Born: September 21, 1971
Age: 53
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States
Luke Cunningham Wilson (born September 21, 1971) is an American actor known for his roles in films such as Idiocracy, Old School, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Blue Streak, Bongwater, and Legally Blonde. He is the brother of actors Andrew and Owen Wilson. He was a member of the cast of the HBO television series Enlightened (2011-2013).
Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas, a son of Robert Andrew Wilson, an advertising executive and previously an executive at KERA, a public television station, and Laura (Cunningham) Wilson, a photographer. His family, originally from Massachusetts, is of Irish Catholic descent. He is the younger brother of actors Andrew Wilson and Owen Wilson. All three boys attended St. Mark's School of Texas. According to his brother Owen, Luke was voted class president the first year he attended St. Mark's.
Wilson's acting career began with the lead role in the short film Bottle Rocket in 1994, which was co-written by his older brother Owen Wilson and director Wes Anderson. It was remade as a feature-length film in 1996. After moving to Hollywood with his two brothers, 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 in 1998, opposite Drew Barrymore, Best Men, about a group of friends who pull off a heist on their way to a wedding, and Home Fries, about two brothers interested in the same woman for different reasons. He played the male nurse beau of a schoolteacher in Rushmore (also 1998), also directed by Anderson and co-written by brother Owen.
In 1999, Blue Streak was released featuring Wilson as detective Carlson. He later starred opposite Reese Witherspoon in the 2001 comedy Legally Blonde, which was followed by Old School and The Royal Tenenbaums. Wilson also had a role on That '70s Show, as Michael Kelso's older brother Casey Kelso, appearing sporadically from 2002 through 2005.
In 2006, Wilson starred in Idiocracy, Mike Judge's first film since 1999's Office Space. He portrayed an ordinary serviceman chosen for a cryogenics project. He awakens after hundreds of years in an America which is significantly less intelligent.
In early 2007, Wilson starred opposite Kate Beckinsale in the thriller Vacancy. In July 2007, he worked on Henry Poole is Here in La Mirada, California, which was released in 2008. He starred in the film Tenure in 2009. In 2010, he appeared in films Death at a Funeral and Middle Men. From 2011 to 2013 he starred in the HBO TV series Enlightened.
Wilson dated actress Drew Barrymore from 1996 to 1999. They appeared together in the movies Best Men, Home Fries, and Charlie's Angels, as well as its 2003 sequel. He was in a relationship with former basketball player Meg Simpson from 2008 to 2014.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Bottle Rocket | Anthony Adams | |
1997 | Bongwater | David | |
1997 | Telling Lies in America | Henry | |
1997 | Best Men | Jesse Reilly | |
1997 | Scream 2 | 'Stab' Billy | |
1998 | Dog Park | Andy | |
1998 | The X-Files | Sheriff Hartwell | Episode: "Bad Blood" |
1998 | Home Fries | Dorian Montier | |
1998 | Rushmore | Dr. Peter Flynn | |
1999 | Kill the Man | Stanley Simon | |
1999 | Blue Streak | Detective Carlson | |
2000 | My Dog Skip | Dink Jenkins | |
2000 | Committed | Carl | |
2000 | Bad Seed | Preston Tylk | |
2000 | Charlie's Angels | Peter Kominsky | |
2001 | Legally Blonde | Emmett Richmond | |
2001 | Soul Survivors | Jude | |
2001 | Royal Tenenbaums, TheThe Royal Tenenbaums | Richie Tenenbaum | |
2002 | Third Wheel, TheThe Third Wheel | Stanley | |
2002-2005 | That '70s Show | Casey Kelso | 6 episodes |
2003 | Masked and Anonymous | Bobby Cupid | |
2003 | Old School | Mitch Martin | |
2003 | Stuck on You | Himself | |
2003 | Alex and Emma | Alex Sheldon/Adam Shipley | |
2003 | Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle | Peter Kominsky | |
2003 | Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde | Emmett Richmond | |
2004 | Around the World in 80 Days | Orville Wright | |
2004 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Frank Vitchard | |
2004 | Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Frank Vitchard | |
2004 | Entourage | Himself | |
2004 | Saturday Night Live | Host | |
2005 | Wendell Baker Story, TheThe Wendell Baker Story | Wendell Baker | Also writer/producer/director |
2005 | Family Stone, TheThe Family Stone | Ben Stone | |
2006 | Hoot | Officer David Delinko | |
2006 | Mini's First Time | John Garson | |
2006 | My Super Ex-Girlfriend | Matt Saunders | |
2006 | Idiocracy | Corporal Joe Bauers | |
2006 | Jackass Number Two | Himself | |
2007 | You Kill Me | Tom | |
2007 | Vacancy | David Fox | |
2007 | 3:10 to Yuma | Zeke | |
2007 | Blades of Glory | Sex Class Instructor | |
2007 | Battle for Terra | Lt. James Stanton | Voice only |
2007 | Blonde Ambition | Ben | |
2008 | Henry Poole Is Here | Henry Poole | |
2009 | Tenure | Charlie Thurber | |
2010 | Death at a Funeral | Derek | |
2010 | Middle Men | Jack Harris | |
2011-13 | Enlightened | Levi Callow | 15 episodes |
2012 | Meeting Evil | John | |
2012 | Straight A's | William | |
2012 | Elvis & Nixon | Sonny | |
2013 | Drunk History | Will Keith Kellogg | 1 episode |
2013 | Move Me Brightly | The Interviewer | Music documentary film |
2014 | The Skeleton Twins | Lance | |
2014 | Ride | Ian | |
2014 | Dear Eleanor | Bob Potter | |
2015 | Playing It Cool | Samson | |
2015 | Meadowland | Phil | |
2015 | The Ridiculous 6 | Danny | |
2015 | Concussion | Roger Goodell | |
2016 | Rock Dog | Bodi | Voice only Post-Production |
2016 | Approaching the Unknown | Louis Skinner | Post-Production |