Actor Owen Wilson has starred in many iconic films of the past two decades. He has frequently worked with directors such as Ben Stiller, Wes Anderson, and Shawn Levy. He has his trademark brand of awkward and deadpan comedy that is perfect for the films of Anderson, with whom he had his big debut in the film Bottle Rocket.
The man responsible for making everyone laugh reportedly had a dark episode in his life when he attempted to die by s*icide in 2007. The actor only recently opened up about the event, but at the time, the majority of the blame went to his Night at the Museum co-star Steve Coogan, who was reportedly a huge party animal.
Owen Wilson Opened Up About His Dark Episode
Actor Owen Wilson is known for his signature ‘Wow’ and his appearances in soon-to-be classic films such as Bottle Rocket, The Cable Guy, As Good As It Gets, and more. He is a frequent collaborator of Ben Stiller, with whom he has worked with on films such as Meet the Parents, Zoolander, Starsky & Hutch, and the Night at the Museum series.
Wilson is also known for his collaborations with Wes Anderson. Starting with their debut film Bottle Rocket, the actor has been a part of Anderson’s ensemble in almost every subsequent film of his, including collaborating as a writer in Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. He was nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar for the latter.
Owen Wilson reportedly had a dark moment in his life when he attempted to die by s*icide in 2007. According to MTV News, the actor was rushed to the hospital by his brother and actor Luke Wilson, who found him at the scene. Wilson had to reportedly exit his role from Tropic Thunder after the incident.
While the actor did not speak about the incident for a long time, he finally opened up about it in a 2021 interview with Esquire. He mentioned that his brother Andrew Wilson supported him throughout the ordeal and that he battled with depression and thoughts of death. He said,
“As a kid, there’s a lot of things that you think about…I do remember one time saying to my dad—and I remember exactly where in the house—saying, ‘I worry about dying,’ and seeing my dad turn away and catch himself. And I was surprised to see that reaction. But who knows, maybe that was part of why I said it.”
Wilson has since come out of his dark ordeal and mentioned that he was in a lucky place and was appreciative of things.
How Was Steven Coogan Responsible For Owen Wilson’s Attempted S*icide?
Owen Wilson has risen from his dark ordeal with death and has starred in multiple successful films and series, with the latest being his MCU endeavor in Loki. However, when it was reported that he had attempted to take his own life in 2007, the situation was messy. Media interest increased in the actor who did not want the attention at the time.
On top of the mess, singer Courtney Love accused her ex-boyfriend and frequent co-star of Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan of being responsible for his battle with depression. The Minions star was reportedly a party animal and had a tryst with substances during this phase of his life. Love stated to Us Weekly (via Today) that Coogan had supplied drugs to Wilson as well,
“I went through this with Steve. I was just out of rehab and he was right there with the drugs. I tried to warn Owen. I tried to warn his friends…I hope, from the bottom of my heart, that Owen stays the hell away from that guy and surrounds himself with good people who care about him for who he is…”
This increased media scrutiny of Coogan and Wilson, with many blaming Coogan for causing Wilson’s situation. However, Steve Coogan went on to clarify that he was not near his Around the World in 80 Days co-star before the episode occurred. He stated to Access Hollywood (via Live Journal),
“I do want to set the record straight and say that the allegations published today are completely and utterly false.”
Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson have since starred in two Night at the Museum sequels.
