Owen Wilson Leans Into His Sports Obsession With Stick

SPORTS HAVE ALWAYS been important to Owen Wilson. Sure, they’ve figured into a number of his notable projects before—he voices race car legend Lightning McQueen in Pixar’s Cars films, he plays a baseball player in 2010’s How Do You Know, and tennis is key in setting up The Royal Tenenbaums (which he co-wrote with Wes Anderson)—but even outside of work, engaging with them tends to be one way he enjoys spending his time.

That’s part of what made Apple TV+’s new series Stick such a natural fit for the 56-year-old actor. He plays a washed up former golf star who finds an uber-talented young protege named Santi to coach and believe in; it’s like if Ted Lasso met Happy Gilmore, but if the Carl Weathers mentor character from Gilmore was Ted Lasso. The show proves to be a natural fit for the charm that Wilson has put front and center for all these years, and his longtime sports fandom proved to be an asset.

“I’ve joked around that I’ve watched a lot of sports, and some people could say that I’ve spent too much time watching sports, like, Oh, that’s a waste of time,” he tells Men’s Health just a couple days before Stick‘s release. “But I like to be able to say now, no, it was all preparation for this.”

In addition to just being a general fan (he was born in Dallas and attended the University of Texas at Austin, so many of his allegiances are based in the Lone Star state), Wilson says he would often find himself watching some of the better-made sports documentaries of the last couple decades, including ESPN’s 30 for 30 movies and the A Football Life series made by the NFL Films, and was enraptured by the stories being told.

Finding the narrative beneath the surface is something he was always drawn to, and something that helps even the most exciting games, events, or seasons feel even bigger. Sports fans aren’t just invested in the outcome, but in the characters they spend so much time watching and rooting for game-in and game-out. These are incredible athletes with ambitious goals, but they’re also real people with real emotions too.

“Sports is just the backdrop. How do you connect with any human being?” Wilson says, gesturing toward his character’s status as Santi’s new coach. “Figuring out how to navigate these relationships is what it’s like to be human.”

Stick embraces all of that and then some. The show follows a familiar Sports Movie format, but puts us into Wilson’s Pryce’s shoes—he’s not a jerk, but he’s also not a perfect motivator who’s been doing this for a long time like Ted. Pryce is learning how to get this right (and, along the way, creating bonds with other characters as well) along the way. Ahead of Stick‘s release on Apple TV+ (the show runs through July 23), Men’s Health spoke with Wilson about what draws him to the sports genre, how he de-stresses after a long day, and which of his former co-stars would make it into his ideal Golf foursome.

MEN’S HEALTH: What appeals to you about the sports movie/show genre?

OWEN WILSON: Well, I love watching sports, and not knowing what’s going to happen. I also love seeing the drama, and the way people deal with losing, and disappointment, and failure. It’s also great to see somebody win. I think that’s why sports are so loved around the world, and in this country the way we have our own sports… it’s just really compelling. The drama!

MH: What are some of your favorite sports movies, outside of the ones you’ve been in?

OW: I love Hoosiers. Then some of the golf ones, obviously: Happy Gilmore, Tin Cup. Then North Dallas Forty with Nick Nolte. Sometimes you want a sports movie to be accurate, and with this golf show, I didn’t play the game. So learning and being around different coaches, and getting some of the jargon—it was nice to be a part of the sport’s world, and meet some of these great athletes who were on the show, too.

MH: There’s a very funny moment in the first episode where Marc Maron’s character, Mitts, tells Pryce that they should go watch Real Housewives to clear their minds. What do you do to decompress after a long day?

OW: If I’m being good, it’s exercise. That’s a great way to get my mind off of things. A little bit like Marc’s character, sometimes it’s easy just to sit down, and watch TV. Right now we have the NBA and NHL playoffs, and it’s nice to go home and watch that stuff and just relax.

MH: Who are you rooting for? [Ed note: This interview was conducted in late May]

OW: It looks like it’s going to be OKC and the Pacers, and it would be hard for me to bet against OKC. I really like Luka [Doncic], so that’s made me root for the Lakers; it’ll be interesting to see how they do next year when they can really prepare. With hockey, it would be nice to see a Canadian team win, but I think Florida will probably win.

MH: I’m a Knicks fan, so we’re on the brink right now [Ed note: They lost in six games to the Pacers].

OW: Yeah! With the Knicks, it was that first game. The Knicks obviously should’ve won, and they were sure in a position where it didn’t even seem like it was going to be close! And, again, that’s what makes sports so great.

MH: You couldn’t write a game like that.

OW: I know! Right!

MH: Is there an aspect to the character in Stick that you relate to the most?

OW: I think back to the times in my life where somebody has believed in me, or given me confidence, where maybe I didn’t have much. I just think that’s so important for people: to have someone who is a mentor, or who gives you some help, or gives you a break.

It makes me think about the times in my life when I’ve been lucky enough to have a great teacher. Even as a kid, there were these two football coaches who didn’t have kids on the team, they just kind of volunteered to do it, and I still remember those older guys. They had a real impact on me.

MH: In your time coming up in the industry, from back in the day with Bottle Rocket to now, do you have a standout mentor who helped you along?

OW: I always have to say Jim Brooks [writer/director/producer James L. Brooks], because he’s the guy who brought us out from Texas to make [Owen, Luke Wilson, and Wes Anderson’s first movie] Bottle Rocket, and worked with us for a year on the script, and on the post-production. His belief changed my life! And I think Wes and my brothers would say the same thing.

MH: If you had the chance to pull together a foursome from your former co-stars for a round of golf, who would be your guys?

OW: [Laughs] I just jumped for some reason to Vince [Vaughn], just because I’ve always said this: even if that guy had never been in a movie, and you just met him, you’d say ‘This is one of the funniest guys ever.’ Just his personality. Vince… and Jackie Chan. I think it’d be great to be out there with Jackie. I could see him being very supportive and encouraging. And then I’d have to say Ben [Stiller]. I’ve never played golf with Ben, but I’ve played tennis with Ben, and basketball. But it would be fun to see him on a golf course.

Stream Stick Here

This interview has been edited for content and clarity.