Owen Wilson hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai

That laid-back Texas drawl. The zany, off-kilter sensibility. An uncanny ability to improvise.

It was seemingly impossible to square actor Owen Wilson’s public persona with news that he was hospitalized over the weekend, reportedly after trying to commit suicide.

Wilson, 38, considered one of Hollywood’s top comedy stars, with such hit films as “Wedding Crashers,” Shanghai Noon” and “Cars,” was receiving medical treatment at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday. The hospital declined to comment.

Wilson’s publicist, Ina Treciokas with I/D Public Relations, issued this statement from the actor: “I respectfully ask that the media allow me to receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.”

The National Enquirer and its sister publication, the Star magazine, reported that the actor tried to commit suicide by slashing his wrist and swallowing a number of pills, but the authorities have not released any information that would substantiate those reports.

But it was those reports that triggered surprise and an outpouring of support for Wilson on Monday.

“He always seemed very happy to me… . When I heard the news this morning, I was totally shocked and, quite honestly, saddened,” said Robert D. Yeoman, the cinematographer on Wilson’s upcoming movie, “The Darjeeling Limited.” “I hope he pulls through and gets whatever help he needs to get his life back on track.”

The Santa Monica police and fire department dispatched medical aid to Wilson’s home on the 900 block of 23rd Street on Sunday at 11:59 a.m., Battalion Chief Jose Torres of the Santa Monica Fire Department said. Wilson was treated at his home before being taken to St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica. He was later transferred to Cedars-Sinai, and People magazine reported that Wilson’s family visited him there.

Wilson is considered a charter member of the Frat Pack, a circle of funnymen that includes Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell. Wilson has appeared in a half-dozen comedies with Stiller including “Night at the Museum,” “Starsky & Hutch” and Stiller’s upcoming directorial effort, “Tropic Thunder.”

Wilson’s path to Hollywood success traces back to the University of Texas, where he met future director Wes Anderson. They launched both of their careers when they co-wrote “Bottle Rocket,” about hapless would-be burglars. Anderson directed, and Wilson starred alongside his younger brother, Luke.

Poets of loopy adolescent angst, Anderson and Wilson also co-wrote “Rushmore,” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and routinely plundered incidents from Wilson’s life for comic and touching effect.

They were nominated for an Oscar in 2002 for “Royal Tenenbaums.” And although they had stopped writing together, Wilson has continued to star in Anderson’s films, including “The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou,” and the upcoming “Darjeeling,” in which Wilson travels to India with his screen brothers, played by Adrien Brody and Jason Schwartzman, to try to repair their relationships and find a spiritual epiphany.

That Fox Searchlight film is set to premier at the New York Film Festival next month and then opens in theaters on Sept. 29.

It was not clear whether Wilson’s hospitalization will affect the promotional campaign for the film or the shooting of “Tropic Thunder.” Fox Searchlight publicity executives did not return calls for comment.

Wilson had recently been announced as costar with Jennifer Aniston in the Fox 2000 Pictures comedy “Marley & Me,” based on the memoir by John Grogan.

robert.welkos @latimes.com, gina.piccalo@latimes.com

Tami Abdollah and Rachel Abramowitz also contributed to this report.