Biography
Who is Luke Wilson?
Early life and education
Luke Cunningham Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas, on September 21, 1971. He is the youngest of three sons born to Robert Andrew Wilson, a television executive, and Laura Cunningham, a photographer. The family has Irish Catholic roots and originally lived in Massachusetts.
All three Wilson brothers attended the St. Mark's School of Texas. During his time there, Luke was selected as class president by his peers. He eventually discovered his interest in performing while studying at Occidental College in Los Angeles.
Career beginnings
His professional career started with the lead role in the 1994 short film Bottle Rocket. This project was co-written by his brother Owen and director Wes Anderson. It was later adapted into a full-length feature in 1996.
After relocating to Hollywood with his brothers, Luke Wilson was cast in Telling Lies in America and had a cameo in the film Scream 2. In 1998, he appeared in the romantic films Best Men and Home Fries. He also played a surgeon in Rushmore, another collaboration with Wes Anderson.
Comedic and dramatic roles
The actor appeared in several popular films during the late 1990s and 2000s. He portrayed Detective Carlson in Blue Streak before appearing in My Dog Skip and the action-comedy Charlie's Angels. In 2001, he starred in Legally Blonde alongside Reese Witherspoon.
Other well-known movie credits include The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, and the dystopian comedy Idiocracy. He also worked on the thriller Vacancy, Blades of Glory, and Death at a Funeral.
Television and directing
His television work includes playing Casey Kelso on That '70s Show from 2002 to 2005. He starred as Levi Callow in the HBO series Enlightened between 2011 and 2013. From 2020 to 2022, he portrayed Pat Dugan on the series Stargirl.
More recently, he voiced Jeffrey Cooper in the animated series Fired on Mars. As a director, he helmed The Wendell Baker Story in 2005. He and his brother Owen also wrote a screenplay for a biopic about the Wright Brothers.
Personal life
Luke was previously in a relationship with actress Drew Barrymore, his co-star in the film Home Fries. In July 2026, he and his partner Kendall Yates announced the birth of their first child, a daughter. He has expressed interest in family life throughout his career.
Birthday and age
Luke Wilson was born on September 21, 1971, which makes Luke 55 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Luke shares the date with 36 other famous people.
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