Fans of beloved painter Bob Ross might think actor Owen Wilson looks familiar in his upcoming film Paint. With his perm and soothing voice, Wilson is a dead ringer for Ross as he teaches television audiences how to paint beautiful nature landscapes exactly like those that Ross created on his popular PBS series The Joy of Painting.
However, when Wilson’s character introduces himself in the movie preview, the name he uses isn’t Bob Ross. It’s Carl Nargle. So what’s going on here? Is Wilson playing Ross in this movie or not? The answer is… not exactly. Paint tells the fictional story about the host of a popular Vermont public TV painting show who finds his perfect life upended when a new, younger painter (played by Michaela Watkins) starts to steal the spotlight away from him.
Although Owen’s look and performance were clearly inspired by Ross, the story itself is complete fiction and was not inspired by anything from Ross’ real life, according to director Brit McAdams, who wrote the script more than 13 years ago and has spent years collaborating with Wilson on the story and character.
“I just like the idea of this person who speaks softly and has such a power over people,” McAdams told Variety. “And how much you could conceivably get trapped in that persona as you got older. And if the world’s changing and you’re not, what eventually you lose because you’re not changing.”
The Real Bob Ross
Bob Ross discovered oil painting while enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in the early 1960s. After his military service, he began studying the “wet-on-wet” technique that allowed him to produce complete paintings in less than an hour. This unique style helped him teach friends and colleagues, eventually leading to the debut of his instructional series The Joy of Painting on PBS in 1983.
The show ran for more than a decade and attracted millions of viewers. Ross became known for his distinctive perm, light humor, and gentle demeanor, as well as his memorable catchphrases like “happy little trees” and “We don’t make mistakes, we just have happy accidents.”
Ross died of lymphoma in 1995 at age 52, but his legacy has continued to flourish. His old television episodes remain popular on YouTube, and his official account on the live-streaming service Twitch has more than 2 million followers, showcasing his impact on new generations of fans.
Despite Ross’ admirable legacy, his life wasn't without controversy. Alleged extramarital affairs and disputes over ownership of his company arose after his death. However, McAdams clarified that the story in Paint has nothing to do with Ross’ actual life.
The Story Behind Paint
Brit McAdams, who wrote the script for Paint over a decade ago, drew inspiration from his childhood experiences watching The Joy of Painting. He recalls being amused yet captivated by Ross’s unusual look and calming demeanor. “He would just take this brush stroke, so quietly… just this brush stroke down, and the next strokes, and all of a sudden, you’d have like a mighty oak or an evergreen,” McAdams said.
McAdams’ script made it onto the 2010 Black List, which highlights popular unproduced screenplays. The official description even referred to the protagonist as “a Bob Ross–esque PBS painting show host,” illustrating the clear influence Ross had on the character.
The story in Paint was also inspired by McAdams' time working for VH1, where he witnessed celebrities’ behind-the-scenes behavior often clashing with their public persona. He pondered, “What if an artist, someone like a Bob Ross, had a lot of power but didn’t use that power for good?” This thought led to the creation of a character who appeared charming on screen but had a darker side off-camera.
In preparation for his role, Owen Wilson embraced the visual aspects of the character, including the wig that contributed significantly to his transformation. He mentioned, “One of the big things for me came when they got the look dialed in with the wardrobe. And, I mean, let’s be honest, the wig does a lot of the heavy lifting for me in terms of feeling not like myself.”
Owen Wilson’s Ross-Like Character
Owen Wilson’s performance channels the essence of Bob Ross, aiming to evoke that same comforting feeling viewers experienced while watching Ross on television. Wilson himself stated, “I’m not good at doing imitations, and so that was never really a possibility. But certainly that quality that he had when you watched that show—and why people still do—is like a little spa treatment or something. You come out like, ‘Oh, I feel relaxed, and I feel better.’”
Wilson’s connection to public television runs deep; his father, Robert A. Wilson, managed a PBS station in Dallas. This background helped Owen capture the soft-spoken, intellectual tone present in the Paint script. He also experimented with painting to get into character.
The character of Carl Nargle also draws from influences beyond Ross. Wilson noted that folk singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot contributed to the character’s appearance. However, he emphasizes that the soothing voice and welcoming nature of Carl Nargle remain true to the essence of Bob Ross.
Ultimately, while Paint is a fictional tale, the legacy of Bob Ross remains a powerful influence. The film explores themes of change and the struggle to maintain relevance in a shifting world, all while paying homage to a beloved cultural icon.
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