Owen Wilson Biography

Wilson's youth was scattered with incidents of his minor trouble-making and in his tenth grade at St Mark's School of Texas he was expelled for stealing a teacher's textbook so he could finish his maths homework faster.

After finishing his sophomore year, Wilson headed to a military academy in New Mexico before attending the University of Texas, where we was to meet long-term friend Wes Anderson. Both Anderson and Wilson shared a mutual love of acting and collaborated on a script that would become Wilson's big screen film debut - Bottle Rocket in 1994. Wilson had in fact made a short version of the script in 1992 and starred in it with his brothers before hooking up with notable screenwriter L.M. 'Kit' Carson who helped fund the script into a full-length feature.

While Bottle Rocket failed to ignite critical interest in Wilson due to little support from the studio, he would appear in Anderson's next two directorial pieces and the pair worked together again on a script that become the film Rushmore in 1998.

Relocating to LA permanently in the mid 90s helped Wilson find work quickly thanks to his relaxed and assured screen presence and his ability to portray a plethora of characters, not only the comical. Wilson's trademark twice-broken nose initially made him an unlikely candidate for the hot-shot male lead but he found small roles in The Cable Guy (1996) and take-it-with-a-pinch-of-salt farce Anaconda (1997) that helped make his name and face more instantly recognisable to the critics and studios.

Wilson was able to reap the rewards from the Oscar-nominated hit of 1997 As Good As It Gets by seeing his name on the credits as associate producer. Following his closet success on this front, it was to be the following year's international blockbuster Armageddon (1998) that propelled Wilson's acting talents to the fans and media worldwide.

Reunited with Wes Anderson again in writing Rushmore, the film scored small-scale commercial success but attracted a cult following due to the script's uniquely charming plot and comedic undertones. Following the critic points earned from penning Rushmore, Wilson returned in front of the camera in minor hit The Minus Man (1999) and The Haunting (1999) - which was not received well as fan's of the original Shirley Jackson novel found it a poor comparison.

Shanghai Noon (2000) was a surprised hit alongside Jackie Chan in the comedy western and later the same year starred international hit, Meet the Parents alongside Robert de Niro and Ben Stiller - a frequent co-star of Wilson's who had at that point starred in three (now eight) other films together - The Cable Guy, Permanent Midnight and Head Vision and Jack.

While Wilson's career was continuing to rise, his amorous social life was also keeping the gossip columnists busy. A gossip site even awarded him the moniker 'The Butterscotch Stallion', a nod to his appetite for female companionship.

Linked to a string of famous actresses and models, Wilson's first confirmed A-list relationship was with Sheryl Crow in 2000. The romance came to an end though a year later, despite it being Wilson's first serious relationship in the public eye and he's since been quoted as saying, “The story of our relationship is the same story I've had with most of my relationships. I was lucky enough to find a great girl and, because of my lack of... focus, the relationship went south".

Reunited with Stiller again for the 2001 surreal Zoolander, Wilson's over-the-top comedy turn was followed by a straight role in the action film Behind Enemy Lines. The film was received positively and Wilson fared well in proving he couldn't just play the clown, in holding his own alongside legendary Hollywood actor Gene Hackman. Hackman had in fact seen Wilson's performance in Shanghai Noon a year earlier and recommended he play opposite him in the action flick. Clearly an acting duo with potential, the two had the chance to work together again in Wilson and Anderson's third joint outing, The Royal Tenenbaums. Taking writing, producing and acting credits, the film's all star cast including Wilson's brother Luke, Ben Stiller (again), Angelica Huston and Bill Murray was a financial and critical winner- earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.

Wilson has been noted to feature as part of the so-called Frat Pack of Hollywood - a modern update of the 80s brat pack brigade. Featured in this group are fellow actors Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jack Black, Steve Carell, Will Ferrell and brother Luke. It was notable that Wilson is the only person to be Academy Award nominated thanks to his writing efforts for The Royal Tenenbaums.

Returning to the fan's favourite plot lines - a buddy comedy, Wilson's turn in I Spy in 2002 and Shanghai Knights- a sequel to the first hit with Chan proved his diversity once again but neither film were big box office successes.

Unable to collaborate on a script with Anderson again due a busy schedule, Wilson instead starred in Anderson's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) which reunited many of the cast members from The Royal Tenenbaums. Wilson's part as Bill Murray's would-be son was written specifically for him as special compensation for not writing with Anderson.

Wedding Crashers in 2005 took $200 million at the US box office alone and was a rip-roaring success worldwide and lending his voice to Pixar's animation Cars would reached out to a younger fan base.

Starring in the comedy You, Me and Dupree in 2006 would be a success on two levels- in Wilson's personal and working life. After the film's release rumours that he had fallen for his recently separated co-star Kate Hudson sets the tabloids scribbles into overdrive. Initially playing it secret, by early 2007 the couple were photographed across the world looking every inch a pair in love and Wilson's brother even began to acknowledge their romance during interviews. Yet in June, word spread that the pair had split, for no apparent reason - using the common line that they would both remain good friends.

Wilson however did not take the break-up as well as the public had anticipated. On 26 August he was taken to hospital in California after his brother Luke reportedly found him at home in the aftermath of a failed suicide attempt - slitting his wrists and taking an overdose. Wilson’s publicist released a statement from the actor that said in part, "I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time." Wilson's suicide attempt was widely suggested in the media to be a direct result of his split with Hudson a couple of month's earlier.

Wilson subsequently dropped out of filming Tropic Thunder, a comedy he was set to start shooting later in August 2007 with buddy and eight-time co-star Ben Stiller.

Picking himself up gradually, Wilson has failed to put himself him in the public eye more than absolutely necessary since he was hospitalised. He made an appearance at the LA premiere of The Darjeeling Limited in October, another Wes Anderson film he had filmed that opened a month after his suicide bid.

After an appearance at the 2008 Oscars and a successful film release- Drillbit Taylor- in April though, it looks like Wilson may be back on track and I suspect his recent personal escapades will soon be long forgotten.