Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas, to photographer Laura Wilson and Robert Andrew Wilson, an advertising executive and operator of a public television station. His family is Irish American and Roman Catholic.While living in Dallas, Wilson attended The Lamplighter School, which he revisited in 2005, and St. Mark's School of Texas, from which he was expelled when, in the tenth grade, he stole his teacher's textbook in an attempt to help him finish his math homework quicker. Wilson also attended his junior and senior years in high school at the New Mexico Military Institute.

While Wilson found some initial success as a film actor after his turn as Dignan in Bottle Rocket, he also remained a key creative collaborator in Wes Anderson's next two directorial efforts. Rushmore was the two writers' second script collaboration. Although Wilson didn't appear in the film, he and Anderson acknowledged on the Criterion Collection DVD audio commentary that Wilson has a sort of quasi-cameo as Rosemary Cross's dead husband, Edward Appleby. When Max Fischer visits Miss Cross in Appleby's boyhood bedroom, photographs of a young Owen Wilson are incorporated in the set for the scene.

Wilson quickly landed roles in big-budget movies such as The Cable Guy, directed by Ben Stiller, an early admirer of Bottle Rocket. After minor appearances in action films like Anaconda, Armageddon and The Haunting, Wilson appeared in two dramatic roles: supporting actor in Permanent Midnight, which starred Stiller as a drug-addicted TV writer; and a role as a serial killer in The Minus Man. Wilson got his big break with the 2000 comedy action hit Shanghai Noon, starring opposite Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan. The film grossed nearly US$100 million worldwide. His fame continued to rise after starring alongside Ben Stiller and Will Ferrell in the 2001 film Zoolander.

Wilson was previously linked with actress Demi Moore, singer Sheryl Crow and, most recently, with the actress Kate Hudson. His relationship with Hudson ended in May 2007.

Wilson was taken to St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California on August 26, 2007, after a reported suicide attempt at his Santa Monica abode, where Wilson allegedly slashed his wrists and took an overdose of pills. Once stabilized at St. John's, Wilson was transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where his condition was initially described as serious, then later upgraded to stable. His lawyer later confirmed that he had been undergoing treatment for depression at the time of his suicide attempt.

The New York Post wrote that English actor Steve Coogan was being "blamed" by singer Courtney Love in a story following the suicide attempts for allegedly supplying the actor with hard drugs. Steve Coogan responded through Access Hollywood, denying Love's accusations and offering support to Wilson.

On August 27, 2007, Wilson issued a statement: "I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time." On August 29, 2007, Wilson withdrew from filming in Tropic Thunder, produced by and starring friend and frequent collaborator, Ben Stiller. He was later replaced by Matthew McConaughey.

On October 4, 2007, Wilson made a public appearance at the Los Angeles premiere of The Darjeeling Limited. He also made an appearance at the 2008 Oscars.

Owen Wilson's Photos