Owen Wilson and Ben Stiller's close bond - from co-stars to mental health help

18 November 2023 , 10:00

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Owen and Ben have worked together on several occasions

As Owen Wilson celebrates his 55th birthday today, we take a look inside his close bond and sweet friendship with Ben Stiller.

Owen and Ben have long been pals, with them having worked together since the 1990s. Fans will know the duo best from the hit comedy Zoolander, but that isn't the only flick they've starred in together.

The duo are also known for having starred in Starsky & Hutch and the Night at the Museum franchise together. And in total, as of July 2023, the pair had starred in 12 movies together. But although they work together occasionally, their relationship isn't limited to only when they do.

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The two famous actors have starred in 12 films alongside each other (PA)

Ben previously spoke about Owen publicly following his friend's mental health battle and suicide attempt. Appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he said: "He’s doing really well. I sort of like to protect his privacy, ’cause I feel like it’s his own thing.

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"But he’s a really good friend of mine. He’s an incredible guy and I wish him as everybody does, all the best."

This came a short while after Owen was hospitalised following a suicide attempt. On set in the summer of 2007 and working on Tropic Thunder with Ben, Owen issued a statement requesting that he be allowed to "receive care and heal in private during this difficult time".

And before Ben and Owen worked together, the latter actually reached out to Ben after having seen his work to let him know that he was a fan. Speaking about being a fan prior to working with him, Owen said: "I think it was when he saw Bottle Rocket. He wrote me the nicest letter, saying how much he loved the movie, which meant a great deal, because no one saw Bottle Rocket."

Owen added that, in the letter, Ben said that "he hoped [they] might work together on something, some day,’ and that sure came to pass."

He also previously said: "I don't know if the relationship has developed over time. It's a little like these characters [in Zoolander ]. There isn't a big arc.

"From when we first became friends, walking around New York, I think that we are still sort of laughing at the same things and our dynamic is still pretty similar."

Mollie Quirk