him and food wise mum tell us what we've got on the menu well my daughter Hannah has a gorgeous boyfriend called Jonah and he owns a Greek restaurant in Silver Lake called Greekman's and he's provided all the food today and we thought it was quite apt because Theo James's grandfather was Greek so he's got a poncho I think maybe for Greek food. Imagine if he doesn't. Well if he doesn't

he'll be very unlucky because the food is absolutely delicious. What have we got then? We've got a bit of feta in the oven. We've got feta in phyllo. That goes with pomegranate and honey. Yeah we've got beet salad, we've got baba ganoush, we've got hummus, we've got satsiki, feta dip. Yum. Feta dip. We've got beautiful pita bread that you're going to brush with olive oil, darling. I am. And we're going to put it in the oven.

And lots of salads. And shout out to Benny Blanco who is letting us do this in his house again. Thank you, Benny, again. And this is a bone of contention for mum when we're here and Benny doesn't have a dining table so we are currently huddled around a coffee table. We're going to get well cozy with Theo James. It's good chop, it's dips. That's kind of why we chose

dips, didn't we? Yeah, greetmans do do other delicious food. Yeah, I'm about to eat their three days in a row. Anyway, Theo James coming up on Table Manners in Los Angeles. Cheers! Cheers! james coming up on table manners in los angeles cheers cheers cheers slainte cheers cheers slainte or yamas yamas yamas james is on the podcast mom's gonna want to talk about how greek you are okay we can definitely talk about that yeah you'll be disappointed but intrigued intrigued. Are you that Greek? My grandfather, so it's really my dad's side,

so I'm not that Greek, but I kind of am Greek. My grandfather was Greek, very Greek. He was born in Athens. Then he met my grandmother, so I'm really a quarter Greek. He met my grandmother during the Second World War. Then they emigrated to New Zealand. Then they came back to the UK. But my grandfather was, you know, extremely Greek.

He used to say to my grandmother when she was, you know, they were having arguments, be like, woman, your ovaries are on fire. I don't even know really what that means, but we found it kind of classic. It probably sounded better in Greek. Yeah, exactly. So we were just talking about you spending half the year here

and half the year in Islington. Yeah, if we can, yeah. How is that? Like, is it quite nice because then you get winter sun? You get winter sun, you kind of get a bit of the best of both worlds. I love London,on but you know there are some things about london not just the weather but the kind of the grind of it that get to you after a while as you both know so then you can come out here and have that i don't know that

freshness yeah i mean you've just you've just come from surfing. Exactly. So trendy. That's dead impressive. And you see dolphins. We saw dolphins the other day. So my husband was on the beach this morning, and he thinks he saw a seal. Do you think it was a seal or a shark? Yeah, there's lots of seals, yeah.

No, definitely not a shark. And is this, I heard that dolphins protect surfers from sharks. Now, I don't know whether this is my husband spinning the thing. No, they do. They kind of, they side-lump next to them and they stroke their backs. No. I mean, I'm such a, I'm looking at you like, really? Yeah. No, but can you, is there a thing where you kind of have this beautiful relationship with dolphins as a surfer?

I shouldn't think so. I mean, I'm not a very good surfer, so I could really qualify. So they throw you to the sharks um yeah apparently they're supposed to protect you know they're supposed to protect people occasionally from from kind of how many waves did you ride this morning i mean i'm terrible like maybe four how many wipeouts did you have about 15 how long were you in there for about an hour yeah it's like a way of life, isn't it? Yeah, but I'm an English gimp, you know. I was kind of apologising to everyone.

But you looked... Sorry, excuse me. But you do look the part. Do I? Yeah. Yeah. I saw that physique on White Lotus. Oh, right. And I'm going to show you now, actually, as well.

A special dance I've prepared for you. Really? Yeah. It's called Funk My Mother. No, actually, as well. Special dance I've prepared for you. Really? Yeah. It's called Funk My Mother. No, sorry, Jesus Christ. Wow. Dear, dear. He hasn't even finished his glass of wine.

Sorry. He hasn't started. Can we talk about The White Lotus? I mean, you're an arsehole in it. Yes, yes. He's a psychopath. We've only, we've got... How many have you seen?

I've watched two. She's done four. We've only, we've got... How many have you seen? I've watched two. She's done four. That third episode was really great for you and your character. I think it was the third episode. Yes, it was. It was, where they go deep, is it right? Yeah, and I don't know what's going to happen or not, but when you got the call-up for it, was it like,

had you seen the first season? Yeah, seen it, loved it. Yeah, it was a no-brainer. Did you watch the call-up for it, was it like, had you seen the first season? Yeah, seen it, loved it. Yeah, it was a no-brainer. Did you watch the first season? Yeah, loved it. Okay, so you know. And it's the same writer and director. It's the same creator.

