“I worry about dying.” This sentence spoken by Owen Wilson to his father at 11 years of age is an indication of all of the internal struggles he has faced throughout his life. Though he has been known to be a charismatic actor in “Wedding Crashers” and “Marley & Me,” there are obviously struggles throughout Wilson’s life that are more dire than anyone may realize.
“I had never experienced anything like that before, even in my worst dreams. It was like being sentenced to seven years in prison,” Wilson once recounted about his battle with clinical depression. And then, of course, add the rumors of his addition. It seems that fame can bring many gifts with it, but protection from pain is not one of them. Underneath that crooked grin and that laid-back façade lurks a man who has dealt with clinical depression, rumors of addition, and very complicated personal decisions.
1. Childhood Fears of Death
Yet, before he was famous, Wilson fought his own fears of existence. Speaking to Esquire magazine in 2021, he remembered having fears of dying, which he felt at the age of 11. Wilson revealed he had discussed these fears with his father, telling him, “‘I worry about dying.’ And he just looked away and composed himself. And I think it just left a real impression on me about how fragile life is.”
Although he had not lacked happiness during his childhood years he had played sports with brothers Luke and Andrew and even staged home-made plays the looming presence of these phobias had been with him all along. This prelude of struggles with his mental health would continue into adulthood.
2. Expulsion and a Life-Changing Friendship
Wilson had trouble and opportunity during his teenage years. He was underperforming in school at St. Mark’s School in Dallas. He was expelled due to an incident of cheating. He was not willing to point an accusing finger at another student. He was thus referred to New Mexico Military Institute. Wilson was fortunate. He made a new friend there who introduced him to Wes Anderson. Thus began a lifelong partnership.
Later on, his brother, Luke, would look back on the incident and state: “This expulsion really defined Owen in a way. It taught him to be resilient in the face of adversity. ” Such qualities would soon give way to his success in Hollywood. However, difficult times would soon follow.
3. The Story Behind His Crooked Nose
Wilson’s signature nose is an iconic feature of his appearance, but he’s had to break it on multiple occasions. The first was hurtling through high school antics, with another break coming while playing intramural flag football at the University of Texas. In 2000, he suffered yet another break when he was thrown from a motorcycle on Thanksgiving and landed face-first on the pavement.
There were times when these injuries brought cruel taunts strangers calling him “You know, you kind of look a little odd, a little disfigured.” Wilson handled these with characteristic humor, saying that his own nose “probably wouldn’t have been that great” a feature if it had never been broken. His distinctive face never lessened his reputation for being a ladies’ man.
4. Rumors of Drug Addiction
During the late 2000s, rumors of substance abuse began to circulate about Wilson. Stories in Us Weekly and The New York Post alleged heroin and cocaine use, which his reps quickly dismissed. Close friends reportedly intervened, with a rumored involvement by Woody Harrelson at his home in Maui.
Even rock star Courtney Love blamed the “raucous lifestyle” of British actor Steve Coogan for inspiring Wilson, stating to Us Weekly, “I tried to warn Owen.” Whether fact or rumor, the stories came at a time when he was going through some difficult times in his personal life, with a split with Kate Hudson among them.
5. A Terrifying Attempt at Suicide
Wilson was involved in one of his darkest incidents in August of 2007. There was a call from his home in Santa Monica reported as “attempted suicide” on the 911 emergency lines. He was reportedly stabilized by his brother, Luke, and rushed to St. John’s Hospital, then Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Wilson released a statement through TMZ asking for privacy: “I respectfully ask that the media respect my request for privacy and allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.” His brother Andrew intervened subsequently and moved in with him, establishing a schedule for his day that would help him regain stability something that Wilson thanks for changing his life for the better.
6. Messy Breakups and Commitment Challenges
Wilson’s personal life has not lacked controversy. His relationship on and off again with actress Kate Hudson began in 2006 and lasted until 2009. It began with world-traveling romance but finished through emotional stress. Sources close to him called the final breakup a tough one.
After having his son Ford with girlfriend Jade Duell in 2011, Wilson ended the relationship six months later. He allegedly needed “freedom” and wanted to have a family structure with it. However, Duell already disliked his commitment phobic attitude after which he missed his own son’s christening at the last minute as he drove around Santa Monica and made his flight depart.
7. Paparazzi Clashes
In 2008, Manny Hernandez accused Wilson of charging at and singled out for berating him after the paparazzo had taken poolside photos at a Miami party. Later that year, a different photographer, Clint Brewer, accused Wilson of pushing him down a set of stairs in Santa Monica, resulting in permanent damage. He filed a lawsuit for damages of $500,000, although it’s unclear what happened in the case. Even years after this incident, Wilson still appeared to be uncomfortable around intrusive photography, as seen when he contacted TSA about paparazzi at LAX in 2013.
8. Estrangement from His Daughter
Despite his involvement with sons Ford and Finn, he has no connection with his daughter, Lyla. Born to Varunie Vongsvirates in 2018, Lyla has never seen her father in her lifetime. Vongsvirates said in a statement to the Daily Mail, “He contributes finanically but it has nothing to do with that. Lyla requires a father.” RadarOnline stated Wilson changed his phone number when the pregnancy news came out. This incident also attracted criticism from the public because of his common depiction of fatherly roles in his acting careers.
9. Life seen as a Fight
The saying, Wilson drew this analogy with regards to Esquire magazine, comparing life’s struggles with one of the scenes from the movie “The Revenant” because, for him, life’s struggles are “some nightmarish dude trying to kill you” who even whispers in your ear when defeated. At the same time, he spoke about patience and endurance: “When life’s being played by that guy, you just gotta hang on and wait for it to pass.” After years of struggles of his own, Wilson seems to have discovered moments of gratitude amidst all the chaos.
Owen Wilson’s public face as a charming, free-spirited movie star hides a life that has been filled with painful wounds, broken relations, and severe struggles with mental health. These painful facts provide a broader context of a life that has been, and is still being, subjected to the harsh tide of life. For his fans, this aspect of Owen Wilson is a revelation that complicates the movie star behind the screen.
