Theo James recalls being chased through the streets after Divergent

Theo James has recalled being chased through the streets of Spain by fans after Divergent was released.

The British actor has revealed that starring in the 2014 sci-fi action film brought a significant increase in attention from young fans.

Speaking to British GQ, James recalled that shortly after the film was released, he and his father were chased by a group of teenagers while on a trip through Spain.

"My dad came out of a restaurant, and I was like, 'Get the f**k out of here! Just run!' We were sprinting away from an unseen force on these cobbled streets, and my poor dad was like, 'What's going on?'" he recalled with a laugh.

The Gentlemen actor added, "I didn't explain. I was nervous enough myself."

James, who played Tobias 'Four' Eaton in the Divergent franchise, went on to criticise the way young adult films were made at the time, arguing that studios repeatedly relied on successful franchises because they were financially safer.

The White Lotus actor starred in the Divergent film trilogy from 2014 to 2016 alongside Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller and Ansel Elgort.

After his experience with the franchise, James has gravitated toward smaller projects to protect his anonymity.

Elsewhere in the interview, the 41-year-old actor recalled shooting the "sequel of something" and having to react to a tennis ball on a green screen.

While filming, he asked, "I'm still unclear. What am I looking at?" and was told, "We're not 100 per cent sure."

"Which is just f**king crazy," he declared. "Your basics should be: you know who your character is, you know where you were before that moment and where you're gonna be after that moment."

The second season of The Gentlemen is now streaming on Netflix.