This year, I’ve been seeing a lot of photos of Owen Wilson on various film sets. It’s unusual because I’ve never really considered him to be the kind of actor who likes to work on back-to-back films. He seems to like to do a variety of studio and indie films, but he’s worked on several studio projects as of late. It truly just occurred to me just now, today: he’s making money because he’s got to support all of the kids he keeps having with current or ex-girlfriends. Owen has two sons with former girlfriends, and last year, another one of his exes welcomed a baby daughter named Lyla. Owen made his ex, Varunie, take a paternity test while she was pregnant, and Lyla is his. But he doesn’t want to know the child or be in Lyla’s life whatsoever. The child is about 14 months old now, and Owen has never met her. But at least he’s paying child support:
Owen Wilson reportedly pays $25,000 (£19,000) a month in child support for the baby girl he has never met. The Cars voice actor welcomed a daughter, Lyla Aranya Wilson, in 2018 with on-and-off lover Varunie Vongsvirates and new court documents seen by Radar Online revealed that he pays $25,000 a month for the little girl’s upkeep.
The 51-year-old actor demanded a DNA test when Vongsvirates claimed he was the father of her child, and the test came back positive. Documents reveal he made a one-off payment of $70,000 to the mother to cover a night nurse, labour coach and Vongsvirates’ legal fees, and regularly pays the monthly amount of the mother. On the documents he reportedly checked the ‘none’ box under visitation rights but agreed to add Lyla, now one, to his Screen Actors Guild medical insurance. The pair dated for five years before they split for good in 2018.
I mean… at least he’s paying, I guess. Don’t give him a cookie for truly doing the bare minimum though. What bugs is that Owen is actually in his sons’ lives, probably not consistently, but he sees his sons and he spends time with them here and there. But his daughter will grow up without knowing him. As for men who have children with multiple baby mamas… we should call it something, like Jude Law Syndrome…? I feel like Owen is just taking a lot of jobs now to pay all of these child support payments.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Why would she give her his last name. He’s nobody to her. I mean I can guess the reasons besides that fact her own last name is a lot but still. Eff that douche. Integrity above money.
yeah I never understood why women give their children the last names of the father’s who didn’t even bother stick around. Like a child with the same last name is going to convince that deadbeat that he needs to step it up and be a real parent.
I know one woman who decided to change her last name to her mothers maiden name when she turned 21, then her mother changed her name back to her maiden name. her father left them when she was young and never bothered to keep in touch. So why keep the name of that loser.
I was coming here to say the same thing. He’s a deadbeat. Also, it’s not like Wilson is a highly distinguishable name that she can leverage in her future.
And Vongsvirates is a fabulous name.
I’ve never liked this guy, he’s a creep. Also, why can’t he learn to wrap👏It👏up!
If he’s that much of a fool to not wear protection, then he will just have to accept the consequences of his actions. Honestly, you’d think at his mature age, he’d have enough brains to realize that a pregnancy could result, with the only winner being the mother who gets to feather her nest for the next couple of decades.
Her Thai last name might be “a lot” but it’s better than having her share her last name with someone who wants nothing to do with her.
Lol I meant a lot in the best way. My surname is a lot too and we joke that it made us smarter (my sister and I ) for learning how to spell multi syllabic words by first grade.
My husband’s mother got pregnant with him when she was only 16. She wasn’t in a relationship with the father and he’s never been a part of his life in any way, financial or otherwise (he met him once 15 years ago when he was already in his 30’s and hasn’t seen or spoken to him since). He wasn’t given his father’s last name, he has his mother’s maiden name, and he prefers it that way.
My college boyfriend was in a similar situation. His mother was 17 when he was born. His biological father was never a part of his life or his name. His mother got married when he was 5, and when he was 7, his step-father adopted him. When I knew them, 10+ years later, his parents were the most loving, generous couple and his younger siblings were hilarious little puppies falling all over their big brother.
One of my closest friends in grad school did have her deadbeat father’s last name. She couldn’t change it fast enough when she got married.