Yeah, same guy, Mike. Yeah, it was an audition. I had to hustle for it. You know, it was a no-brainer. And then, I think we only got kind of two episodes because he was still working on them but there was a promise of you know salacious darkness which was exciting was that quite appealing to you because you've been like the hunk that saves everybody and you know was that quite yeah i wanted to do something that reflects my you know

true nature as psychopath um no it definitely yeah i really i've always wanted to do something that reflects my, you know, true nature as a psychopath. No, definitely. I really, I've always wanted to kind of play, I mean, he's not a straight villain, but he's a very manipulative, kind of dangerous, toxic alpha male. Nasty piece of work. It's fantastic. And when this comes out, it will have already launched. It's fantastic. And when this comes out, it will have already launched.

So, but do you get, because so far you haven't. Do you get any scenes with Jennifer? No. That's a real shame. Did you even meet her? You should have written that into your contract. Did you meet her? I tried to, but she ignored me. No, but was it filmed in, were you all together?

We were all there. We hung out lots. Met her lots of times. Had lots of dinners. Yeah, but was it filmed in? Were you all together? We were all there. We hung out lots. Met her lots of times. Had lots of dinners. Yeah, yeah. She's very fun. And we also would, because, you know, there were those big scenes where you're not sharing lines, but you're all in the same place.

So we'd all be together and we'd be watching each other's material and just watching her kind of riff and spitball in her kind of mad, quirky way. It was just genius. She's amazing, quirky way it was just genius she's amazing yeah she's amazing because you know like you guys best in show and all the kind of her early stuff that comedy i mean she's she's very unique in what she does and she has amazing timing so so um and my friend was there esty oh cool and i feel feel like nobody forgets Esty. Yeah, yeah, we hung out. She's great. She's great. She's so fun. So, listen, Theo. Also, there's another connection. What's another connection? My wife meant to say...

Your wife, the actress? Ruth, yes. She loves the show. Oh, thank you, Ruth. Ruth should have come. Yeah, well... I could have brought my kids. We could have shoved them in the garden. Her friends visiting as well. It's funny because they listen to all the shows. Oh, thanks.

When I was getting in the car, you know, I was like, oh, I should be good for time. They're like, no, if people are late, they mention it. And I was like, oh, Jesus Christ. I have to make sure I get there. That's Jessie, not me. Are you kidding? Well, except if I've done a roast and it's a Spice Girl. I actually think you were early, Theo.

Spice Girl? I think you were early. Thank you. Yeah yeah I can't, I mean obviously I do all my research and all our guests but you're American Theo so I mean you're really great at acting. You did read it darling. So I meant to say we shared a

doula, Gowrie. Oh my god. Oh Gowrie but how do you know this? Because I think you talk about it on one of your shows. I mean, oh, I've got a pregnancy podcast, but I always talk about her on this too.

Maybe it was that Gary. She knew about the Gary connection. How was your experience with Gary? Amazing. Did you do the sugar free and gluten free diet? No. I mean,

we tried and then stopped doing it. Don't ask him all of those things, Jessie, that she got you to do. Well, no, we probably... The massaging bits of your body that we're not taught about. We had to do that, yeah.

I love that you're saying we. I don't think my husband ever did it, but, you know. We're talking about my perineum, right? Your perineum, yeah. So, Gary, I mean, look, for anybody that hasn't listened to my pregnancy podcast or maybe mum ridiculing me for having. Also, Gary doesn't like being called a doula. Oh, sorry. She's not a doula.

She doesn't like being called a doula. She's a very well established obstetrician. She's incredible. And I adore her. And I followed her method with all my pregnancies. And I adore her. with all my pregnancies, and I adore her. We're going to talk about food.

We're going to start talking about food. Let's start at the beginning. Where did you grow up? What were you eating? Who was at that dinner table? I grew up in a town called Prince's Risborough, which is in Buckinghamshire, and my parents, it was a big family.

There was five of us. I was the youngest. And when I was two or three, my parents kind of threw everything they had into, you know, triple mortgages into buying this old, disused kind of farmhouse. Wow. Didn't all the land have been sold off over the years, but it had about a couple of acres. And it was, I think it was from the, you know, it went back to the 16th century so it's old and i'm tallish but my brother's six five and the the doorways are you know literally you know five feet high but it was a great place to grow up

and great place to but we inherited these ducks and chickens non non-farming people, in this small plot on the island. How did that work out? Terribly. So over the years, they got massacred by this fox. So you didn't eat them? We did eat one, yeah. My mum's, her side is Scottish, and then there's the Greek side. My mum grew up in Lincolnincolnshire in the kind of farming community so she's very hardcore in terms of you know cooking and getting down down and dirty as it

were but um in the late 90s i think it was when there was the biggest recession my mum and dad were like no turkey this christmas but we've got some of those geese. You did? How old were you? I was like 10, I think. How did you feel? I felt fine because we made a big joke of it. But my two sisters, three brothers. Became vegetarian that day. They were already vegetarian. And my brother, the eldest, named the goose deliberately before it was massacred.

