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The Gentlemen’s Theo James left staff stunned after he visited their village café while filming nearby.
Known for his leading role in the hit Netflix TV series, the rising star popped into Nature's Goods at the Nuttery Café, in Ryarsh, and ordered a flat white.
Owner Michelle Hübchen said she had just returned to the café from running an errand when she noticed a man wearing a coat despite the warm weather at the counter.
When she headed into the kitchen, one of the staff members ran over to her and told her it was James.
Michelle said: “It was such a surprise. I went over to him and said the girls recognised him from somewhere and he said he was an actor.”
The former learning technologist said he told her he had looked up reviews for places nearby online when he came across the café and was curious about the pottery she also made at the site.
Michelle added: “He needed a coffee so drove over here.
“He seemed in a hurry but still took the time to speak to us, take a picture and look around. He loved all the products.
“He was really pleasant.”
The Buckinghamshire-born actor was filming scenes at a nearby sand quarry for an upcoming crime and thriller heist blockbuster, Fuze.
Directed by David Mackenzie, it follows the chaos of an evacuation after an undetonated second world war bomb is uncovered at a London construction site which conveniently provides cover for a nearby bank heist.
The star-studded cast also includes Kick-Ass and Tenet actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Avatar’s Sam Worthington.
Michelle added: “It is quite funny, little Ryarsh will be in a film.”
James’ breakthrough came with the popular dystopian film series Divergent where he played Four.
He has since raked up his portfolio starring in the likes of Netflix’s The Gentlemen, which was also partially filmed in Kent, HBO’s The White Lotus and ITV’s Sanditon.
KentOnline recently reviewed Nature's Goods at the Nuttery Café for its weekly Eat My Words series.
The café opened in 2023 when Michelle swapped her globe-trotting job to turn what started as a hobby into her full-time work.
As well as the day-to-day coffee shop, it also hosts yoga and clay retreats, pottery workshops, private parties, cheese and wine evenings along with an art exhibition and children’s events.