Emily Mack
Wow… the only thing more characteristic to Owen Wilson than his signature catchphrase is his lopsided schnoz. The actor has, undoubtedly, one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. But how did Wilson’s nose get so crooked?
Videos by Rare
The Wilson Brothers Growing Up
Born in 1968, Owen Wilson is the middle child of famous brothers Luke Wilson and Andrew Wilson. All three of the boys are close in age and were raised in Dallas. They attended St. Marks, an elite all-boys school in the area, until Owen — the self-proclaimed troublemaker of the group — was expelled for cheating during his sophomore year.
Despite the setback, Owen would go on to the New Mexico Military Institute and then the University of Texas at Austin. It was at college that he became fast friends, and eventual roommates, with fellow film buff Wes Anderson. It was Anderson, a director, who would give the Wilson boys their first big break in his debut film Bottle Rocket. The indie production starred Owen alongside Luke — and was a surprise hit in 1996
‘Bottle Rocket’
Owen Wilson’s Nose
Even in Bottle Rocket, at age 27, the dent in Owen Wilson’s nose is apparent. And that’s because it was broken at a young age — twice. Doing press in 2001 for The Royal Tenenbaums, another Wes Anderson joint, Wilson told the Los Angeles Times what we were all wondering: What happened to your nose?!
Owen broke his nose twice, reporter Lynn Smith reveals: once in a fight and once playing football. Both times at St. Marks. “‘You look kind of odd, disfigured,'” Wilson said people tell him, before concluding: “You know, probably my nose wouldn’t have been that great even if it hadn’t been broken.”
A Rare Photo
This rare black-and-white portrait, obtained by the Gazette Review, appears to be the only photographic evidence of Owen Wilson’s straight nose. By the time he enrolled at the New Mexico Military Institute, the busted cartilage was apparent in his official headshot.
Owen Wilson Today
In spite of — or perhaps because of — his unusual facial feature, Wilson developed into the ultimate leading man, easily toggling between Anderson-esque art house fare, big budget comedies, like Wedding Crashers, and that ultimate money-maker: the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most recently, Wilson has received praise for his portrayal of Mobius M. Mobius in the Disney+ Marvel show Loki.
He lives in Maui and has three children from three different women: Robert, Finn, and Lyla.
