Owen Wilson
Owen Wilson (birthname: Owen Cunningham Wilson) is one of the most likable American movie actors of his generation, making his memorable debut in the co-lead and as co-writer of his friend’s Wes Anderson’s debut 1993 short and subsequent feature, Bottle Rocket (1996), co-starring Wilson’s brother Luke, brother Andrew, lumi Cavazos and James Caan, produced (in part) by Columbia Pictures and released by Sony Pictures Releasing. Wilson landed a small role in the Jim Carrey-starring hit directed by Ben Stiller, The Cable Guy (1996), and then was cast in a larger role in the cult horror movie, Anaconda (1997), followed by an associate producer credit on director/co-writer/producer James L. Brooks’s rom com, As Good As It Gets (1997); and then Wilson had a smaller supporting role in director/producer Michael Bay’s disaster movie, Armageddon (1998), then reuniting with Stiller (as actor) in director/writer David Veloz’s version of Jerry Stahl’s novel, Permanent Midnight (1998).
Wilson was co-writer with director/co-writer Wes Anderson of the comedy, Rushmore (1998), followed by Wilson having his first above-the-title role in the Jan de Bont-directed The Haunting (1999), co-starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Lili Taylor; and then Wilson had a small role in director/writer Alan Rudolph’s screen version of Kurt Vonnegut’s 1973 novel, Breakfast of Champions (1999), starring Bruce Willis, Albert Finney and Nick Nolte, followed by Wilson having his first starring role in director/writer Hampton Fancher’s film version of Lew McCreary’s serial killer novel, The Minus Man (1999), and then Wilson co-starred with Jackie Chan in his first major studio starring role in the successful U.S./Hong Kong martial arts Western, Shanghai Noon (2000), with Lucy Liu under Tom Dey’s direction, and which Wilson followed up with the sequel with Chan, Shanghai Knights (2003). Wilson rejoined Ben Stiller in the cast of DreamWorks’ and Universal’s smash hit comedy, Meet the Parents (2000), co-starring Robert De Niro (who also produced, with director Jay Roach), with Wilson continuing his character as Kevin in the highly successful franchise sequels, Meet the Fockers (2004), Little Fockers (2010) and Focker-in-Law (2026).
Owen Wilson continued with Ben Stiller (who was director/co-writer/producer/star) of the successful comedy, Zoolander (2001), and much later, in Stiller’s less-successful sequel, Zoolander 2 (2016), and then Wilson made a triumphant return to the movie world of pal Wes Anderson as co-writer (and sharing a Best Original Screenplay Oscar nomination with Anderson) and cast member of the wildly acclaimed The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), with Danny Glover, Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Stiller and Luke Wilson; Wilson continued appearing in the always-sprawling ensembles of many subsequent Anderson movies, including a co-lead role in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), a lead role in The Darjeeling Limited (2007), as well as Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and The French Dispatch (2021). Wilson took on a conventional action role in the money-making 20th Century Fox war movie, Behind Enemy Lines (2001), co-starring Gene Hackman, Joaquim de Almeida, David Keith and Olek Krupa under John Moore’s direction, and then Wilson shared the lead billing with Eddie Murphy in director/producer Betty Thomas’s feature version of the 1960s spy comedy series, I Spy (2002), with Famke Janssen, Malcolm McDowell and Gary Cole, produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing.
