Vinnie Jones and Guy Ritchie Reunite on The Gentlemen Set After Years Apart
Former professional footballer and actor Vinnie Jones has revealed he and director Guy Ritchie shared a tearful reunion on the set of Netflix’s The Gentlemen after drifting apart for years due to alcohol abuse. In an interview on The Louis Theroux Podcast, Jones explained that the two men stopped speaking after a fallout over a rejected film role in 2008, before Ritchie eventually extended an olive branch years later.
The 2008 RocknRolla Fallout That Caused the Rift
The long-standing estrangement between the director and the actor began when Ritchie offered Jones a part in his 2008 crime comedy film RocknRolla, which starred Gerard Butler and Tom Wilkinson. Jones admitted on the podcast that he was heavily intoxicated when the director called him about the project. I was f****** drunk, and I went, ‘No, I want this, I want that,’
Jones recalled, adding that Ritchie responded calmly before communication ceased entirely for a long period.
Reflecting on his behavior during that era, Jones acknowledged that he had got a bit big for your boots
as his acting career in Hollywood gained momentum. The actor played professional football from 1984 to 1999 for teams including Wimbledon, Leeds United, and Chelsea, before transitioning to a screen career with prominent roles in Ritchie’s 2000 feature Snatch, as well as Gone In 60 Seconds in 2000 and X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006.
An Emotional First Day Filming The Gentlemen
After achieving long-term sobriety—reaching approximately 10 years sober—Jones received an unexpected phone call from Ritchie offering him the role of gamekeeper Geoff Seacombe in The Gentlemen. The actor confessed he felt like a nervous teenager reporting to work for the first day of filming, which happened to be a funeral scene used as the opening sequence.
Rather than retreating to separate quarters to maintain distance, Ritchie walked straight toward Jones on the set. Walked straight up and just went bang. F****** hell, both of us in tears,
Jones said, noting that the crew watched the emotional moment unfold in silence before the pair simply went back to work without ever explicitly discussing the past.
Jones Describes Ruthless Nature of Hollywood Finances
During the same podcast appearance, Jones opened up about the isolating nature of his time in Hollywood, describing the film industry as very lonely
and ruthless.
Discussing his past wealth, he admitted to burning through money as fast as it came in while maintaining five houses alongside fleets of luxury vehicles including Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and BMWs.
Vinnie Jones Explains Rift with Guy Ritchie
Why did Vinnie Jones and Guy Ritchie stop speaking?
The pair drifted apart after Jones turned down a role in Ritchie’s 2008 film RocknRolla while he was heavily intoxicated, leading to a long period where they did not communicate.
What role does Vinnie Jones play in The Gentlemen?
Jones plays the estate gamekeeper Geoff Seacombe in the Netflix crime comedy series directed by Guy Ritchie.
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