Owen Wilson Biography

(Famous for Starring in Comedies Like ‘The Royal Tenenbaums,’ ‘Wedding Crashers,’ and ‘Zoolander’)

Birthday: November 18, 1968 (Scorpio)

Born In: Dallas, Texas, United States

Owen Wilson is an actor cum screenwriter who is famous for his collaboration with the filmmaker Wes Anderson with whom he has worked on several projects. Wilson and Anderson had met while they both attended the University of Texas and began their career by writing the screenplay for ‘Bottle Rocket’. The movie was directed by Anderson and starred Owen and his brother Luke. The movie bombed at the box office but drew the attention of critics and got positive reviews which helped launch the duo’s careers. As a youngster, he was a big troublemaker at school and was expelled for stealing a teacher’s notebook. Growing up as the middle child with one elder and one younger brother, Owen was always on the lookout for some mischief that would set him apart from his brothers and get him his parents’ attention. But once he entered the world of films, the loving brother took along both his siblings with him to Hollywood. With his distinctive crooked nose, smooth comedic style, and deadpan humor he soon found himself an unlikely candidate for comedy films like ‘The Cable Guy’. Soon he was acting in a number of commercially successful films, many of which he also co-wrote. Along with his successful career, the actor is also famous for his link-ups with several beautiful women.

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Quick Facts

Girlfriend: Caroline Lindqvist, Jade Duell, Varunie Vongsvirates

Also Known As: Owen Cunningham Wilson

Age: 55 Years, 55 Year Old Males

Family:

father: Robert Wilson

mother: Laura Cunningham Wilson

siblings: Andrew Wilson, Jade Wilson, Luke Wilson

children: Finn Lindqvist Wilson, Lyla Aranya Wilson, Robert Ford Wilson

Born Country: United States

Actors Comedians

Height: 5'10" (178 cm), 5'10" Males

Ancestry: Irish American

City: Dallas, Texas

U.S. State: Texas

More Facts

education: University Of Texas At Austin

  • 1

    What are some popular movies starring Owen Wilson?

    Some popular movies starring Owen Wilson include "Wedding Crashers," "Zoolander," "Night at the Museum," "The Royal Tenenbaums," and "Cars."

  • 2

    Has Owen Wilson ever done voice acting in animated films?

    Yes, Owen Wilson has lent his voice to animated films such as the "Cars" franchise, where he voices Lightning McQueen, as well as "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "The Lego Movie."

  • 3

    Is Owen Wilson known for his comedic roles?

    Yes, Owen Wilson is known for his comedic roles in movies such as "Wedding Crashers," "Zoolander," and "The Internship."

  • 4

    Has Owen Wilson collaborated with director Wes Anderson on multiple films?

    Yes, Owen Wilson has collaborated with director Wes Anderson on several films including "The Royal Tenenbaums," "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," and "The Darjeeling Limited."

  • 5

    Does Owen Wilson have a distinctive voice that is recognizable in movies?

    Yes, Owen Wilson is known for his distinctive voice that is often described as laid-back and drawling, making it easily recognizable in his film roles.

Childhood & Early Life

He was born as the middle son of advertising executive Robert Andrew Wilson and photographer Laura Cunningham. He has two brothers, Andrew and Luke who are also involved in filmmaking. He is of Irish descent.

He went to the St. Mark’s School of Texas from where he was expelled for misbehavior. He then graduated from Thomas Jefferson School before going to the military academy in New Mexico.

He enrolled at the University of Texas to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English. There he met Wes Anderson who became his long-term friend and business collaborator.

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Career

Along with Anderson, he co-wrote the script for the film ‘Bottle Rocket’. It was based on a short film directed by Anderson a couple of years ago. The full-length film was released in 1996. In spite of being a commercial failure, it got positive reviews.

Ben Stiller, a fan of the movie ‘Bottle Rocket’ offered a minor role to Owen in his directorial venture ‘The Cable Guy’ (1996) which also starred Jim Carrey.