It’s the culture norm in a lot of the US and maybe he was singing a different tune back when that decision was made.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’m currently pregnant with my ex-boyfriends baby. He and I are planning on co-parenting and he’ll have every other weekend visitation as his traveling work schedule allows. He wants the baby to have his last name and it’s not happening. He’ll never be at school or a doctor with her. We’re not together. While I believe he intends to be there for her, who knows what the future holds. Why on earth wouldn’t she get my name?
I have a friend who had a baby with her boyfriend with whom she lives (the kid is 8 now and they’re still together), but she still insisted on giving him her last name. That’s a completely valid choice, regardless of one’s relationship status. The world doesn’t default male.
Good luck, @Kath! Hope everything goes smoothly for you! 🙂
You’re right on the money, Kaiser! Bare minimum indeed. Sad for the baby girl though.
I mean … idk how to feel about it. He and his girlfriends, flings, whatever should have had adult conversations about contraception. But it’s the woman’s choice to decide what to do with her body. If he didn’t want more kids of course he should have ya know … made sure that wasn’t happening. But if she made an independent decision to keep the child and they weren’t in a serious relationship …. he’s within his rights to not want a relationship? It’s icky, I can never imagine feeling that way or doing that.
Jude Law, Hugh Grant, Owen Wilson. Same kind of dudes.
That bugs me too. He probably took no responsibility for birth control so that’s on him, but where was the conversation about having kids? FFS it’s 2019. We’ve stripped down the stigmas but the other side is we don’t get to treat the guy like a cad if he doesn’t want kids and she has one anyway. It’s her choice. And it’s his.
Women very rightly get a choice when it comes to parenthood. I think it’s sexist to not allow men a choice to be involved or not. Of course men still have the responsibility to support their children but I think no involvement is far more preferable to indifferent involvement.
Hugh Grant is messy, but at least he’s involved with all his kids.
I wasn’t saying that Hugh is an absent father but rather he knocked up a number of girlfriends within just a few years, very likely not on purpose.
I would not put Hugh Grant on that list. He is in the lives of all of his children. He may have been messy with how they were conceived but at least he’s an active parent to all of them.
I agree—Hugh Grant had overlap kids with different baby mamma’s, but clearly he is in ALL his kid’s lives. Different story entirely.
I tend to agree. I dunno, we just know so few details about this story. And we really don’t know anything about the mother. Maybe he will have a relationship with his daughter once she gets older, but specifically wants nothing to do with the mother? Regardless, it’s a really sad situation.
Well here’s the thing, they managed not to get pregnant in the 4 of the 5 years they were together so someone or somehow contraception was abandoned on the 5th year. Not defending him but he wasn’t exactly going commando for the entire time. Something happened and she got pregnant. At least he’s paying for the kid financially. Not sure what the relationship is but if he cannot feel anything for his child it’s best she doesn’t grow up with him.
For all we know she was on the pill or had an iud, which she abandoned in that 5th year. Maybe he thought we was covered, but he wasn’t. Still, if he felt that strongly about not having children with her, you’d think a back up condom or SOMETHING would be in order.
$25k/month = $300,000 year. 18 years is $5.4 million. When he clearly has no interest in actually being a parent.
A vasectomy is a LOT cheaper, Owen.
Fking A it is.
I was going to write the same!
So is birth control. Why is it Always the man’s fault? He told her he isn’t interested. Period. She got the money and is still talking crap to the media. Just raise the child you CHOSE to have and keep it pushing.
I agree she shouldn’t be talking to the media at all, they both made decisions and need to move forward, privately.
But as this is several surprise kids he’s now had with several different exes, hes the one paying a lot in support, and he doesn’t seem to want to parent, he should take steps to prevent it.