Oh, my God. Called it Colin. Oh, Colin. So at the dinner table, everyone was like, you know, we're munching on colin um did he taste good he tasted amazing yeah it was incredible but i always remember walking in and seeing my mum it you know it's good because obviously as you guys know your foodies that's that's how you know food works you need to see where it comes from but uh seeing it strung up and seeing her, you know, de-feather it and all that kind of stuff.

Yeah, it was interesting. So poor Colin. Poor Colin. Was your, is your mum a good cook? Yeah, she's a good cook. But I'd say, you know, five of us, my, you know, early and teen years, you're just hustling. Because it was five kids and then there was always,

it was one of those hustles where they... Five kids, not five of you as a family, five kids. And then, you know, there was always an aunt or a friend staying who'd maybe, you know, split up with a boyfriend or had some crisis or something. So they were there for a year. Then there was all of our friends. It was always kind of a big...

Sounds lively. Yeah, it was fun. It was fun. But as a result, food was, you know, some some great meals but also just kind of grabbing what you can what what's a memorable dish from your childhood well my mum loved the scottish influence so she loved burns night do you like haggis i like haggis yeah but i don't like meaty muesli, isn't it? I don't think I'd mind it, actually. It's quite tasty. It's not like black pudding.

It's kind of earthy and it's oaty. It's very oaty. So it is like meaty. And the Scottish, you know, it's, yeah, exactly. Lots of oats, lots of potato. Yeah. But the, and cullum sk skink do you know what that is yeah

you know with that kind of thick Scottish soup which is kind of smoked nice repulsive oh

yeah but you know a good staple so would you do a big do on Burns Night yeah would it be more

about the ritual would it be more about the ritual more about the jokes we come from a kind of silly there was a joke that you know being the youngest i was always tried to convince the one that was tried people would try and convince of these kind of silly stories and one of my brothers again convinced me that

a haggis was a bird that had one leg longer than the other They just walked around in circles on a hill. So for years, I thought that was a haggis. Yeah, it was, but yeah, so, you know, whiskey and my dad, on the other side is a big wine, loves wine. He has a kind of wine society that he's had for maybe 30 years that they always get together. Are you part of it? Yeah. Yeah, and I'm kind of a half honorary member can we join yeah you should it's fine do you like pinot noir i love pinot noir do you i love california pinot noir you don't like it that's

a bit fishy isn't it are you red or white wine drinker i like both yeah i kind of all alcohol i can drink everything yeah yeah we're quite an alky family. Okay, so give us like your go-to Pinot Noir that's going to change my mind. That isn't going to like cost my mortgage. There's this one, San Luis Obispo. They do really good Pinots. But I'd say probably if I was going to recommend any wine my favourite wine

is not a pinot it's like a French Chardonnay I love you know that little conch oh you like Chardonnay I like I love Chardonnay

I like white burgundy Chardonnay I love Theo I like Chardonnay great but I don't like oaky Chardonnay

that syrupy I like I don't like it because they've they've flooded the market haven't't like oaky Chardonnay. That syrupy taste. Oh, no, I don't like it. Because they've flooded the market, haven't they, a bit with Chardonnay. So now they have fake oaky, buttery Chardonnays where they put pellets of oak wood into instead of actually ageing it in the barrels and all that kind of stuff. I don't know anything.

I probably would be like, oh, that's delicious. Well, I probably would too. But you know they say that women's palates for wine are much more sophisticated than men's because they have more taste buds. Oh, we have more taste buds? No, I didn't know.

That's what my old man always says. I think I'm there. I think I'm testament to it. Should I go and put them in? Well, it depends how hungry you are. Are you a bit hungry for a bit of dips and snack things? Make sure we're eight minutes, darling. And the bread needs to go in at some stage. So listen, you're living in Venice.

Yeah. What's your favourite restaurant around there? We are Veniceites. We kind of love that little community being right there. We love... Superba. Superba is very close to where we live. I love Superba. Yeah there we love superba superba is very close to where we live i love superba yeah we love superba just just just as just as trendy huge fan of just the only thing is have you been right yeah it is a kind of the juxtaposition there's pretty intense and a kind of

you go in for a you know 12 pound latte and literally outside it's a big homeless community so are you making enough money as an actor no wait you haven't heard the punchline to be able to afford er one for shopping each week no no it trendy, but it's kind of eye-wateringly expensive. It's beyond expensive. Wow, doesn't it? There's one in Venice. It's crazy expensive. It's good people watching.

