How Gerard Butler became Darius Campbell Danesh’s closest confident before his death

Hollywood actor Gerard Butler became one of the people closest to Darius Campbell Danesh in the months before his tragic death on Saturday – with the pair bonding over their Scottish roots. 

The former Pop Idol contestant and theatre star, 41, who was found unresponsive in his apartment in Rochester, Minnesota, on Saturday had bonded with the Hollywood actor and director after meeting in the US – and realising they were born just ten miles apart. 

One of the last photos of Darius, whose death remains unexplained as his family await toxicology reports, showed the pair enjoying a barefoot beach stroll close to the P.S I Love You star’s home in Malibu on June 10th. 

Far from home and divorced from his Canadian wife Natasha Henstridge since 2018, it’s no wonder Darius turned to friends with a similar background such as Butler – who’s been dating Morgan Brown on an off since 2014 – for support. 

It’s thought that Darius and Butler may have been introduced by Rod Stewart who has regularly hosted parties for famous Scots living in LA. Line of Duty star Martin Compston was spotted celebrating with fellow Celtic fan Rod Stewart at a Las Vegas gig. 

And in March this year, the friends made a nostalgic trip back to Glasgow together, spending time at a local barbers in the city, who yesterday expressed his devastation at the loss of the home-grown star. 

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Darius, who was married to Canadian actress Natasha Henstridge, whose films include sci-fi hit Species, from 2011-2018, spent the last 15 years of his life in the US as his career blossomed across the Pond. 

While based on the east coast of the US, Darius would frequently make the five-hour flight from his home in Rochester, Minnesota to spend time with his fellow Scot Butler at his Malibu home.

During a video clip taken of the friends during their beach trip in June, they appear relaxed in each others’ company as they make their way off the beach and towards a car. 

The Pop Idol star donned a baker boy style flat cap and cream trousers with braces, while a more casual Butler wore a pale blue polo shirt and a pair of jeans.

Butler has an on-off relationship with girlfriend Morgan Brown; the pair began dating in 2014 but broke up in 2016, only to get back together the following summer. 

They split again during the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, but have been spotted together again more recently and are thought to be currently happily dating. 

While Butler, who found fame as Spartan King Leonidas in the 2006 film 300, was born in the town of Paisley, just ten miles west of Glasgow, but grew up in Elderslie, Renfrewshire. 

Meanwhile, Darius was born in Glasgow – to a Scottish mother, Avril Campbell, and his Iranian father, Booth Danesh – and spent his childhood in Bearsden on the city’s north-westerly outskirts. 

In March, both men appeared to travel back to Glasgow to enjoy a nostalgic trip down memory lane, posing with local hairdresser Taylor Ferguson and stylists at the popular barbers in the city.

Yesterday, stylist Ferguson posted photos of the two friends visiting the salon in March, saying: ‘Devastated at the shocking news of the sudden death of our dearly loved friend Darius. Only 41. Our hearts are broken. We knew Darius from back in his Pop Idol and he became a family friend. 

‘He was a regular in the salon – most recently he popped in with his friend Gerard Butler. He always caused a stir – sometimes singing for our clients…always super kind and generous. He’d buy the team lunch. We’d listen to his latest stories and learn about his projects – and his love life. He was a gem.’

Ferguson added that Darius had also been a guest at his son and daughter-in-law’s wedding, when he was riding high in the charts with Colourblind, saying that the family had played the song during a party last week, saying: ‘So painfully sad to learn that he’d died on that very day.’ 

Darius’ career had flourished in the US, with the star working on a new documentary, ‘American Dreamland’ at the time of his untimely death.   

A heartbreaking police dispatch call released today revealed the moment Darius was found unresponsive in an apartment block opposite the world-famous Mayo Clinic hospital.

His family announced his death yesterday, five days after he was discovered in his bed in Rochester, Minnesota, on August 11.

Rochester Police Department said it responded to a ‘deceased person call’ at 11.53am on August 11 at The Berkman, and the Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person as Darius.