Owen Wilson and his two brothers were forbidden to watch television, yet today they are renowned actors. His late father confessed that raising three boys was a challenge but was grateful they grew up to be successful in their respective careers. As a child, Owen was a menace, going as far as stealing the teacher’s book so that he could copy answers and pass the test. Unfortunately, that action led to his expulsion, and he had to think about his future while in a military school. Everything happens for a reason, and that redirection led him to meet people who would help lay a foundation for his lucrative acting career. Owen Wilson’s net worth currently stands at $70 million and here’s how he achieved it.
Getting his lucky break
Owen Wilson never planned on being an actor. However, after he joined college in Austin, Texas to study for an English major, he became roommates with Wes Anderson. Wes, as Owen told Interview Magazine, was determined to be a director. The now distinguished filmmaker must have needed someone to believe in him to make his directorial debut; hence Owen did a screenplay. That decision was the best he could have ever made because it enabled him to choose the career path he wanted to take. The screenplay turned out to be the first act that Owen has ever done and the movie ended up being titled “Bottle Necks.” It also facilitated Owen to work with his brother, Luke, for the first time since Wes wanted the two brothers in his film.
Luke, Wes and Owen went to Los Angeles courtesy of James L. Brook who produced the movie. James also got the studio to give the film the green light, and the four went to work, with the producer allowing the three beginners to make their debut. Owen Wilson did not think much about taking up the acting path; thus “Bottle Necks” was supposed to be a one-time thing. He was even ready to continue pursuing his other interests because he knew regardless of the hard work he had put in the film, unless someone liked it, acting was not going to be a success. Luckily, people began offering him movie roles, and for once something that he thought was a far-fetched dream turned into a reality. According to Daily Actor, Owen said that he might have thought about being an actor in his childhood but to see it unfolding was surreal.
Becoming a fully-fledged actor
Despite his excitement about being in his first movie “Bottle Necks,” it was too early to celebrate because no one had gone to watch it. Still, it helped him land a few movie roles and one of the most important working relationships he could ever dream of as an actor. Thanks to the film, Owen got to work with Ben Stiller, and as published by Lady-First, Ben felt he had to talk to Owen regarding “Bottle Necks” hence wrote a letter telling Owen Wilson about how much he loved the debut. That letter became the start of Owen’s comedy career since Ben wanted to work with the then-upcoming actor. Consequently, the two met as Owen auditioned for Ben’s “Cable Guy” and since then, they have worked together in several other films.
After working on so many comedies, Owen proved that he also could play dramatic roles through other films like “Behind Enemy Lines” that sent $3 million to his bank account. However, he feels that being funny is part of him and still turns the movie roles into comedy because that is when he is in his element. He cited “Shanghai Noon” as one of the films in which he had to change the way he perceived his character since the funnier Owen was, the more comfortable he was. Consequently, he earned $4 million for his role. His ability to turn funny ideas into movies is thanks to his excellent ear for dialogue. The actor credits his scriptwriting prowess and English major studies as one of the reasons he can make scripts much more interesting for the audience to enjoy.
Additionally, his reputation precedes him, and he would not have been cast in “cars” had John Lasseter’s children not loved “Shanghai Noon.” Therefore, Owen does not sell himself short and asks for $7 million for every movie he stars in with “Little Fockers” bringing in his highest payout of $15 million. However his salary from films has kept fluctuating; in 2004, he pocketed $10 million for his role in “Starsky and Hutch” while “Marmaduke” and “Night at the Museum” earned him $1 and $2 million respectively. All in all, the movies Owen Wilson has starred in have made billions, and it has been to his worthwhile, not to mention the royalties that keep increasing his wealth.
Real estate
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Owen garners most of his wealth from real estate. As per the article, Owen has lots of residences he has accumulated over the years that serve as long term investments. For instance, in 2000, after buying property worth $755,000, he decided to improve its resale value by purchasing the house next door and growing a lawn on the land. In 2005, the actor added to his portfolio a house in Malibu, which he bought for $3.922 million, and since then, the actor has been buying more and more properties.
He would be worth much more
In 2007, Owen hit a rough patch, and his addiction to heroin and cocaine saw him go down a dark path. Although his friends knew that he struggled with depression and addiction, they did not think it would get to the point of Owen trying to commit suicide. He slit his wrists, and he almost was successful in the attempt but was rushed to the hospital. Consequently, the actor had to withdraw from acting in Ben Stiller’s “Tropic Thunder;” a film that is recognized as Ben’s most successful one as a director hence it would have helped Owen earn a few more millions. His relationship woes have also been to the detriment of his financial status. He has to fork out $25,000 every month for child support of a daughter whom the mother claims Owen has never seen; he preferred no visitation rights claiming he was not sure the child is his.