Wilson starred in director/producer George Armitage’s feature remake for Warner Bros. Pictures of Elmore Leonard’s crime novel, The Big Bounce (2004), co-starring Morgan Freeman, Gary Sinise, Sara Foster, Vinnie Jones, Charlie Sheen and Willie Nelson, followed by Wilson again reuniting with Ben Stiller as co-stars of director/co-writer Todd Phillips’s TV-to-movie version of Starsky & Hutch (2004), with Vince Vaughn, Juliette Lewis and Snoop Dogg, earning $170 million for distributors Warner Bros. Pictures (U.S., Canada)/Miramax International (International). Wilson portrayed Wilbur Wright (with brother Luke playing Orville Wright) in the U.S./U.K./Germany/Ireland co-production remake starring Jackie Chan, Around the World in 80 Days (2004), with Steve Coogan, Cecile de France, Jim Broadbent and Ewen Bremner under Frank Coraci’s direction, and then Wilson joined brothers Luke (as star/co-director/writer) and Andrew (as co-director) in the little-seen comedy, The Wendell Baker Story (2005), with Eva Mendes, Eddie Griffin, Kris Kristofferson, Harry Dean Stanton, Seymour Cassel and Will Ferrell, followed by Wilson co-starring with Vince Vaughn in one of his biggest box-office hits, Wedding Crashers (2005), with Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher and Jane Seymour under David Dobkin’s direction and grossing $288.5 million for New Line Cinema.
Owen Wilson took on his first (and very successful) voice role in an animated movie as Lighting McQueen in Disney-Pixar’s hit comedy, Cars (2006), with the voices of Paul Newman, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Michael Keaton and Cheech Marin under Pixar head John Lasseter’s direction; Wilson continued as McQueen in the sequels, Cars 2 (2011), also directed and co-written by Lasseter and Cars 3 (2017), directed by Brian Fee, grossing a cumulative $1.4 billion box office. Wilson was co-star/lead producer of the successful Anthony and Joe Russo-directed comedy, You, Me and Dupree (2006), co-starring Kate Hudson, Matt Dillon, Seth Rogen and Michael Douglas, released by Universal Pictures (U.S.)/United International Pictures (Germany), grossing over $130 million globally, and then Wilson collaborated as star with Rogen (as co-writer) and Judd Apatow (as lead producer) of the Paramount Pictures-released comedy, Drillbit Taylor (2008), based on John Hughes’ final story (under a pseudonym), with Leslie Mann, Danny McBride and Stephen Root.
Wilson co-starred with Jennifer Aniston in the hit movie version (written by Scott Frank and Don Roos) of John Grogan’s 2005 memoir, Marley & Me (2008), with Eric Dane, Alan Arkin, Haley Bennett, Kathleen Turner and Ann Dowd, and grossing nearly $248 million for 20th Century Fox, followed by Wilson taking on the role of cowboy Jedediah in yet another reunion with lead Ben Stiller in director/producer Shawn Levy’s smash sequel, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), and then again in the third movie in the series, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014), both directed by Shawn Levy, earning a cumulative $776 million gross for 20th Century Fox. Wilson took on the title voice role of 20th Century Fox’s feature animated/live-action version of Marmaduke (2010), with Emma Stone, George Lopez, Lee Pace, Judy Greer, William H. Macy, Steve Coogan, Sam Elliott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Steve Coogan, Kiefer Sutherland and Marlon Wayans under Tom Dey’s direction, followed by Wilson reuniting with director/writer/producer James L. Brooks for the comedy, How Do You Know (2010), co-starring Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson, which received poor reviews and box office (under $49 million) for Columbia Pictures/Gracie Pictures/Sony Pictures Releasing.
Owen Wilson joined the moviemaking comedy team of Peter and Bobby Farrelly as co-star with Jason Sudeikis of Hall Pass (2011), with Jenna Fischer, Richard Jenkins, Christina Applegate and Stephen Merchant, produced (in part) by New Line Cinema and released by Warner Bros. Pictures, which Wilson followed with his starring role in one of Woody Allen’s last widely acclaimed and popular comedies, Midnight in Paris (2011), co-starring Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams and Martin Sheen, nominated for three Oscars (including Best Picture and Director) after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, and grossing over $151 million for Sony Pictures Classics (U.S.) and other distributors. Wilson co-starred with Steve Martin and Jack Black in the David Frankel-directed comedy about birders, The Big Year (2011), written by Howard Franklin, with Brian Dennehy, Anjelica Huston, Rashida Jones, Dianne Wiest and JoBeth Williams, and distributed by 20th Century Fox, and then Wilson reunited with co-star Vince Vaughn (who also co-wrote and produced) as well as director/producer Shawn Levy for the 20th Century Fox-released comedy, The Internship (2013), featuring Rose Byrne, Max Minghella and Aasif Mandvi, followed by Wilson leading the voice cast of director/co-writer Jimmy Hayward’s animated comedy for Reel FX Animation Studios, Free Birds (2013), co-written and produced by Scott Mosier, with the voices of Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, George Takei, Colm Meaney and Keith David, and distributed by Relativity Media.
