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Owen Wilson Profile |
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Birth Date: November 18, 1968
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Birth Place: Dallas, Texas, USA
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Birth Name: Owen Cunningham Wilson
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Height: 5'11"
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Biography |
Owen Cunningham Wilson (born: November 18, 1968 in Dallas,
Texas) is an American actor and writer.
Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas to Robert Andrew Wilson, a
PBS executive, and Laura Cunningham, a photographer, both of
whom were of Irish Catholic descent. Owen is the middle
sibling of three brothers: Andrew, the eldest, and Luke, the
youngest, who is also a well-known actor. He attended The
Lamplighter School and then St. Mark's School of Texas,
where he was expelled in tenth grade after stealing his
teacher's textbook in an attempt to finish his math homework
more quickly. He graduated high school at the New Mexico
Military Institute. Afterwards, he attended the University
of Texas at Austin, where he met future collaborator Wes
Anderson. Owen dropped out two courses shy of a degree; he
needed a math and a Spanish class to graduate.
In 1993, Wilson co-wrote and starred in the short film
version of Bottle Rocket, which was directed by Wes
Anderson. After being screened at the Sundance Film
Festival, Wilson and Anderson were recruited by filmmaker
James L. Brooks to expand the Bottle Rocket short to
feature-length for Gracie Films. The young team of
filmmakers were given $5 million dollars to make the film,
about a group of innocents who try their hands at being
petty thieves. Although not a financial success upon its
release in 1996, the film became a cult favorite and
introduced Wilson's offbeat acting style to American
audiences. (Owen's oft-repeated line is an indie film fan
favorite: "On the run from Johnny Law. Aint no trip to
Cleveland.")
Owen, along with his brothers Luke and Andrew, moved to Los
Angeles to pursue acting careers. Owen landed minor roles in
big budgeted movies very quickly such as The Cable Guy which
was directed by Ben Stiller, an early admirer of Bottle
Rocket. After minor appearances in action films like
Anaconda, Armageddon and The Haunting, Owen got his big
break with the 2000 comedy action hit Shanghai Noon starring
opposite Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan. After the
success of Rush Hour, producers thought the buddy formula
could work again with Jackie Chan being paired with a white
man this time, and they were right. The film was a success,
grossing nearly US$100 million dollars worldwide.
Gene Hackman took notice of Owen's performance in Shanghai
Noon and recommended him to play opposite him in the 2001
action film Behind Enemy Lines — it remained the only big
budgeted film which Owen had a starring role that deviated
from buddy comedy roles that Owen has since embraced.
Owen Wilson dated Sheryl Crow when he was making The Minus
Man. The couple separated in 2000. Currently, Wilson is
reportedly dating Francesca Versace, Donatella Versace's
young niece, after becoming infatuated with her after
spotting her during a night out in Los Angeles. Wilson is
also a big Willie Nelson fan, and enjoys playing Ping Pong.
He once played a publicized match against Regis Philbin on
Regis and Kelly. Owen also likes to skateboard and appears
in Yeah Right! a 2003 skateboarding movie (he is also seen
teaching kids how to skateboard in a halfpipe in You, Me &
Dupree). He donated $2,000 to John Kerry's failed 2004
presidential bid. |
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Other Information |
Brother of Luke Wilson and Andrew Wilson
Did not graduate from The University of Texas at Austin. He
is 2 courses (he has said Math and Spanish in an interview)
shy of a degree.
Cut his chin and had to get stitches during the making of
The Haunting (1999) in the scene where his character Luke is
attacking the portrait of Hugh Crane with a candlestick.
Despite being grateful of his success as an actor, he still
considers himself a writer at heart and wishes he devoted
more time to that rather than acting. Due to a busy schedule
as an actor, he sadly had to miss contributing to the script
for Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
(2004), despite that he co-wrote Anderson's 3 previous
films.
He is known for his improvisational abilities, which he
mostly contributes to films other than the more personal
ones he does with Wes Anderson. Many of the funniest lines
in his movies are his improvisations.
Usually declines to discuss the source of his
distinctive-looking nose, which was clearly broken at one
time. The broken nose was apparently the result of a
football injury attained while on the football team in high
school (all three Wilson brothers had played high school
football, the elder Andrew with the greatest success).
Is a member of, what the media refers to as, "The Frat
Pack," along with Will Ferrell, Jack Black, Vince Vaughn,
Ben Stiller, Steve Carell, and Luke Wilson. The "Frat Pack"
name is a reference to the film, Old School (2003),
featuring Vaughn, Ferrell and Luke Wilson, due to the wide
number of films featuring the seven actors. Wilson's "Frat
Pack" films include Zoolander (2001),Wedding Crashers
(2005), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The Cable Guy (1996),
and Starsky & Hutch (2004).
Has been in 8 movies with Ben Stiller, up to this date. They
are The Cable Guy (1996), Permanent Midnight (1998), Heat
Vision and Jack (1999) (TV), Meet the Parents (2000),
Zoolander (2001), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Starsky &
Hutch (2004) and Meet the Fockers (2004).
He and his brother Luke Wilson were originally meant to play
the Malloy brothers in Ocean's Eleven (2001), but dropped
out to make _Royal Tenenbaums, The (2001) .
Shares his birthday with David Ortiz, Chloë Sevigny and
Christina Vidal
Majored in English.
Father was a PBS exec.
When appearing on Australian talk show, Rove Live, he became
the 1001st guest on the show. He was appearing with Isla
Fisher. Fisher walked out first and therefore became the
1000th. Wilson received a Meat Tray.
First "Frat Pack" member to receive an Academy Award
nomination.
Is of Irish descent
Was the best man at his brother Andrew's wedding.
Has an Australian cattle dog named Garcia.
Is a talented skateboarder.
Attended military school, instead of a normal academic
school. |
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