Luke Wilson | |
|---|---|
 Wilson in 2025 | |
| Born | Luke Cunningham Wilson (1971-09-21)September 21, 1971 (age 54)[1] |
| Education | Occidental College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Mother | Laura Wilson |
| Relatives |
|
Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his work with filmmakerWes Anderson, appearing in Anderson'sBottle Rocket (1996),Rushmore (1998) andThe Royal Tenenbaums (2001). Wilson is also known as part of theFrat Pack, with whom he has starred in comedic filmsBongwater (1997),The Third Wheel (2002),Old School (2003),Tenure (2009) andThe Wendell Baker Story (2005), which he also co-directed.
His other prominent film roles have includedBlue Streak (1999),My Dog Skip (2000),Legally Blonde (2001),My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006),Idiocracy (2006),You Kill Me (2007),The Skeleton Twins (2014),Meadowland (2015) andBrad's Status (2017).
On television, Wilson played Casey Kelso onThat '70s Show (2002–2005), Levi Callow onEnlightened (2011–2013) andPat Dugan / S.T.R.I.P.E. onStargirl (2020–2022). He is the younger brother of actorsAndrew andOwen Wilson.
Wilson was born in Dallas, the youngest of three sons of Robert Andrew Wilson, an advertising and television executive, andLaura Cunningham, a photographer.[2] His family, originally fromMassachusetts, is of Irish Catholic descent.[3]
All three Wilson boys attendedSt. Mark's School of Texas. According toOwen, Luke was voted class president the first year he attended St. Mark's.[4] He became interested in acting while attendingOccidental College in Los Angeles.[5]
Wilson's acting career began with the lead role in the short filmBottle Rocket in 1994 which was co-written by his older brother Owen and directorWes Anderson. It was remade as a feature-length film in 1996.[2] After moving to Hollywood with his two brothers, he was cast oppositeCalista Flockhart inTelling Lies in America[2] and made acameo appearance in the film-within-the-film ofScream 2,[2] both in 1997. Wilson filmed back-to-back romantic films in 1998, oppositeDrew Barrymore,Best Men, about a group of friends who pull off a heist on their way to a wedding,[2] andHome Fries which is about two brothers interested in the same woman for different reasons.[2] He played the surgeon beau of a schoolteacher inRushmore (also released in 1998) also directed by Anderson and co-written by his brother Owen.[2]
In 1999, he portrayed Detective Carlson inBlue Streak. He later appeared oppositeFrankie Muniz in the 2000 comedy-dramaMy Dog Skip,Cameron Diaz,Drew Barrymore andLucy Liu in the 2000 action comedyCharlie's Angels, andReese Witherspoon in the 2001 comedyLegally Blonde.[6] It was followed byThe Royal Tenenbaums (2001),Old School (2003),Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003),Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003), andAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004).[2] Wilson also had a role onThat '70s Show, as Michael Kelso's older brotherCasey Kelso appearing sporadically from 2002 through 2005.[7]
In 2006, Wilson starred inMy Super Ex-Girlfriend, oppositeUma Thurman, andIdiocracy, a dystopian comedy directed byMike Judge. Wilson portrayed an ordinary serviceman frozen in a cryogenics project. He awakens after hundreds of years in an America which is significantly less intelligent.[8]
In 2007, Wilson starred in the thrillerVacancy, oppositeKate Beckinsale,[9] andBlonde Ambition. In the same year, he appeared inYou Kill Me,3:10 to Yuma,Blades of Glory, and worked onHenry Poole is Here inLa Mirada, California which was released in 2008.[2] In 2009, he starred inTenure.[2][10] In 2010, he appeared in filmsDeath at a Funeral andMiddle Men.[2] From 2011 to 2013 he starred in theHBO TV seriesEnlightened.[11] He followed this up with roles inThe Skeleton Twins (2014),Meadowland (2015),Brad's Status (2017), andZombieland: Double Tap (2019).
.jpg)
Since 2020, Wilson stars in theDC Universe/The CW seriesStargirl as sidekick-turned-mechanic-turned superheroPat Dugan / S.T.R.I.P.E.[12]
In 2023, he starred in theHBO Max animated seriesFired on Mars as Jeffrey Cooper, a graphic designer for a business on Mars whose life is changed upon his termination.
Wilson has written aWright Brothers biopic with his brother Owen, in which they also plan to star.[13]
Wilson was formerly in a relationship withHome Fries co-starDrew Barrymore.[14]
In a 2019 interview, he commented on the fact that he has publicly expressed interest in starting a family since 1996, saying, "I'm 47, I'm ready for that. I need to get to work."[15]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The X-Files | Sheriff Hartwell | Episode: "Bad Blood" |
| 2001–2004 | That '70s Show | Casey Kelso | 6 episodes |
| 2004 | Entourage | Himself | Episode: "Talk Show" |
| Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Episode: "Luke Wilson/U2" | |
| 2011–2013 | Enlightened | Levi Callow | 11 episodes |
| 2013 | Drunk History | Will Keith Kellogg | Episode: "Detroit" |
| 2016 | Roadies | Bill | 10 episodes |
| 2019 | Room 104 | Remus | Episode: "The Plot" |
| 2020–2022 | Stargirl | Pat Dugan / S.T.R.I.P.E. | Main role |
| 2020–2021 | Emergency Call | Himself (host) | 10 episodes |
| 2021 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (cameo) | Episode: "Owen Wilson/Kacey Musgraves"[17] |
| 2023 | Fired on Mars | Jeff Cooper (voice) | Main role |
| 2024 | No Good Deed | JD Campbell | Supporting Actor[18] |
| 2025 | Bat-Fam | Batman / Bruce Wayne (voice) | Main role[19] |