I know there's one in Venice because we went there for sandwiches and they were £20 each. I know, crazy. Have you been to Felix down in Venice? No. That's a great Italian, very tasty. I've been to the one on the main street Abbot Kinney oh I we went so have you eaten at Safi's what is that um it's oh I don't even know

Silver Lake oh and it's the it's called Safi's it's the sister restaurant of Bavell have you eaten at Bavell oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. It's on a pier. Where's your favourite restaurant in LA? Favourite restaurant is probably Felix, that Italian one. That's a big... The one in Venice? Yes, yes. Whereabouts is it? On Aberkinney? It's kind of deep, deep Aberkinney, yeah.

It's kind of on the further end towards the beach, but it's great Italianian and it's it's pretty special they've now it's become i guess a bit too well known so it's kind of a wrestling match to get in there but it does do amazing so you got married in italy so you like italian food love italian food yeah and italian chianti did you have that yes we did we had lots of italian chianti yeah i'm a big fan of italian wine as well more on the red side although the wide i love a vermentino i don't know if you like i love vermentino yeah i think it's delicious like vermentino yeah yeah i like chianti like

primitivo as well primitivo do they do it here i've not seen it and they do they do a bit yeah and then obviously the big one like you know the know, the Moltoccinos and the Moltoccinos. Yeah, yeah. And they're fans of those. In Sicily, interestingly, you know, Nero d'Avila is the big grape there, but it's quite dry. Have you ever had that?

Yeah, you have, darling. You are far more into your wines than me, I think. This is like, I like what I like, but I don't know what I like. I'm the same. Darling, plates, darling, plates. Thanks, Mum. Mum's really enjoying this because, as your wife will know,

usually my mum is slaving in the kitchen, and so therefore she has me running around. It's your turn, right? Well, I'm not really slaving. And I'm sorry that we're not cooking for you, but you should go to Greek Wednesday. Can I have a fork? Yeah, darling, a plate not really slaving, but... And I'm sorry that we're not cooking for you, but you should go to Greek Wednesday. Can I have a fork? Yeah.

Darling, a plate would really help. You can have a plate, you can have a fork. Theo, come on, tell us your last supper. Mum, say it. My last supper. Darling, your last supper. Yeah, yeah. You just reiterate.

Can you cook, by the way? You know, I love food. I'm a huge food fan, but I'm not a cook. I just didn't think you were. No, God. Is it that obvious? I didn't think you could be handsome and cook at the same time. I just didn't think you could do those two things.

Men aren't good at multitasking. Yeah, walking as well. Walking. I find it difficult. Being handsome and cooking. I like being subjected. I objectify, yeah. Thank you.

Tell us your last supper. I will tell you my last supper. Yes, of course. So I would start with, there's a place called La Nance in the Burren in Ireland, which is where my wife's mum is from. Well, she's not from there, but she has a place there. Where is that nearby?

It's near Galway, kind of. The only place I know is Ballymalloy that everyone goes to. Oh, Ballymalloy. No, it's not near there. Ballymalloy is that famous restaurant and cooking school yes exactly which is an amazing cooking school yeah and in my mind because i'm not a cook i was always think should i just go there for three months and become a good cook not that that would make me a good yeah i quite like to do that as well yeah um so oysters from there i would say because

do you like oysters i think they divide the country. Really? You don't like them? No. No, interesting. It's like eating salty snot from the sea. Yeah, that's why I like it. Yeah, that would be my starter. And what do you put on your oysters? Well, I started by dressing them in everything that I could. But as I've kind of gravitated towards, I just like them with nothing.

Because I used to, I guess I used to try and smother the taste of salty snot. But now I like them enough. Have you become a hot sauce freak? Like everybody in the whole of America has hot sauce on everything. They do. They love hot sauce. And what's the big one that they love? Why do they like it?

Has hot sauce on everything. They do. They love hot sauce. And what's the big one that they love? Why do they like it? I guess it's like, you know, British obsession with salt. Yeah, I think it is almost. Yeah. They love it here.

But it's the Mexican influence as well, which is great, which I do love. Do you like Mexican food? I love Mexican food, yeah. And you don't like Mexican food? Mum, you haven't eaten it properly. There's some great Mexican food properly but I don't care whether I've eaten it or not darling

what I've eaten I don't like listen the presentation isn't great and I may I should have put

olive oil at the bottom of it but it will taste fine and it will taste delicious is this salmon is it

no this is just sorry I feel like you're very witty and I'm half here, so I'm not getting all your excellent jokes. He's very witty, darling. So, we've got oysters. Yeah.

