LONDON -- For years, Chelsea star Lauren James has been judged, mistakenly, by what people see: her body language, her quietness. There are moments when she can appear detached from what is happening around her, when her laid-back personality can be mistaken for indifference. Yet, beneath her calm exterior is someone who is deeply passionate -- something those closest to her have always known.
"I've had that kind of most of my life," James tells ESPN in an exclusive interview at Chelsea's training ground in Cobham. "I think the way I'm just chilled, laid back. I think it falls into my body language sometimes because I am so laid back.
"It looks like I don't care, but actually I'm so passionate. This is just how I go about things."
James turns 25 years old on Saturday and is only just entering her prime years, but in football terms she has already packed in enough experiences to fill a career. She has already become Arsenal's second-youngest ever player (at 16 years old), starred for Manchester United, lifted silverware with Chelsea, and become a headline name for England. Within that, she has endured the turbulence of injury setbacks, the pressure of being the sister of Chelsea men's defender Reece James, and dealt with racism and the backlash that followed her controversial red card against Nigeria in the knockout stages of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Yet, despite years being at the epicenter of women's football, there are many who still don't know her: the real Lauren James.
Contrary to the perception that she simply takes things in her stride, James is a deep thinker -- by her own admission, she is an overthinker and switching off does not come naturally. It was no different this summer: Even without a major tournament to play in, James found it difficult to disconnect from football during a Caribbean holiday in Turks and Caicos.
"It's so hard because I can't switch off; I go home, and I can't switch off. I'm just constantly thinking," James adds. "My brain is always going."
Even now, as we sit across from the car park at Cobham, James' brain simply won't rest.
"No one wants to be in my brain," she jokes. "[I'm thinking] loads, all kinds. Why is that pole brown? It's mad stuff. People will be looking at me and sometimes be like, 'Are you okay?' And I'm like, 'I'm not even looking at you.' I'm looking through you because my brain's going."
That overthinking doesn't always translate to her outward emotions. Often, James' reserved, calm demeanor can be interpreted as a lack of care or lack of investment. The reality is quite different.
"Everyone who is important knows," James says. "They're the ones that really need to know. They're the ones who know how much I care, so it doesn't really matter what I look like. As long as they know, I'm good."
Still, over the past year, there has been a noticeable change: James has gradually come out of her shell. During an interview in which you would expect her to be more reserved, James is much the opposite. She is relaxed, smiling, chatty; she openly acknowledges that she is more comfortable with that side of herself.
England and Chelsea teammate Lucy Bronze has been one of James' biggest supporters since her first senior call-up. Sharing the pitch with her on a weekly basis, Bronze has had a front-row seat to that evolution.
"I get chatty LJ [James], to be fair. Not many people get to see that side of her, but she's definitely grown, and she's matured," Bronze says. "I think people forget how much of the spotlight was put on her from a very young age, both positive and negative. A lot of the negative comments were without her doing anything, whether that was to do with race or to do with her brother.
"I can't think of another women's player who has gone through that at such a young age. I think she's had her guard up for a number of years, but I think in the team at Chelsea, you can see she feels comfortable. She's grown as a player; she's grown as a person. She knows how important she is when she's on the field for the team, but also how she is with other players. You can see that she's grown so many connections with all of the team.
"We all know that when LJ is flowing, there's nobody in the world that can stop her. It's nice to see that she's just growing a lot. She's still the most amazing player in the world.
"Her character has grown a lot, and you can just see that she's becoming more of herself and growing up. It's just nice to be a part of and to see her and to be close to her."
The friendship between James and Bronze dates back to James' first senior England involvement in 2020, when the pair naturally gravitated towards one another. Bronze, who won FIFA's The Best Women's Player award a year later, became a mentor to James.
It took James another two years to become an England regular.
"We kind of just drifted to each other, and she took me under her wing. I can't get rid of her," James jokes.
"I think she got me from the start, which obviously explains our good friendship. [I'm] probably her annoying little sister that always winds her up. I know she's always there if I need help. I always know I have Lucy when I need her."
That help -- along with the guidance of Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor -- helps explain why James has been able to express herself more publicly. James' witty, funny personality is no longer confined only to those closest to her.
In her two years as Chelsea manager, Bompastor has created an environment in which expectations are explained and competitiveness is embraced, while also making it clear that her players can rely on her. For James, that combination of honesty and support has been particularly valuable.
"She [Bompastor] has my back. I think that's also why I respect her so highly as well, because she can also tell me straight what she thinks and what you need to do," James says. "She also has that side of her where she'll look after you, so I respect her. I would say she's very direct, but also will look out for you. It goes a long way."
For Bompastor, creating that environment starts with allowing players to be vulnerable and comfortable enough to show their personalities.
"That's really important for me," she says. "As a coach, I am someone who really cares about the players, but as a woman, I also care about the humans and the person.
"I think in this environment, I always try my best to encourage the players to be themselves and to express themselves. That's okay for us to be vulnerable sometimes. We spend so much time together.
"I'm quite happy with what Lucy said in terms of allowing people to be themselves and the vulnerability, but also when they are showing confidence, it's something good. We need to encourage that and make sure when the players come on the pitch, they can express the best version of themselves."
That growing confidence and sense of comfort could prove vital as Chelsea prepare for a new season with plenty to prove.
For the first time since James joined the club, Chelsea ended a WSL campaign without lifting the league title. Their six-year streak came to an end last season as Manchester City were crowned champions, bringing an era of domestic dominance to an abrupt end with a third place finish.
James, though, has not allowed that disappointment to change her approach. She does not set herself rigid individual targets, although she has admitted she would like to score more goals. Instead, her focus remains on continuing to improve and helping Chelsea evolve as a team.
That evolution will look different this season. Chelsea have said goodbye to several familiar faces who have been important figures throughout James' time at the club. Captain Millie Bright retired, star striker Sam Kerr returned to the NWSL, while defender Niamh Charles moved to Manchester City, to name a few. Their departures represent a significant change in the dressing room, particularly for a player like James who has grown into becoming one of the more established figures within the squad herself.
In that changing squad, is James ready to be a mentor to others the way Bronze has been to her? Ask her younger teammates, and they'll say that's already happening.
USWNT forward Alyssa Thompson, who joined the club last summer, previously told ESPN that she has been in awe of James, watching her in training and trying to replicate her instinctive movement and nature.
Chelsea are looking to rectify a trophyless season and aim to claim the one trophy that eludes them: the Women's Champions League. No matter how fans see her, maybe her blossoming leadership will be as important to her next chapter than what she produces with the ball at her feet.
"If they [new teammates] need the support or help or the confidence," James adds, "I'm always here to help."