He played the drug addict Nicky in ‘Permanent Midnight’, a comedy-drama based on the eponymous book by Jerry Stahl in 1998. The film failed at the box office in spite of being critically acclaimed.

He found his big break in 2000 when he was cast as Roy O'Bannon in the martial arts comedy ‘Shanghai Noon’. The film was a huge commercial success. He reprised this role in ‘Shanghai Knights’ in 2003.

He co-wrote the script for the comedy-drama ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001) which was directed by his friend Anderson. The film was a critical success and was nominated for several awards including an Academy Award for the screenplay.

2004 was a very productive year for the actor and he acted in five films, the most notable of which was the comedy-drama ‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ which was both a parody of and homage to French diving pioneer Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

He appeared as John Beckwith, a bachelor attorney in the 2005 movie ‘Wedding Crashers’. The romantic comedy was an immediate hit and was also reviewed positively by the critics.

He co-produced and starred in the comedy film ‘You, Me, and Dupree’ in 2006 and appeared as John Grogan in ‘Marley & Me’ in 2008.

In 2011, he appeared in the romantic comedy ‘Midnight in Paris’, a movie that explores the themes of nostalgia and modernism.

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In addition to films, he has also appeared in episodes of television shows like ‘Community’ and ‘Drunk History’.

He went on to star in films like ‘The Internship,’ ‘Free Birds,’ ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel,’ ‘Inherent Vice,’ ‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb,’ ‘She's Funny That Way,’ and ‘No Escape.’

In 2016, he reprised his role as ‘Hansel McDonald’ in the American action comedy film ‘Zoolander 2.’ The film was a sequel to the 2001 film ‘Zoolander’ and received mostly negative reviews from critics. That same year, he also starred in the crime comedy film ‘Masterminds’ directed by Jared Hess. The film was met with mixed critical reception and grossed over $29.7 million on a $25 million budget.

He continued to star in films such as ‘Lost in London,’ ‘Cars 3,’ ‘Wonder,’ ‘Father Figures,’ ‘Bliss,’ and ‘The French Dispatch.’ In 2021, he joined the cast of the television series ‘Loki’ as ‘Mobius M. Mobius.’ The series garnered praise from critics and came out with a second season in October 2023.

He was next seen in ‘Marry Me,’ ‘Secret Headquarters,’ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,’ and ‘Paint.’ He played the role of ‘Kent’ in the American supernatural horror comedy film ‘Haunted Mansion.’ The film received a mixed response from critics and was a commercial failure.

Major Works

His film ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ is his best-known work which made him famous in Hollywood. He co-wrote and starred in the comedy-drama which follows the life of three gifted siblings. The movie was ranked as the 159th greatest film ever made by the ‘Empire’ in 2008.

Awards & Achievements

The movie ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

He shared the MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo with Vince Vaughn for the movie ‘Wedding Crashers’ in 2006.

Personal Life & Legacy

He once dated the singer Sheryl Crow and the actress Kate Hudson.

He has a baby with his former girlfriend Jade Duell. In 2014, he fathered a son with his personal trainer and then-girlfriend Caroline Lindqvist. He also has a daughter with his former girlfriend, Varunie Vongsvirates.

Facts About Owen Wilson

Owen Wilson has a distinctive crooked nose, which he attributes to breaking it twice in his youth. once playing football and once in a fight.

Wilson is known for his unique voice and delivery, which has been parodied and imitated in various films and TV shows.

Despite his laid-back on-screen persona, Wilson is a very talented and accomplished screenwriter, having co-written several successful films including "Rushmore" and "The Royal Tenenbaums."

Wilson is a proud dog lover and has been known to bring his beloved dog to film sets and interviews.

In addition to his acting career, Wilson is also an avid surfer and has been spotted catching waves in various locations around the world.

Awards

MTV Movie & TV Awards
2006 Best On-Screen Team Wedding Crashers (2005)
2004 Best Kiss Starsky & Hutch (2004)
People's Choice Awards
2006 Favorite On-Screen Match-Up Wedding Crashers (2005)
Recommended Lists:

See the events in life of Owen Wilson in Chronological Order

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