What would be your main? Well, I'd have a preemie. Oh, he's Italian. All right, White Lotus, all right. Come on, then. And because we're big Italian fans and there, there's a place in Florence called, I'm going to butcher the name, but Vicea Botella, I think it is. And we've been there lots, discovered it years ago.

And every time we're back in Italy, we try and go there as a kind of, you know, we like the food, but there's a vodka penne there, which is amazing. And it's a really, it's on the east side of the city. It's just outside the walls. It feels quite authentic and just love going there. In fact, the last time I was there, I think I know it, and then I embarrass myself because they have these big, kind of almost old-looking vats of wine that they share.

And we didn't know the etiquette, and you ask for these big wines, and they come to the table. But they all look like the same thing. Thank you. And last time we were there, I was like, oh, that must be, you know, vinegar for the salad. But it was these dudes,

bottle of wine next to us. I just grabbed their wine and was like pouring it over my salad. Oh no. Well, at least you learn. Yeah, exactly. So it'd be the vodka. Can I finish that? Yes. This is delicious. Yeah, it's good, isn't it? It's, exactly. So it would be the vodka. Can I finish that? Absolutely.

Yes. This is delicious. Yeah, it's good, isn't it? It's really good. So you'd have that. What do they do with the vodka pasta? Do they put anything else in? It's tomato-based.

Yeah, it's tomato-based, exactly, yeah. But it's creamy. So it's like a Bloody Mary. It's more creamy than that. Yeah. It has a zing to it. Okay. Which is the booze.

You'd like it. You would like it, yes. It's very nice um and then you'd have a steak for i think i'd have a steak is there a place in in la that you go or would you go somewhere else like in europe you haven't chosen oh no you've chosen italy an island is anywhere in london that you eat there like a good steak i wouldn't choose a steak in london but there are lots of good restaurants that i'd definitely talk about. Do you know kind of Hackney restaurants? I imagine you do, big time.

I used to live in Dalston, so yeah. Oh, cool. Like Jolene, like Trullo. It's good you've been there. I love Trullo. Yeah, it's a good spot. Where else? Oh, Angelina.

Do you like that place? Oh, in Hackney? Yeah. I've never been, but I heard it's really good. It's fusion, what is it, Japanese and Italian. And it works. It does, actually. It's really nice.

I like the little duck next to it. Have you ever been there? No, is that good? Really lovely. Is it? So where are you going for your steak? I'll go to this place. Here?

No, New York, I think. I did a job there last year. We were there for eight months or something, and we rented a place, and down the road in Soho was... It's very well known. You've probably been there, but it's called Raoul's.

It's like a French spot. Okay. But it's supposed to be, you know, one of those spots where they're like... How are you going to travel to all these places if it's your last supper? But I thought it's a daydream. We're going to order in.

Okay, fine. Why are you being so literal? You embraced when Anthony did a whole day. Oh, yeah. Or is it more like death row where someone just throws food into my face? No, this is good. This is great. It's fine.

In that case, I'd just probably go for a burger and fries. What would you? What's your burger of choice in Los Angeles at the moment? There's a great place in Venice called Window. I don't know it. It's very, very tasty. I'm going to give a shout out to Burger She Wrote. Have you been there?

Where's that? It's around here. Burger She Wrote. It's really good. Nice. I will try that because I love the smash. Is it Smash Burger? Yeah, I love that.

An Oklahoma style smash burger, which I didn't know. So he was really nice. Shout out to Jules because he did a party I was at the other day, and he was just doing burgers all day, and that's hot, tiring work. And so what they do is get the patty. It's a waggy beef patty. Smash it, put raw onions on it, so the onions are on top whilst it's cooking on the hot grill,

and then you turn it over, so they've kind of, like, see seeped in raw but then they get cooked on the other side and then like you know american cheese but really good incredible sauce just really good like not so like just really straightforward what is a smash burger when they smash it so it's a it's a patty that's kind of in a ball and then they just kind of smash it. So it's mincemeat? Yeah it's a burger, it's just not formed. Am I right? Yeah. It's very good. I don't know what's the difference between that and the normal one. Well you'd form a burger but make it. The burger's a bit thicker isn't it? It's thinner, rough around the edges. Delicious. So what would be your sides for your steak i love fries i don't know about you do you like fries yeah i mean i would just love them now i'm kind of a big fry man really so best fries

you've ever eaten mcdees see i can't bear the smell it wouldn't be mcdonald's i don't even know where it'd be where where would yours be my best had In-N-Out burger at the day we arrived and I didn't like their fries. They were dry and a bit miserable. Because she wrote fries were really good. I think you need to go there. It's really good. It sounds very yummy. And I actually do like McDonald's fries. Yeah, I like a thin fry. I do. I like them. I like them.

