The moment Luke Wilson knew 'Old School' would be a hit: 'There were kids high-fiving in the parking lot'

Luke Wilson's experience filming Wes Anderson's 1996 movie "Bottle Rocket" was many things: his film debut, a family affair (his two brothers Owen and Andrew also starred), and the start of a long relationship with Anderson.

It was also a bit of a nightmare.

"I love this Bob Dylan album 'Blood on the Tracks,' and he's got this quote about it where people will say to him, 'Bob, I love "Blood on the Tracks,"' and he'll say, 'I don't know how people can get enjoyment out of something that caused me such pain,'" Wilson told Business Insider.

"I read that and thought that was really funny," he continued. "That's what rings true for me with 'Bottle Rocket.'"

The offbeat crime caper about a heist gone wrong wasn't a commercial success, but it did offer Wilson a crash course in the often frustrating business of movie-making.

"All we ever heard was, 'The studio doesn't like it.' 'They don't know what you guys are doing.' 'They don't like the dailies,'" Wilson recalled. "And me being like, 'What are dailies?'"

Nearly three decades later, Wilson, 53, is a seasoned veteran who's found his niche playing soft-spoken straight-man roles in comedies like "Blue Streak," "Legally Blonde," "Old School," and "Idiocracy."

For his latest role, Wilson brings his comedic chops to Netflix in Liz Feldman's new series "No Good Deed." Like Feldman's previous Netflix hit, "Dead to Me," the series is a star-studded ensemble piece that blends elements of comedy and thriller.

Wilson stars alongside Ray Romano, Lisa Kudrow, Abbi Jacobson, Denis Leary, and his "Legally Blonde" castmate Linda Cardellini as JD, a soap opera actor who is in a bidding war for a house he believes will solve all his problems.

It was exactly the kind of role Wilson knew he could chew on. "Depressed out of work soap opera star… I thought, 'I like the sound of that,'" he said.

For the latest edition of Business Insider's Role Play series, Wilson breaks down how he and his brother launched their careers after connecting with fellow Texas native Wes Anderson, auditioning for "Blue Streak" at Martin Lawrence's house, and his efforts to convince "Idiocracy" director Mike Judge to make a sequel.

On 'Bottle Rocket' and why he's never been competitive with his brother Owen

Business Insider: 1996 marked your screen debut in the indie classic "Bottle Rocket," which was directed by Wes Anderson and cowritten by him and your brother Owen, who also stars in it. What were your acting aspirations back then? 

Luke Wilson: We always really loved movies. For me, Owen, and our brother Andrew that was our focus. Me with my friends, it was talking about what movies are coming out this weekend, if they are rated R, how are we going to get into them? What theater are they at? Do we wait for a cool-looking guy in line to buy us tickets, or does one of us go to a G movie and then open the back door? When I think back on it, that was what hooked me. I would study TV Guide to see what year a movie came out, who was in it, just like how people study box scores.

And then you're suddenly on the big screen yourself.

Yeah. But not until Owen met Wes Anderson at the University of Texas did we get the idea that we were going to try to make a very low-budget movie.

That movie launched not just your career, but your brother's. What was it like going out for work while at the same time knowing Owen was also trying to start his career? Would you two audition for the same stuff?

I'm sure it happened occasionally, and who knows what happens with casting and directors, but Owen quickly went and did some big-budget movies like "Armageddon" and things like that. I was kind of doing indie stuff and smaller roles.

People always ask if we were competitive, and we never were. I always looked at it as we're from the same company, we're from the same family, and we love each other. We're not trying to hijack each other. 

On his favorite Wes Anderson movie and the moment he knew 'Old School' would be a hit

Out of all the Wes Anderson movies you've done — "Bottle Rocket," "Rushmore," and "The Royal Tenenbaums" — which is your personal favorite? 