Thank you! All these dead beat comments are bugging…You keep using that word, I don’t think it means what you think it means. He’s paying what he needs to and then some. He didn’t want to be a father, she continued with the pregnancy per her choice and right and hes taking financial responsibility. I have sisters and friends who never heard a peep or received a single penny from their partners when they informed them they were pregnant, that ladies and gentlemen is a dead beat. They both should have been more careful, the pregnancy happened he didn’t want to be a dad but he was going to support his child. Not a perfect ending but he’s doing his part
Bingo.
So I obviously know birth control isnt full proof but it seems like condoms gave gone out of fashion
It’s 50 percent her fault for not using contraceptive. It’s 100 percent her choice to have the baby. It’s 100 percent his choice to be involved in the Baby’s life. It’s 100 percent his responsibility to financially care for the baby. If you guys don’t like it, then let’s go ahead and say you all believe it should be 50/50 choice to keep baby and let the courts duke it out. His choice matters as much as hers. It’s 50 percent their fault for not using safe sex practices.
Lua,
I don’t believe men should ever have a legal say in whether or not a woman aborts, but I do think men need better birth control options and should have the ability to legally opt out of parenthood. I don’t have a clue how that would work since obviously men shouldn’t be able to change their minds after a baby is born and decide not to be financially involved, but I do think it’s harmful to men, women, and children when men get no say at all.
I was actually more concerned with peoples lack of use of condoms and STDs, am I the only one freaked out by STDs? I feel like the 90s and 00s people were concerned with STDs and now condoms have fallen by the wayside. Especially with apps like Tinder making casual sex more frequent I would think condoms are more important than ever but that’s just me
I feel the same way. No one. NONE of my currently single friends use or bother with condoms. It’s like the second that HIV drugs became more readily available and it stopped being such an automatic death sentence, condoms and safer sex went ou the window. For them, it’s all about the pill.
I’m like, a baby isn’t the only thing you can “catch” you know…
STDs are on the rise SIGNIFICANTLY, especially in the LA/Long Beach area. I feel like a grandma asking my friends if they used “protection” or a “condom” after they tell me their casual sexcapades. They’re baffled by the concept — and we all grew up in the 90s!!! Like, was I the only one listening to the safe sex talks?
I have never dated a man who liked condoms in the US. Because I am on birth control and always have been, after they got STD tested, the men were relieved that the birth control was taken care of.
I’ve never dated a man who didn’t use condoms. Even after std testing in most cases.
Bare minimum definitely but its sad that compared to the other baby daddy deadbeats that’s such a big plus. Honestly, if he didn’t want anymore kids, he knows what to do (vasectomy). Otherwise, birth control isn’t 100%. It sucks that he can’t take responsibility beyond just paying up, but maybe he just doesn’t like babies so she’s better off letting her mom make the decisions without having to consult him. And we can hope when the child is older, he takes more of an interest, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
My question (which is awful I know) is what was the relationship between Owen & Lyla’s mother? He was with the mother of his son’s for sometime. Was this a one night stand or I hardly knew you? Seriously this is an adult so be more protective. I remember when Linda Evangelista started dating the man Salma Hayek is married too. She became pregnant fairly quickly (of course he is a billionaire & immediately claimed her hardly knew her & that is why she “ got herself” pregnant, as if that is how it happened & she did this alone!)
If this was a short relationship maybe he has the same ridiculous notion. Or maybe he is a bit of a jerk. Happy news on the Linda’s son, after years of being ignored by his father, Salma stepped in & now the boy shares time with his dad. Maybe Owen will come around but a 25K monthly price tag might be coloring his judgment at the moment.
They dated (on and off) for years. He broke it off with her for good when she was pregnant
Thanks, you are a rock star! Now I know he is just a jerk
I don’t think he was in a serious relationship with the mother of his sons either, at least not the 2nd son. I don’t really follow him, but I distinctly recall seeing pics of him making out with another woman, while the mother of his 2nd child was pregnant. Also IIRC his first 2 children were born within a couple of years of each other.
I don’t know why he chose to be involved with his older 2 children and not his youngest, but I honestly don’t think it has anything to do with the seriousness of his relationships with the mothers. Maybe he gets along with the other mothers better. But it doesn’t seem like he was any more commited to them.
