Luke Wilson

Infobox actor


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caption = Wilson photographed by Jerry Avenaim for "Entertainment Weekly", 2003
birthdate = birth date and age|1971|9|21
birthname = Luke Cunningham Wilson
birthplace = Dallas, Texas, United States
yearsactive =
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spouse =

Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American film actor. He is the younger brother of Owen and Andrew Wilson, and is considered a member of the Frat Pack.

Biography

Early life

Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Laura Wilson (née Cunningham), a photographer, and Robert Andrew Wilson, an advertising executive and operator of a public television station. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/11/Luke-Wilson.html Luke Wilson Biography (1971-) ] ] His family is Irish American and Roman Catholic. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/19/AR2006071902050.html The Brothers Grin - washingtonpost.com ] ] Luke has two older brothers, fellow actors Owen and Andrew (the eldest).

Wilson attended St. Mark's School of Texas and Occidental College, where he was initially more interested in the school's athletics department than in drama or theater. He excelled at track and field at Occidental, and later at Texas Christian University, once he transferred.

Career

Wilson's film acting career began with the lead role in the film "Bottle Rocket" in 1994, which was co-written by Wilson's older brother Owen and director Wes Anderson. "Bottle Rocket" was later made into a feature-length film in 1996.

After moving to Hollywood with his two brothers, he was cast opposite Calista Flockhart with romantic designs in "Telling Lies in America" and made a cameo appearance in the film-within-the-film of "Scream 2" (both 1997). Wilson filmed back-to-back romantic films opposite Drew Barrymore, "Best Men", about a group of friends who pull off a heist on their way to a wedding, and "Home Fries" (both 1998), about two brothers interested in the same woman for very different reasons. (Off-screen, the actor won the girl; he and Barrymore became a couple, but parted ways in 1998.) Wilson remained in demand, playing the doctor beau of a schoolteacher in "Rushmore" (also 1998), directed by Anderson and co-written by brother Owen.

A starring role opposite Reese Witherspoon in the 2001 comedy "Legally Blonde" elevated him to a major name in Hollywood and was followed up by hits like "Old School" and "The Royal Tenenbaums". Wilson also made a notable role in the television show "That '70s Show", as Michael Kelso's charming and athletic brother Casey Kelso. He appeared sporadically on the show from 2002 through 2005.

In 2006, Wilson starred in Idiocracy, Mike Judge's first film since 1999's Office Space. Wilson portrayed an especially ordinary serviceman who is chosen for a cryogenics project. He awakes hundreds of years in the future where America is significantly less intelligent. The film was initially dropped by Fox Studios, but re-distributed in 2006. Wilson expressed his sentiments towards Fox's move as "total bullshit".

In early 2007 Luke took on a more serious role opposite Kate Beckinsale in the horror thriller "Vacancy". In July 2007, he worked on "Henry Poole is Here" in La Mirada, California.

He is currently filming "Tenure" at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania (April 15, 2008).

Filmography

Television

* "The X-Files" episode "Bad Blood" (1998) (guest appearance)
* "That 70s Show" (2002-2005) (on/off appearance) [ [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005561/ Luke Wilson (I) ] ]
*"Saturday Night Live" (November 20, 2004; musical guest U2) [ [http://snlarc.jt.org/ep.php?i=200411208 SNL Archives | Episode ] ]
*"Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (August 22, 2007; guest appearance)
*"Entourage" (first season; guest appearance)
*"Looks Like The Israeli Eyal Kitzis
*"Jimmy Kimmel" (August 6, 2008; guest appearance)

References

External links

*imdb name|name=Luke Wilson|id=0005561