 Luke Wilson Biography Early life Luke Cunningham Wilson was born September 21, 1971 in Dallas, Texas. Luke is the son of Laura Wilson, a photographer, and Robert Andrew Wilson, an advertising executive and operator of a public television station. Luke's family is of Irish American decent and their religion is Catholic. Luke has two older brothers, both of them are also actors, Owen and Andrew. Luke Wilson attended St. Mark's School of Texas and Occidental College. Luke was a star athlete at the prestigious St. Marks School of Texas, where he still holds Top 5 all-time school records in the 400- and 800-meter races. After graduation, he headed to Occidental College in Los Angeles, where he continued to focus on track and field until he took a theater course, was bitten by the acting bug, and gave up sports. Career In 1994, Luke worked with older brother Owen Wilson and Owen's college friend and roommate, Wes Anderson, on a 13-minute short called Bottle Rocket. Owen and Luke acted in the film, while Anderson directed. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 1993, and was eventually noticed by James L. Brooks, who helped turn it into a full-length feature film. The movie premiered to critical acclaim in 1996. Although only Owen and Anderson received writing credits for the film, Luke made many script suggestions and contributed a number of jokes. The seemed to work well, as the Wilson brothers and Anderson teamed up again for 1998's Rushmore, with Luke appearing onscreen as Dr. Peter Flynn and coming up with some of the film's best one-liners. Afterwards, Luke moved to Hollywood, setting up house with his two older brothers and Anderson. The same year he was cast opposite Calista Flockhart in Telling Lies in America and made a cameo appearance in the film-within-the-film of Scream 2, both in 1997. Wilson filmed back-to-back romantic films opposite Drew Barrymore. The film Best Men was about a group of friends who pull off a heist on their way to a wedding. Also is the same year he starred in Home Fries, again with Drew Barrymore. The film was about two brothers interested in the same woman for very different reasons. Off-screen, the actor won the girl, Luke and Barrymore became a couple, but parted ways in 1998. Wilson remained in demand, playing the doctor beau of a schoolteacher in Rushmore in 1998, directed by Anderson and co-written by brother Owen. Luke had a starring role opposite Reese Witherspoon in the 2001 in the comedy film Legally Blonde. After the film, it elevated him to a major name in Hollywood and was followed up by hits like Old School and The Royal Tenenbaums. As a result of this and other roles, he became known as a part of the Frat Pack, a set of actors which included brother Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Steve Carell who often work in each other's movies. Luke decided to slow things down and make a more low-key film, The Royal Tenenbaums. The movie teamed Luke up with Owen and Wes Anderson again. The Royal Tenenbaums was about a tremendously dark and funny look at a family that reunites when the father reveals he has a terminal illness. Luke played Richie Tenenbaum, a child tennis prodigy who later falls in love with his adopted sister, played by his actual girlfriend at the time, Gwyneth Paltrow. Eventually, Gwyneth left Luke for Coldplay's Chris Martin. Luke Wilson also made a notable role in theTV hit show That '70s Show, as Michael Kelso's (Ashton Kutcher) charming and athletic brother Casey Kelso. He appeared on and off the show from 2002 through 2005. Next for Luke was the hilarious and popular film, Old School. The film starred Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell as men who move into a house on a college campus and start their own fraternity. It earned the ensemble an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best On-Screen Team in 2003. Following that box-office hit of Old School, Luke got romantic on screen with actress Kate Hudson in Alex and Emma, his first role as a leading man. In 2003 he appeared again in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde. There were many more films to come for Luke. In 2005, he played Wendell Baker in The Wendell Baker Story where he is a good hearted ex-con. In 2006, Luke starred alongside Uma Thurman for the film My Super Ex-Girlfriend as Matt Saunders. In 2007, he starred with Kate Beckinsale in the film Vacancy. He played as Beckinsale's husband David Fox. The young married couple who becomes stranded at an isolated motel and then finds video cameras in their room.The couple desperately try to find the means of escape through locked doors, crawlspaces and underground tunnels before they too become the newest stars of the mystery filmmaker's next cult classic. For 2008, Luke starred in Henry Poole is Here as Henry Poole, a man who moves into a house in his old neighborhood, to spend what he believes is his remaining days alone. Luke Wilson's next upcoming film is for 2009. Luke plays as Jack Harris in the film Middle Men, alongside James Caan and Kelsey Grammer. Middle Men is about the Chronicles Jack Harris, one of the pioneers of internet commerce, as he wrestles with his morals and struggles not to drown in a sea of conmen, mobsters, drug addicts, and pornstars. | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Career Highlights | ||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