There are people with whom you’d want to co-parent and others with whom you don’t want to, it’s just that simple. I know that I wouldn’t have wanted to have a child with many (most) of the guys I’ve been with.
OW clearly stated he didn’t want anything to do with that child, it’s not as if his ex was blindsided when the baby was born: she chose to continue her pregnancy knowing she’d be a single mother, it was her choice and that’s fine, but if we agree that she was allowed to choose, we should also accept that he’s allowed to not want to be there and has his own reasons for that
What Arpeggi said.
@arpeggi. I actually came back in to post how intuitive I thought your post to be. There are people you don’t want to co-parent with. It’s how many decide who & who isn’t right for them. Spot on!
As far as Owen goes, he seems like he leads a life that is extremely messy.
Imagine how much money he could save himself and emotional trauma he could save an innocent child if he had simply gotten a damn vasectomy.
I saw a comment somewhere about his right to never meet his child. No and no. The damage of growing up knowing your father wants nothing to do with you is huge. Also, he made her and it is his job to raise her. I’m so fed up with people defending this. Abandoning your children is horrendous. If you are adult to have sex, be adult to parent . Irresponsible jerk, money means NOTHING, specially if you are rich.
But would it be better for her for him to be in her life and be a resentful dick about it? I don’t know honestly, but both of those options suck for the kid.
Thousands of kids are given up for adoptions every year. They never met their birth parents and are likely better off this way. Also, many kids are born to single parents (sperm banks exists for a reason) and they’re perfectly ok. What kids need are people that love them and want to be there for them, sharing DNA with those people isn’t as important as being loved and feeling safe
Sadly, plenty of parents DO check out of their child’s life. Should we force someone to be a parent when they don’t want to be? I have single mom friends whose kids are better off not around their stealing, drug addict fathers.
I think the damage of growing up and being near a father who is resentful of your existence and make comments about you is far more damaging than someone who just pays the bills and don’t talk to you. Don’t you? I would not want someone like that near my child. Yes I’ll take the money because that’s his responsibility.
Well…the reality is, his daughter being born wasn’t the only legal option they had.
If the tables were turned and he wanted the baby and she didn’t, he wouldn’t have a legal leg to stand on and that fetus would have been aborted.
For all we know, he could have asked her to abort (and pay for the abortion) and she chose not to. So should he be forced to be a father when he didn’t want to be? Should a woman be forced to give birth and be a mother if she doesn’t want to be?
At least he is performing his legal duty and paying for child support.
Not being a present dad doesn’t make him a deadbeat, it just makes him a biological sperm donor and not her “dad.”
Let’s face it, personal opinions on the subject aside, there are options and choices to be made when a man and a woman make a baby, either by choice, force, negligence or by chance/accident.
A condom or vasectomy would have been cheaper.
THIS! A family member who has never wanted children had a vasectomy at the age of 25. He said he never wanted run the risk of an accident & If he changed his mind about kids he would adopt.
Little side note. He had to go to dr. & watch a video & wait 30 days because of his age & not having children. His sister who had her tubes tied because of a severe health issue had to wait 6 months. Same state. Misogyny exists at every turn
I had a married guy friend who at 33 was REFUSED a vasectomy in North Carolina based on his age and belief that he may “change his mind”, even though he and his wife are sporty people and adamantly do not want children. I believe a second doctor gave it to him. Another friend after 4 children was also refused a vasectomy at 35 because “his wife could die and he might want more”. He had to find a second doctor in his network to perform the operation and this was in New York! Sadly some doctors let their beliefs sway their decisions. Disgusting to do so IMO.
