David Beckham has joined actor Theo James in a new promotional campaign for Netflix's series "The Gentlemen," titled "The Gentlemen's Serve." The advertisement, featuring Stella Artois, sees Beckham and James interacting in a scene inspired by the show's narrative. In the ad, James, who plays Eddie Horniman in the Guy Ritchie-created series, outbids Beckham for a pint of Stella Artois by intimidating him. "Never corner a bull, David," James warns Beckham in one exchange.
Beckham shared a clip of the campaign on Instagram, writing, "Message understood loud and clear Duke. Can’t wait for season two of @thegentlemen @stellaartois @netflixuk." James described Beckham as "down to earth" and a "kind of British icon" during their collaboration.
This campaign marks the first brand partnership for "The Gentlemen" and is a significant multi-market collaboration between Netflix and AB InBev, integrating the Stella Artois brand into the universe of the series. "The Gentlemen deals with rituals of aristocracy at the highest stakes and partnering with Stella Artois — a brand internationally recognised for its commitment to excellence and taste — allows us to bring that to life in a whole new way," James stated. He added that the partnership "feels authentic to the story in a way that fans of the show will enjoy."
Separately, reports have emerged that Meghan Markle was considered for a role in the third series of "The Gentlemen." According to a source, Guy Ritchie mentioned her name among other actresses as ideas were being developed for the upcoming season. The insider described the potential involvement as an "incredibly nascent concept" that was not seriously considered. The source suggested that discussions may have occurred between the agents of Markle and Ritchie, who are both represented by William Morris Endeavor. It was also speculated that rumors of her potential casting could have been leaked by Markle's team to signal her availability. With scripts for the third series still in development, the possibility of a role for the Duchess of Sussex has not been entirely ruled out.