Owen Wilson’s Dark Side

Viewers may think they know Owen Wilson from his charming onscreen persona, but not everything is as it seems on the big screen. The “Butterscotch Stallion” has come under fire for his more controversial side. His personal life has faced heavy criticism, especially his alleged womanizing ways, which have seen him father three children with different ex-girlfriends.

The harsh spotlight is nothing new for the “Gold Rush” actor, who has seemingly despised the paparazzi since early on in his career. It may be why he bought an $8 million home on the island of Maui in 2009, so he can escape whenever the limelight takes its toll. However, Wilson has been known to bail on interviews and avoid any talk about his private life, leading to speculation about what more there is to uncover.

Of course, we would like to believe that the same character that had viewers reaching for tissues in “Marley & Me” is the same man taking mystery women on dates. But the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Here is a look at the lesser-known, shady side of Owen Wilson.

Owen Wilson usually plays happy-go-lucky characters in romantic comedies, but one particular role he played seemed to rock the boat. In 2006, the “Marry Me” star was the subject of an open-letter by the rock band Steely Dan, which called him out for allegedly appropriating their music.

At the time, Wilson was the star of the 2006 film “You, Me, and Dupree.” Steely Dan’s members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker accused him of stealing the movie idea from their Grammy-winning track “Cousin Dupree.” In their cheeky 10-page letter, they demanded Wilson apologize. “What we suspect may have happened is this: some hack writer or producer or whatever they call themselves in Malibu or Los Feliz apparently heard our Grammy-winning song ‘Cousin Dupree’ on the radio and thought, ‘Hey, man, this is a cool idea for a character in a movie or something,'” they wrote.

The “Wedding Crashers” star responded with his dose of comedy. “I have never heard the song ‘Cousin Dupree’ and I don’t even know who this gentleman, Mr. Steely Dan, is,” he stated. “I hope this helps to clear things up and I can get back to concentrating on my new movie, ‘HEY 19,'” he added, referencing Steely Dan’s song “Hey Nineteen.”

Owen Wilson and Kate Hudson’s love story was full of twists and turns, often leaving more questions than answers. Much has been speculated about why the pair ultimately called it quits, with many pointing to Owen Wilson’s alleged drug use as a catalyst.

Wilson and Hudson first met on the set of “You, Me, and Dupree” in 2006 when Hudson was still married to Chris Robinson. That relationship fell apart by the time the film premiered, around the same time Wilson and she began dating. What followed was a three-year relationship filled with breakups and reconciliations, including a suicide attempt by Wilson in 2007, around the same time he split with Hudson.

During his on-again-off-again relationship with Hudson, Wilson battled reports that he had an addiction to heroin and cocaine. According to the New York Post, an insider claimed he had moved to Maui to seek help for his problem, with his friend Woody Harrelson attempting an intervention. “Owen went to Maui, Hawaii, to kick his habit,” the source revealed. Hudson and Wilson ultimately split for a final time in 2009 after briefly reconciling in 2008.

Owen Wilson has a reputation for not being the biggest fan of the paparazzi and keeps his private life private. The actor seemingly took things to a new level in 2008 when he allegedly got into a physical altercation with a photographer at an event in South Beach, Miami.

According to Page Six, Wilson caused quite a commotion while attending the Patrón Highcroft Racing party at the Shore Club. A witness told the publication, “There were 150 people who watched Wilson jump across the pool, making a complete a** of himself.” Photographer Manny Hernandez snapped shots of Wilson in action, which supposedly led the actor to lose his cool. Demanding that Hernandez “erase those photos right now,” the photographer claimed Wilson “charged at me and started screaming at me hysterically.”

Hernandez says he agreed to delete the photographs, but Wilson’s camp has a different story. “He was invited to the event and was promised there would be no media there. He didn’t yell at anybody,” said the actor’s representative.

Owen Wilson shocked the world after news of his suicide attempt was made public in 2007. While it was widely speculated that drugs and alcohol led to the incident, the actor has never publicly spoken about the difficult time. However, he credited his brother Andrew for getting him back on his feet.

His first project following the ordeal was the heartfelt film “Marley & Me,” which premiered in 2009. The buzz about the movie was sometimes overshadowed by Wilson’s return to the spotlight, resulting in his reluctance to answer certain questions and a particularly infamous USA Today interview in which he stormed out.

A transcript from the interview posted by Gawker Archives features the tense moment in which the journalist hinted at the star’s suicide attempt. After a few less-invasive questions, the interviewer asks him, “And what about your dogs? Do they help you get through the difficult times?” Wilson stormed out of the room, leaving his co-star Jennifer Aniston to answer. “You’re talking about the stupid stuff? Yes,” said Aniston. When he re-entered the room and the question was repeated, the “Friends” actor confirmed, “They do help,” to which Wilson added, “Yeah. That sounded nice.”

Owen Wilson’s troubles with the paparazzi didn’t end with his alleged scuffle in Miami in 2008. Two years later, the “Bliss” star was catching heat yet again, but this time alongside his brother Andrew.

In 2010, Andrew and Owen were sued by photographer Clint Brewer for $500,000. Brewer alleged he was attacked by Owen at Santa Monica’s Pico Boulevard in December 2008 while Andrew witnessed the incident. Brewer claimed he “was walking up the stairs and was pushed in the back by [Owen].” The photographer sought damages for “permanent bodily injuries.”

The “Masterminds” star has a reputation for hating having his picture taken, which hasn’t eased off over the years. In 2013, he was captured at LAX Airport supposedly calling the TSA on photographers ahead of boarding a flight, according to a YouTube video.

Owen Wilson had better things to do than attend his first child’s christening, or so it seemed. The “Zoolander” actor welcomed his son Ford in January 2011 with his then-girlfriend Jade Duell, whom he dated for about a year and a half before they split in June of 2011.

It was around the same time as their split that Wilson skipped out on Ford’s christening, which the tabloids quickly picked up on. “Owen had every intention of being there, but when it came time to board his flight at Los Angeles Airport, he couldn’t do it,” an insider told the National Inquirer (via Irish Examiner). “He left the airport and drove around Santa Monica for hours.”