So pudding, are you a big desserts person? I love sweet things. Do you? All sweet things. Got a fuck all here, haven't we? No, I've got loads of chocolate in the fridge. Have you done? I have a sweet tooth monster.

And I wonder whether that comes from being youngest of five. No, that's complete bullshit. Did you have sweets in your house? Yeah, with sweets, we had to like, you know, everyone would be gunning for them. Did your mum bake cakes? No, not really. We just had like with sweets we had to like you know everyone be gunning did your mum bake cakes no not really we just had kind of sweets my mum had a she worked she was a an ot but then she was quite senior in uh what's no occupational therapist now but anyway she she had a big career she ended up being a commissioner quite senior in the NHS. And so she was balancing five kids and, you know, a career as well,

like yourself, and that, you know, sometimes you just have to chuck food and see who can gobble it up. Do you think that you became an actor because you craved attention as the youngest of five? Jessica, that's a big question. I just want to know whether my third's going to be a performer, or do you think it was just like, have you got other actors in your family?

No other actors, no one in the industry. Because you performer? Or do you think it was just like, have you got other actors in your family? No other actors. No one in the industry. Because you're talking about fighting for food, being the youngest. I feel like my third is fighting for attention. Jesse, he doesn't need to. And also has a shit diet because you go, oh, well, you're fine. Whatever, the other two are eating all the shit. Yeah, I mean, but that gives you freedom in a way.

I always think with your first, as you all know well, you're inevitably a little bit uptight, aren't you? Yeah, totally. Even if you're the most chilled out person in the world, you are. And then you relax as it goes along. So the good thing about being the youngest five is you're, you know. Easy. You do everything.

I would sleep anywhere and not give a shit. But it's an interesting one. Is it because you're looking for attention? In a kind of fairly simple way? I was joking. No, no, but I agree because I ask that question a lot, but just by friends or whatever. But I'm not sure.

What do your siblings do? Nurse, works for Australian government, speech therapist, and my brother works for a kind of recycling plastics company. So where did the acting happen? Like, when did it happen? Because you did the old... Yeah, I did that probably young. I started young.

I enjoyed... There was something I enjoyed about it. And maybe that is... Yeah, if you have lots of people in a big chaotic house all the time trying to command any kind of attention so maybe you're right and the more we don't you know you know dissect this in fact you're definitely right um there was something about it i liked i remember doing in primary school playing king herod when i was about eight or something and i remember being on stage being

like i have your attention quite like this yeah this. Yeah, really. And that sounds repulsive, saying that out loud. But that's the truth. And then, yeah, I kind of did it at school and all that kind of stuff. And then it went from there. But I never really thought I'd be an actor, to be honest. I wanted to be a musician. Really? And tried and just failed miserably.

I can sing okay, yeah, and was in various different bands. Did you play anything? Yeah, the recorder and the flute. No, I'm joking. Wow. No, no, just played guitar. Played guitar. What kind of band did you want to be in?

Like the Strokes? He was in a band. No, I mean, but like... No, no, ultimately. What was the... Yeah, yeah, yeah. The last band in my 20s, we loved the Foles

we really wanted to be like the Foles oh that's my favourite Yanis really yeah him and mum flirted we drank so much

did you we're nearly falling over are they they're playing in America they started their North American run oh cool if you want me to

like ask them to put you on the list do you want tickets yeah they're the best he's fabulous they're the best he's fabulous they're the best I saw them years ago

in like Shepherds Bush or something oh my god they're the best they're so good yeah so what's going to be the pud

if you've got a big sweet tooth is it going to be gourmet or are we going to are you chocolatey or not I've got some chocolate

do you want a bit of chocolate yeah let's have a bit of chocolate yeah I love you know what kind of sweet stuff do you like? I mean, I love sweets as well.

It wouldn't be the first thing I'd order. I'd have cheese and wine. Cheese and wine. Yeah, I prefer really delicious cheese. What kind of wines do you, what are your go-to? I just like nice red, burgundy. Burgundy, yeah, yeah, yeah. So do you like, do you like Bordeaux,

kind of quite complex? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Red, yeah, yeah, yeah. I do you like Bordeaux, quite complex reds? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think my palate hasn't evolved enough. That's why I can't. I don't think mine has. I can drink anything for you, darling. I like smooth. I feel bad that we didn't do pud, actually, but I've got chocolate.

We could have had his honey balls. What honey balls? His honey balls. Well, the Greeks have bouvatka. Do you know what that is? I've probably butchered the name, but I love that as well.

It's like a custardy... Like a pastry with milk. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, milk, like a milky custard. Yeah, exactly.

We call it milk pie. Oh, okay. So, in Skopelos, they make this pie that's a swirl. Looks like a Catherine wheel. And it's filled with cheese. Oh, that one.

