Luke Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luke Wilson
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Wilson in 2025
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Luke Cunningham Wilson
September 21, 1971 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1994–present |
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Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor. He is known for starring in popular movies like Legally Blonde, Old School, and The Royal Tenenbaums. He often works with his famous brothers, Owen and Andrew Wilson.
On television, Luke played Casey Kelso in That '70s Show and the superhero Pat Dugan / S.T.R.I.P.E. in the series Stargirl. He is the youngest of the three Wilson brothers, who are all actors.
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Early Life and Family
Luke Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas. His father, Robert Wilson, was an executive in advertising and for a TV station. His mother, Laura Wilson, is a talented photographer. Luke is the youngest of three brothers. His older brothers are Andrew and Owen Wilson. His family has Irish Catholic roots.
All three brothers went to St. Mark's School of Texas. His brother Owen has said that Luke was even voted class president in his first year there. Luke discovered his passion for acting while studying at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
Acting Career
Getting Started in Movies
Luke's acting journey began in 1994. He starred in a short film called Bottle Rocket. The film was a team effort with his brother Owen and director Wes Anderson. Two years later, they remade it into a full-length movie. This movie helped launch his career.
After moving to Hollywood with his brothers, Luke appeared in several films. In 1997, he acted in Telling Lies in America and had a small part in Scream 2. The next year, he starred in two romantic movies with Drew Barrymore: Best Men and Home Fries. He also played a doctor in Rushmore, another film by Wes Anderson.
Famous Roles in the 2000s
The 2000s were a busy time for Luke Wilson. In 1999, he played a detective in the comedy Blue Streak. He then starred in the heartwarming movie My Dog Skip in 2000.
He became very well-known for his role as Emmett Richmond in the 2001 hit comedy Legally Blonde, alongside Reese Witherspoon. He returned for the sequel, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, in 2003.
During this time, he also appeared in:
- Charlie's Angels (2000) and its sequel Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), another Wes Anderson film
- Old School (2003), a popular comedy with Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn
- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), where he played a news anchor
From 2002 to 2005, he also had a recurring role on the TV show That '70s Show as Casey Kelso, the older brother of Michael Kelso.
Later Work in Film and TV
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In 2006, Luke starred in two very different comedies. He was in My Super Ex-Girlfriend with Uma Thurman. He also starred in Idiocracy, a movie about a man who wakes up hundreds of years in the future to find that society has become much less intelligent.
He continued to act in a variety of movies, including the thriller Vacancy (2007) and the drama Henry Poole is Here (2008). He also appeared in Zombieland: Double Tap in 2019.
From 2020 to 2022, Luke starred as the superhero Pat Dugan / S.T.R.I.P.E. in the TV series Stargirl. In 2023, he voiced the main character in the animated series Fired on Mars.
Luke and his brother Owen have also written a movie about the Wright brothers, the inventors of the airplane. They plan to star in it together.
Selected Film and Television Roles
Here are some of Luke Wilson's most notable roles.
Key Films
- Bottle Rocket (1996) as Anthony Adams
- Rushmore (1998) as Dr. Peter Flynn
- My Dog Skip (2000) as Dink Jenkins
- Charlie's Angels (2000) as Peter Kominsky
- Legally Blonde (2001) as Emmett Richmond
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) as Richie Tenenbaum
- Old School (2003) as Mitch Martin
- Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) as Frank Vitchard
- Idiocracy (2006) as Corporal Joe Bauers
- The Skeleton Twins (2014) as Lance
- Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) as Albuquerque
- 12 Mighty Orphans (2021) as Rusty Russell
Television Shows
- The X-Files (1998) as Sheriff Hartwell (1 episode)
- That '70s Show (2002–2005) as Casey Kelso (6 episodes)
- Enlightened (2011–2013) as Levi Callow (11 episodes)
- Roadies (2016) as Bill (10 episodes)
- Stargirl (2020–2022) as Pat Dugan / S.T.R.I.P.E. (Main role)
- Fired on Mars (2023) as Jeff Cooper (Main voice role)
See also
In Spanish: Luke Wilson para niños
- Notable alumni of St. Mark's School of Texas
