Owen Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Owen Wilson
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Wilson at the Cannes Film Festival premiere for Midnight in Paris (2011)
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Owen Cunningham Wilson
November 18, 1968 Dallas, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Children | 3 |
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| Awards | Full list |
Owen Cunningham Wilson (born November 18, 1968) is an American actor and writer. He is known for his roles in many movies, from comedies to action films. Owen Wilson has often worked with director Wes Anderson. Together, they have written and acted in films like Bottle Rocket (1996), Rushmore (1998), and The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). The Royal Tenenbaums was even nominated for an Oscar for its script!
Wilson has also appeared in other Wes Anderson movies such as The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and The French Dispatch (2021). He starred in the romantic comedy Midnight in Paris (2011), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination.
Owen Wilson is also part of a group of actors called the Frat Pack. With them, he has starred in funny movies like Meet the Parents (2000), Zoolander (2001), Starsky & Hutch (2004), and Wedding Crashers (2005). He has also worked with Jackie Chan on action-comedy films like Shanghai Noon (2000) and Shanghai Knights (2003). You might also know his voice as Lightning McQueen from the Cars movies!
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Owen Wilson's Early Life
Owen Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas. He is the middle of three sons. His mother, Laura Wilson, is a photographer. His father, Robert Andrew Wilson, worked in advertising. Owen's brothers, Andrew and Luke, are also actors. Their family has Irish roots.
When Owen was a teenager, he broke his nose twice. Once was in a fight at school, and the other time was playing football. He joked that his nose probably wouldn't have looked great even if it hadn't been broken!
Owen was expelled from high school for cheating. He then went to New Mexico Military Institute. Later, he attended the University of Texas at Austin. There, he met Wes Anderson, who would become a famous director and his frequent movie partner.
Owen Wilson's Acting Career
Starting Out in Movies (1994–1999)
Owen Wilson's first movie role was in a short film called Bottle Rocket (1994). This short film was later made into a full movie in 1996. Owen helped write the script for Bottle Rocket and acted alongside his brother Luke. Critics liked the movie, calling it a "marvelous debut."
In 1996, he also had a small role in the comedy The Cable Guy, starring Jim Carrey. The next year, in 1997, he appeared in the adventure movie Anaconda.
In 1998, Owen was in the science fiction film Armageddon. He also worked with Wes Anderson again, helping to write the scripts for Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. These movies earned them an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
Becoming a Movie Star (2000–2006)
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In 2000, Owen Wilson starred with Jackie Chan in the action-comedy Shanghai Noon. This movie made almost $100 million worldwide! His fame grew even more when he starred with Ben Stiller in the 2001 movie Zoolander.
Owen and Wes Anderson worked together again on The Royal Tenenbaums (2001). This movie was a big success and earned them an Academy Award nomination for their writing.
In 2004, Owen reunited with Jackie Chan for Shanghai Knights. He also starred in the movie version of the TV show Starsky & Hutch. That same year, he played Ned Plimpton in Wes Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. He and his brother Luke also played the Wright brothers in the movie Around the World in 80 Days.
In 2005, Owen teamed up with Vince Vaughn in the comedy Wedding Crashers. This movie made over $200 million in the United States! In 2006, Owen voiced Lightning McQueen in the Disney/Pixar movie Cars. He also starred in You, Me and Dupree and appeared with Ben Stiller in Night at the Museum.
During this time, Owen Wilson became known for often saying "Wow!" in his movies. It even became a popular internet meme!
Continuing Success (2007–2015)
Owen Wilson appeared in another Wes Anderson film, The Darjeeling Limited (2007). He then starred in the comedy Drillbit Taylor (2008). He also appeared in Marley & Me (2008) with Jennifer Aniston, a movie about a family and their dog. In 2009, he voiced Coach Skip in Wes Anderson's animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox.
In 2011, Owen Wilson starred in the romantic comedy Midnight in Paris. He played a writer who travels back in time. The movie was a big hit and critics loved Owen's performance. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role.
That same year, he voiced Lightning McQueen again in Cars 2. In 2013, he starred in The Internship and voiced Reggie the turkey in the animated movie Free Birds.
In 2014, Owen was in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel. In 2015, he starred in the action thriller No Escape with Lake Bell and Pierce Brosnan. Owen Wilson's movies have made over $2.25 billion in the United States and Canada!
Recent Work (2017–Present)
In 2017, Owen Wilson voiced Lightning McQueen for Cars 3. He also played a father in the drama Wonder, a movie about a boy with a facial difference.
In 2021, Owen starred in the comedy Bliss with Salma Hayek. He also reunited with Wes Anderson for The French Dispatch. He appeared in Marry Me alongside Jennifer Lopez in 2022.
From 2021 to 2023, Owen Wilson starred in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Loki on Disney+. He played the character Mobius M. Mobius. He even made a cameo appearance as Mobius in the 2023 movie Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In 2023, he also starred in the movie Haunted Mansion.
As of July 2025, Owen Wilson stars in Stick, a comedy-drama series on Apple TV+ that started in June 2025.
Owen Wilson's Personal Life
Owen Wilson has three children. He had a son in January 2011 with his then-girlfriend Jade Duell. He had another son in January 2014 with Caroline Lindqvist. In October 2018, he had a daughter with Varunie Vongsvirates.
Images for kids
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Wilson at the Cannes Film Festival premiere for Midnight in Paris (2011)
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Owen Wilson in 2003
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Owen Wilson at the London premiere of You, Me and Dupree in 2006
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Owen Wilson with Woody Allen at the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Midnight in Paris in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Owen Wilson para niños