Wilson joined director/writer/producer Matthew Weiner as co-star with Zach Galifianakis and Amy Poehler for the comedy-drama, Are You Here (2013), with Laura Ramsey, Edward Herrmann, Jenna Fischer and Peter Bogdanovich and premiering at the Toronto Film Festival before a Millennium Entertainment release, and then Wilson had a lead voice role in the little-seen American/Indian-produced animated feature, The Hero of Color City (2014), followed by Wilson coming together with director/writer/producer Paul Thomas Anderson for his feature adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s Inherent Vice (2014), starring Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro, Jena Malone, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short and Joanna Newsom, launching at the New York Film Festival and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. Wilson was then the lead of the ensemble of director/co-writer Peter Bogdanovich’s final narrative feature, She’s Funny That Way (2014), with Imogen Poots, Kathryn Hahn, Will Forte, Rhys Ifans and Jennifer Aniston, premiering at the Venice Film Festival before a Lionsgate release, following with Wilson shifting to the thriller genre mode as the lead in director/co-writer John Erick Dowdle’s No Escape (2015), with Lake Bell and Pierce Brosnan, and grossing ten times estimated costs ($54.4 million total) for distributor The Weinstein Company.
Owen Wilson reunited with co-stars Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and Jason Sudeikis for the crime comedy, Masterminds (2016), with Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones under Jared Hess’s direction, produced (in part) by SNL creator Lorne Michaels, and released by Relativity Studios, and then Wilson reunited (playing himself) with director/writer/producer/star Woody Harrelson (also playing himself) and co-star Willie Nelson for the biopic, Lost in London (2017), which was shot and screened live for one night only in cinemas. Wilson starred with Julia Roberts and Jacob Tremblay, Mandy Patinkin and Daveed Diggs in director/co-writer Stephen Chbosky’s hit screen version of R.J. Palacio’s 2012 novel, Wonder (2017), and which grossed $315 million for Lionsgate Films, followed by Wilson co-starring with Ed Helms in the comedy, Father Figures (2017), with Christopher Walken, Glenn Close, J.K. Simmons, Katt Williams, Terry Bradshaw, Ving Rhames, Harry Shearer and June Squibb under Lawrence Sher’s direction, produced (in part) by Ivan Reitman and released by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Wilson co-starred with Jennifer Lopez (who also produced) and Maluma in the rom com, Marry Me (2022), directed by Kay Coiro and released by Universal Pictures to a $56.5 million gross, followed by Wilson portrayed a fictionalized version of pop painter Bob Ross in director/writer Brit McAdams’s comedy-drama, Paint (2023), with Michaela Watkins, Ciara Renee and Stephen Root, and released by IFC Films. Wilson joined co-stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto under Justin Simien’s direction for the long-delayed Disney production based on the Disneyland attraction, Haunted Mansion (2023), and then Wilson voiced the title role of the Canadian-produced animated comedy, Charlie the Wonderdog (2025), directed and produced (in part) by Shea Wageman and released by Cineplex Pictures.