Yeah, I know that. And they do one filled with kind of a white creme patissiere. That must be the Greek in you that you like your sweet stuff. Because they have sweet shit everywhere. Don't they? Yeah. They love a pie, the Greeks. They love a pie.

They love a pie. So have we decided what you're having for your dessert? Well, I was going to say... He's eating his chocolate. Oh, he's happy. He's fine. Look at him. He's all right.

I don't care. It's fine. It's a bit chocolate. It's a shitty American chocolate, but it's all right. It's actually not bad. Do the job. I was going to say, yeah, a Greek dish, but I think, honestly, I'd love a really good ice cream.

Either Italian gelato or there's a great place in Venice called Jenny's, which does amazing. Oh, we've got some in the fridge. I've got Jenny's. I've got some Jenny's. Fuck it. Benny gets sent all the different flavours. Mum may have done the pistachio macaron.

I did the pistachio macaron. Do you have a juice? See what you want. Yeah, we've got fabulous Jenny's ice cream. Jenny's is amazing. Yeah. Jess, we need got fabulous Jenny's ice cream. Jenny's is amazing. Yeah. Jess, we need spoons though, darling. So she's near you, Jenny.

Well, one of her stores is, I don't know who Jenny is to be honest. Jenny's ice cream has been a revelation though. But yeah, it's really near me. I'll get you a bowl. I will get you a bowl. I'll dip the bread into it. I'm joking. No, Jessie. Well, I'm obviously the bread into it. I'm joking. No, Jessie.

Honestly, I'm obviously very gullible. I'm sorry. I just like talking shit. Does your wife get completely annoyed by you? You joke like this all the time. I do, I do. Does she just know which one's like, or maybe she's just not. She just gets quite bored of me very quickly.

So let's talk about your wife. Yeah. Well, we can. Of course, yeah. How did you meet? Did you meet when you were working together? Is it good one what is it what is it jenny's hot chocolate that's quite intense though it's probably got chilly in probably too intense do you want to change it yeah change it jess your spoon might have not happy with that one. Not so good. Oh, I quite like that. Really?

Oh, it's spicy. Yeah. Who wants spicy chocolate ice cream? I haven't got a spoon. Maybe a bit icy, but you know. Which one is it? It's brown butter almond brittle. Yeah, do it.

So how did you meet? We met the old Vic, know in our mid 20s she's Irish she was raised in Dublin from Cork she's a big foodie her mum is a

big foodie they're very into food so when when you started dating was food a very important thing with when you were

is there a memorable dating it wasn't embarrassingly it wasn't, embarrassingly it wasn't the memorable our first date was at a Zee Zee's. That's okay. Where's that? Who are you on in Durham? Where was that? No Zee Zee's. Oh Zee Zee's at Pizza. I think that's very nice. Did you choose that one? I did yeah because I thought it was classy. I'm from Aylesbury I'm like a Bucks boy it's probably the only thing you've

got on the high street yeah it literally is that and a betting shop yeah so I thought that was classy

what was on the wedding menu because you were in Italy oh god was it a big wedding yeah

was it like the godfather with kind of stringed lights yeah people like kissing my hand yeah yeah you'll protect me yeah like 180 200 or A bit like the Godfather with kind of stringed lights. Yeah, people like kissing my hand and saying,

yeah, yeah, you'll protect me. Yeah, like 180, 200 or something like that. Is that big? Some not. No, Jesse had 200. Theo, when are you going back to England next? Tuesday. I am as well.

Oh, my God. Who are you trying? Virgin Atlantic. Same here. Oh, my God, stop. 6.30. We are too. No, they're in premium economy, stop. 6.30. We are too.

They're in premium economy though. I'm sorry. You can hold the baby. I've got three kids and I'm travelling back with them. Oh, well that's good because we'll have Lila in. That's hysterical. Yeah. He'll be like this.

My wife would love to meet you. I'm dying to meet her. You better not let ruth down mom are you are you going back for a special project what are you in next are you allowed to talk about it uh i don't know tell us okay so if you're not allowed to talk about this one can we talk about the documentary that you're part of yeah yeah yeah that hasn't come out yet yeah that comes out in the end of november it sounds really interesting can you tell the listener what it's about yeah so this is a story about uh in the 90s there was a pepsi challenge like there was a mcdonald's challenge where you collect so many points you get you know 10 and you get a cap you get a 20 you get a leather jacket and they ran this ad pepsi did and it was the big the zenith

of pepsi when they're doing all their big Michael Jackson stuff they're very big they had the Cindy Crawford advert they they ran this one with the saying if you collect a million points

you get a Harrier jet which was a you know it was a big jet it was the the Gulf you know the Falcons war

sorry it happened recently which was it was kind of an iconic thing cost 35 million dollars they ran it with a disclaimer you'd get a Harrier jet not to just fly a flight a go in it no no you'd get one It was kind of an iconic thing. Cost $35 million. They ran it with a disclaimer. You'd get a Harrier jet, not to just fly.