The most exciting and interesting thing for me was "Tenenbaums." With "Rushmore," Wes was hitting his stride, but with "Tenenbaums," suddenly you're acting with Gene Hackman, Angelica Huston, Danny Glover, Ben Stiller, and Gwyneth Paltrow. All of a sudden it was all of these people and shooting in Manhattan, which to me was the most exciting. It seemed like things suddenly exploded. 

How involved were you with the costuming of your character in "The Royal Tenenbaums"? It's become so memorable. 

It was all Wes. I do remember we did have one battle. We're at this tailor, this little place in New York downtown, and I'm standing up on a wooden crate. The person is measuring me for this suit, and the cuff is getting higher and higher, and I'm like, "Can we get below my calf muscle, please?" Wes pulled me in a corner and dressed me down, so I had to just let it go. 

Out of "Legally Blonde," "Old School," and "Idiocracy," which one of those are you most shocked is still beloved today?

I was just talking to Linda Cardellini, and we certainly had no idea that "Legally Blonde" was going to hit. It's certainly not my milieu or the kind of movie I'm into — I saw "Election" and thought Reese was great and I wanted to work with her.

With "Old School," I'll never forget the test screening in the Valley. After it I walked out and there were kids high-fiving in the parking lot and repeating Will and Vince's lines. This is ten minutes after seeing the movie for the first time. So I kind of knew that was going to work.

But "Idiocracy" might be the biggest surprise. It seemed like such an odd, funny movie, and I like Mike Judge so much and knew him from Austin. Mike has such a great offbeat sense of humor, and I thought things were funny, but I didn't know if it would translate. And Fox wasn't really giving him the money for the effects and set pieces.

I'll never forget I was reading the LA Times before the movie opened, and I saw a small ad that said "Idiocracy," and only three theaters were listed. So I called Mike Judge, and he told me the studio dumped the movie. I was bummed out.

So I was so surprised when it became popular. It is the movie that gets brought up the most to me. Not just election time but over the years. It's really special because it was something that couldn't be denied despite a studio putting the hammer down on it. 

On sweating through an audition for 'Blue Streak' at Martin Lawrence's house and his idea for an 'Idiocracy' sequel

One movie that always sucks me in whenever it's on is "Blue Streak." Honestly, for how great Martin Lawrence is in it and a young Dave Chapelle, it's your work as the straight man opposite Martin that's the glue. Did you and Martin talk a lot between scenes about how far you were going to take the straight act?

I think I've done well with comics because I have such love for them. I have such admiration for stand-up comics. I mean, "You So Crazy" to me is up there with Richard Pryor's "Live on the Sunset Strip." It's just unbelievable. I really loved "Martin" the TV show.

I had just gotten into town so I did a read with the casting director, and then they sent me to a reading with Les Mayfield, the director, and things were looking good, but I had to go read with Martin. So, I'll never forget this: I drove to Martin's house, and I'm waiting outside his house just sweating. I walk in and read with Martin and he's got some friends with him, and Martin just starts laughing with his friends about the way I look and my voice. From then on we got along great. 

Sony is developing a sequel. Have they called you?

I know we've talked to them about it. Whenever I run into Martin we've always talked about a sequel. We have also tried to work on some different things over the years and they just haven't happened. He's one of my favorite people. But hopefully, Carlson will be there if there's a "Blue 2."

How in the world did you end up in "Jackass Number 2?" 

[Laughs.] I'm not so sure how I got in that either. Probably one of those things where I got a waiver jammed in front of my face and didn't know what I was signing. 

So you weren't buddies with those guys?

No. I didn't really know those guys. 

Here's the kicker, Luke. Your footage didn't even make the final cut. It's a deleted scene. 

Yeah. I don't really have much of a memory of that. I don't know why. [Laughs.] 

Do you think Mike Judge will ever do an "Idiocracy" sequel?

Oh, I always call Mike and tell him. He's always busy and always working on a script. But I've always told him, how about me and Terry Crews and Dax Shepard coming back to the present day. We see Terry's Camacho character become president, Dax's character runs a movie studio. I'm always pitching that to Mike. He gets a kick out of it. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.