Owen Wilson co-starred with Alan Ritchson in the action comedy, Runner (2026), with the supporting cast of Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George and Adriana Barraza under Scott Waugh’s direction, and which was released wide by Angel Studios, and then Wilson led the cast of director/writer/producer Jeremy Garelick’s hip hop-themed comedy, Rolling Loud: The Movie (2026), with Matt Rife, Christine Ko, Christian Convery, Olivia Luccardi, Henry Winkler and Travis Scott, produced (in part) by Live Nation Productions and distributed by Ketchup Entertainment. Wilson was then part of the ensemble of director/writer/producer Nancy Meyers’ comedy, Paris Paramount (2027), starring Penelope Cruz, Kieran Culkin, Jude Law, Erin Doherty, Tony Hale and Beverly D’Angelo, produced by Southfield Entertainment and released by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Known For
The Royal Tenenbaums
Eli Cash (2001)
Bottle Rocket
Dignan (1996)
Owen Wilson Movies
Actor
Previous (30)
- 2026 |
Charlie the Wonderdog
asCharlie
A dog gains superpowers after he is abducted by aliens. Together, they battle an evil cat threatening humanity while the dog becomes a famous superhero.
- 2026 |
Focker In-Law
asKevin Rawley
A young man named Henry, son of Greg and Pam Focker, faces family chaos when he decides to marry a strong-willed woman who appears to be his complete mismatch.
- 2026 |
- 2023 |
- 2023 |
Haunted Mansion
asFather Kent
A single mom named Gabbie hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest and a historian to help exorcise her newly bought mansion after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts.
- 2022 |
- 2021 |
- 2021 |
- 2017 |
Father Figures
asKyle Reynolds
Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, fraternal twin brothers hit the road to search for him.
- 2017 |
- 2017 |
- 2016 |
Zoolander 2
asHansel
Derek and Hansel are lured into modelling again, in Rome, where they find themselves the target of a sinister conspiracy.
- 2016 |
Masterminds
asSteve Chambers
A guard at an armored car company in the Southern U.S. organizes one of the biggest bank heists in American history. Based on the October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery.
- 2015 |
- 2014 |
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
asJedediah
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
Larry Daley and his heroic friends embark on the greatest adventure of their lives, as they travel to London to save the magic that, after dark, allows the museum's exhibits to come to life.
- 2013 |
Free Birds
asReggie
A pair of turkeys discover a time machine and decide to use it to travel to the first Thanksgiving, to take turkeys off the menu forever.
- 2013 |
The Internship
asNick Campbell
Two salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital age find their way into a coveted internship at Google, where they must compete with a group of young, tech-savvy geniuses for a shot at employment.
- 2011 |
- 2011 |
Midnight in Paris
asGil
While on a trip to Paris with his fiancée's family, a nostalgic screenwriter finds himself mysteriously going back to the 1920s every day at midnight.
- 2009 |
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
asJedediah
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Security guard Larry Daley infiltrates the Smithsonian Institution in order to rescue Jedediah and Octavius, who have been shipped to the museum by mistake.
- 2008 |
Marley & Me
asJohn
A family learns important life lessons from their adorable, but naughty and neurotic dog.
- 2006 |
- 2005 |
Wedding Crashers
asJohn Beckwith
John Beckwith and Jeremy Grey, a pair of committed womanizers who sneak into weddings to take advantage of the romantic tinge in the air, find themselves at odds with one another when John meets and falls for Claire Cleary.
- 2004 |
Meet the Fockers
asKevin Rawley
All hell breaks loose when the Byrnes family meets the Focker family for the first time.
- 2004 |
Starsky & Hutch
asKen Hutchinson
Two streetwise cops bust criminals in their red and white Ford Gran Torino, with the help of a police snitch called "Huggy Bear".
- 2001 |
- 2000 |
Meet the Parents
asKevin Rawley
Chicago male nurse and chronic under-achiever Greg Focker meets his charming teacher girlfriend Pam Byrnes' parents Jack and Dina before proposing, but suspicious Jack is an overprotective former CIA agent - every date's worst nightmare.
- 1996 |
The Cable Guy
asRobin's Date
A designer makes a grievous mistake when he rejects the friendship of a borderline cable guy.
- -- | as Jack
- -- | as Jack Dwyer
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