Justin Theroux Says His ‘First Impression Was Wow’ When He Met Fiancée Nicole Brydon Bloom

Justin Theroux is reflecting on his first encounter with fiancée Nicole Brydon Bloom — and the moment a friend predicted she was “the one.”

During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, the 53-year-old Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star shared a hug with the host after acknowledging his engagement. PEOPLE previously confirmed in August that the actor popped the question to Bloom, 30, over a year after the pair was first spotted together in February 2023.

After Barrymore, 49, asked Theroux to describe how he and his now-fiancée met, he shared that it was “through mutual friends.”

“A friend of ours was having sort-of a party at their restaurant, bar,” Theroux said on the episode that aired Wednesday, Sept. 18, before telling Barrymore that he’d be her “wing person” so she can have the same results.

“The first impression was wow,” he added. “And then a friend of mine who was with me, literally the quote, [they] said, ‘That’s the one.’ Like, we hadn’t even met yet. And I was like, ‘She’s so stunning.’ So I went over and started talking and things like that and it progressed.”

Barrymore then asked Theroux how he knew he wanted to “lock it down,” to which he responded that “it’s one of those things that just develops.” He then offered Barrymore some relationship advice.

“It definitely has to be IRL, in real life. Don’t rely on an app,” he said, before the two chatted about how Barrymore hopes to be asked out herself.

“Guys, someone needs to ask Drew out right now,” Theroux joked. “I’m just saying it on national television. I’m just gonna put it out there.”

Outside of being a wingman for his celebrity pals, Theroux’s own love story can be traced back to when he and Bloom were first seen together at a Netflix event at the New York City social club Zero Bond at the top of last year. Since then, they were spotted sharing a kiss in August 2023 at Altro Paradiso in Manhattan, months before making their red carpet debut at the Vanity Fair‘s Oscars Party in March 2024.

As for the engagement, Theroux — who was previously married to Jennifer Aniston from 2015 to 2018 — popped the question in Italy while the pair were there for the 81st Venice International Film Festival. Bloom’s custom engagement ring from Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry features the pair’s birthstones embedded in the band, as well as a 4-carat, emerald cut, flawless diamond, set in platinum with 18-carat yellow gold inlay.

Speaking with Esquire in May 2023, the actor discussed his preference to keep his romantic life private when he revealed that, for him, it’s “much more fun not being in a public relationship.”

“There’s something to, once you’re out of that, where I want all of my relationships to exist within the four walls of whatever room we’re in,” he said.

Theroux caught up with PEOPLE earlier this month to discuss his latest film, when he said he had a “soft spot in my heart” for the original 1988 Beetlejuice. As he explained, appearing in the sequel was “one of those miraculous moments in life where you’re like, ‘Someone just handed me the key to the front door of that movie, and I get to walk into that world.”

The actor added, “To step onto set and see Winona [Ryder] in her black petticoat dress and her black, sharp bangs and smoky eye — it just was so fun.”