A flight. No, no, you'd get one. That was the joke. Get one. Because they didn't think anybody was going to. What would you do with it? You'd sell it, you know. Oh, I see. Okay.

And they ran it with a disclaimer. It didn't track well. So they took the disclaimer off. This young kid saw it, found some investment, raised 700 grand, went to Pepsi and said, you owe me a jet. How old was this kid? He was 21.

And then he had this big lawsuit with Pepsi, went up to the Supreme Court. There's this story that they hired American arms dealers, essentially, to buy a disused Harrier jet in the UK from the RAF and then ship it over yeah it's kind of a fun so it's a fun pop culture story but it's really a story about these two guys friendship who kind of as a result became best friends and this is a documentary that you're producing yes on Netflix yeah how exciting yeah are you narrating it yes I start with yeah are you narrating it yes I start with excerpts from my diary and no I'm joking I'm not I see I didn't even flinch on that one thing I'm not narrating it yeah I'm not I'm not narrating it not not part of that just part of kind of the process is that quite exciting to be on the other

side have you been it is yeah a bit of time it's is, yeah. A bit of time. It's really, I love it. It's hard. You know, it's a hustle. It's kind of, you know, trying to bring pieces of the pie together and often it falling apart. So sometimes it can be a bit, you know, it kind of destroys you a little bit. But no, it's good. It's good to do a bit of both. Theo James, do you have good table manners? I feel like I have decent table manners.

Although now we've just eaten you might have seen it's all over our bodies no not at all and what do you not like in somebody else the worst thing they could do if they're having dinner with you

cutlery when they've finished not putting it in the correct position oh how proper you are that just annoys me I agree with you

you sing but have you got a karaoke would you do karaoke? Have you done it? Yes, I'm not a huge karaoke fan. As in, I don't know why, you know, a little bit sometimes. Because people love it here in LA. Do they?

Oh, do they? I'd love a karaoke night, Jess. Yeah, you should do it. Korea Town, they do some great karaoke. Can you do the, I think in Japan they have separate booths. They do that here, they love the separate booths. Oh, so I could just go on my own? You should go on your own. Oh, okay, yeah. Oh, Lenny without an audience. Oh, sure. What are you going to sing on your karaoke moment? My go-to is Coolio's Gangster's

Paradise. Oh, yeah. You know, God rest his soul yeah we sung it I grew up in I went to school in Aylesbury A-Town Crew literally we called ourselves that the gimpyest white boys in Bucks but we loved 90s and early 2000s hip hop

huge fans and we used to roll around in our crappy cars all that stuff. Anyway, so there was a big music competition where in this grammar school people are playing their bugle concertos and stuff, and we decided to do Gangsters Paradise. So as a result, when I'm with my school friends

and there's always, you know, if it's a wedding or there's music or there's booze, we always do it. Did you win the competition? We did. So did you? Yes. Shout out. Yeah,

yeah, we did. Theo James, thank you for being on Table Manners. Thanks very much. And thank you to Ruth for prepping you so well.

I know, Jesus Christ. I'm sure your partner is sitting here, the triplet, who we want to learn more about. And it's obviously

an amazing, thank you for booking in. But I feel like we really need to give Ruth a big shout out yeah but thanks for being such good fun yeah thanks for you guys run for your life um and i'll see you tuesday he's texting his wife now being like, she's like, I love Theo. Loved him. Me too. Well, first of all,

I could barely look at him. You need to stop. Tali, I can't help you. Objectifying. I don't care about objectifying. Ruth's husband. He was gorgeous. I wish Ruth would come.

Me too. I'm dying to meet her. But guess what? We'll be meeting her. We're new besties now. Well, I don't know. Let's see after a long haul flight with my three children. Thank you so much to Theo James for being such a good sport,

being well prepared, being early, being up for it. We love an actor that's up for for it and us up for asking answering questions very nice guy really lovely good fun thank you to greetmans for sorting out the um the grub and he also went in for like seconds and thirds and i like that he felt comfortable he's picking at the salad leaves by the end and i like that in a guest if he could actually manage to get locate the food on the tape. Thank you to Benny for letting us use your lovely house. Thank you, darling Benny. Even if mum complains that you don't have a table.

Yeah. You'll be listening to us next week when we'll be in the UK. But it was quite nice to do a little Los Angeles adventure. Yeah. I'm off to South America to eat some more food and sing some songs. But honestly, I'm eating so well terrifyingly well thank you for listening and we'll see you next week