The sad news that Owen Wilson is in hospital after a suspected suicide attempt has shocked even his fellow residents of Los Angeles, who are hardly innocents when it comes to the ways of movie stars. The normally garrulous agents and publicists who surround such people have been reticent, and a statement in Wilson’s name has been released that says simply: “I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.”

Wilson’s image is of a laid-back, twinkly-eyed bon vivant, and he is one of Hollywood’s most popular young comedy stars. He nearly stole the show from his friend Ben Stiller in Zoolander, was the star of The Wedding Crashers, excelled as a smarmy ex-boyfriend in Meet the Parents and, with his co-writer and best friend Wes Anderson, was nominated for an Academy Award for the screenplay for The Royal Tenenbaums, in which he played a pretentious, drug-crazed novelist.

He was born 38 years ago in Dallas, Texas, the middle of three brothers (his elder brother Andrew and younger brother Luke are also in the business). “The image – being from Texas, the slacker, surfer thing,” he once said. “You don’t think of that and see a worrier, an angst-ridden person, I know that.” Yet behind the laid-back façade is a sensitive soul, and he was deeply hurt by the negative response to his first film, Bottle Rocket. He recently said: “I don’t like caring what other people think, but I do.” ( Bottle Rocketwent on to earn a huge cult following, with Martin Scorsese saying that he thought it one of the top ten films ever made.)

Wilson’s education was somewhat sporadic. Turfed out of school for cheating at geometry, he was sent into therapy, then enrolled at a military academy. Failing to shine there, he won a place to read English at the University of Texas, but dropped out. It was there, however, that he met Anderson, and together they went to Hollywood, where their circle now includes fellow funny men Will Ferrell and Vince Vaughn.

Currently single, he has been linked with Demi Moore and Sheryl Crow, but has blamed the failure of his relationships on his laziness. One girlfriend sent him a watch after they broke up, with a note reading: “I hope this helps with your timing, so you don’t miss the boat on your next relationship.” He has said that he hopes to meet someone with whom he can start a family, but now lives in Santa Monica with two motorised skateboards, a ping-pong table and a Porsche. It was at this beach home that his brother Andrew allegedly found him late on Sunday night.

With his medical status having improved from “serious” to “good”, it is to be hoped that Hollywood and Wilson’s army of fans will not be mourning yet another troubled, talented young star who struggled to cope.

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