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Luke Wilson

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Luke Wilson
Luke Wilson photographed by Jerry Avenaim
Born
Luke Cunningham Wilson

Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American film actor.

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.[1] His family is Irish American and Catholic.[2] 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 he was 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. As a result of these and other roles, he became known as a part of the Frat Pack, a set of actors including his brother Owen Wilson, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Steve Carell who often work in each other's movies.

Luke 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 on and off the show from 2002 through 2005.

Currently he is working on Henry Poole is Here in La Mirada, CA as of July 25, 2007.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes
1996 Bottle Rocket Anthony Adams
1997 Bongwater David
Telling Lies in America Henry
Best Men Jesse Reilly
Scream 2 Stab Billy
1998 Dog Park Andy
Home Fries Dorian Montier
Rushmore Dr. Peter Flynn
1999 Kill the Man Stanley Simon
Blue Streak Carlson
2000 My Dog Skip Dink Jenkins
Committed Carl
Preston Tylk Preston Tylk
Charlie's Angels Pete Komisky
2001 Legally Blonde Emmett Richmond
Soul Survivors Jude
The Royal Tenenbaums Richie Tenenbaum
2002 The Third Wheel Stanley
2003 Masked and Anonymous Bobby Cupid
Old School Mitch Martin
Alex and Emma Alex Sheldon/Adam Shipley
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Pete
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde Emmett Richmond
2004 Around the World in 80 Days Orville Wright
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Frank Vitchard
2005 The Wendell Baker Story Wendell Baker
The Family Stone Ben Stone
2006 Jackass Number Two Himself (cameo)
Mini's First Time John Garson
Hoot Officer Delinko
My Super Ex-Girlfriend Matt Saunders
Idiocracy Pvt. Joe Bauers
2007 You Kill Me Tom
Blades of Glory Sex Addicts Help Group Leader
Vacancy David
3:10 To Yuma Zeke (Cameo)
Terra (voice)
Blonde Ambition Ben

Television

References