Whoa! I had two separate guy friends this summer tell me that they were expecting pushback for seeking vasectomies and one said it was basically over by the time he asked the question! 15-min in and out, no haranguing on his age (late 30s), childfree status, morality, or fickleness… To contrast, I had a 35yo gal pal with a major seizure disorder who went to 5 different doctors and still could not find a single person to perform her sterilization! 🙁
Yeah he does ads for a sofa company as well which makes sense when you think what he must pay in child support. My ex is like this – he has an older child to another woman, my child, he’s now married.. his wife has a child with someone else, and they have a child together. He has regular contact with his eldest, hasn’t seen my daughter in 12 years. At least Owen pays – my ex doesn’t pay me a penny (but does for his oldest).
Im not gonna pile on about what a jerk he is.
I think it sucks for the daughter BUT the mom should shield her from him as much as possible and take all that money (bc 25k a month is good money) and raise her daughter some place with a great school system; give her all the love and experiences and joy a child should have and move on. The mom should make sure she saves for therapy too. But who knows, maybe he felt tricked by the ex. Maybe she said she couldn’t get pregnant or was on long term birth control…and maybe as the relationship was deteriorating she went off BC or lied about it and wanted to get pregnant to keep him around. It IS possible. And he’s a fool.
Still, the mom should shield the daughter for as long as possible and not exploit her or use her as a manipulation tool in the press.
ALSO FWIW Owen has ALOT of money already. He has been in a LOT of successful films and doesn’t live a hugely extravagant life (other than spending money on child support i guess)…
I agree, if I were the mom, I’d try to never give him another thought, use and save the money for the kid, and move on and find happiness. She’s not going to change his mind, and it’s only going to hurt the kid, so make the best life you can. Lots of single parents have had to do that (without big support checks too).
They had been boning for five years, whatever birth control they decided on had been effective until it wasn’t for whatever reason.
We don’t know if it is a case of he wants
No more children ever ( in which case a vasectomy would make sense ) or if he didn’t want children with her.
Either way, she knew early on he wouldn’t be involved and made a conscious decision to be a single parent. He is taking financial responsibility and seems comfortable with his decision. It seems like they were adulting this situation pretty well until it was leaked to the press.
Except she is the one who purposely leaked it and had complained about him not wanting anything to do with his child….
Agreed and to what end? Now, regardless of the full truth, it will ALWAYS be in print that he didn’t want her, refused to be engaged etc. and that is something her daughter will read.
Putting this in the public sphere was irresponsible and petty.
I’m thinking that if it were me, I would have kept quiet about it, but I guess that would make more sense with a one night stand situation vs. a long term relationship. At least if it weren’t generally known he was the father, it wouldn’t have a harmful effect on the child and she wouldn’t have to feel badly about not having a connection with him. Sounds like a significant amount of child support to me! I know many single moms who get nothing.
I’m gonna play devil’s advocate here (cuz believe none of what I’m about to say). Didn’t he try suicide some years back? Maybe his mental health is bad enough that he doesn’t feel fit to be in his children’s lives? Like, he isn’t disinterested in them, just doesn’t think it’s good for them to be around him? When was the last time he was in a serious relationship? All 3 of his baby mamas are jump offs. Maybe he has a hard time committing.
There’s certainly some very sympathetic possible reasons for his absence in his child’s life, but that’s not going to matter when that child gets older. All she’s going to know is that her dad rejected her.
In the grand scheme of things this is a drop in the ocean for him.
(25 x 12) x 18 = 5,400,000
That’s his fee for maybe 1 film.
Compared to Joe average he’s not feeling it, hence why he is so nonchalant. That said it would be cheaper to use a rubber.
He doesn’t want to be a parent.
One can wail to the media, obtain court orders, rail to friends and family, post quotes, demand attention, pray and reference scripture. None of that will change the bottom line: He doesn’t want to a parent.
Sadly poor behavior from all parents and the kid loses no matter what.
Why is it so difficult for this guy to wear a condom? seriously. wrap it up or shut up.
Men from my experience loathe condoms and the lack of sensation.
1) A person who has no interest in raising a child should take the necessary steps to prevent a pregnancy from happening. Many forms of birth control exist, most 99% effective, use them.
2) Failing to take that action, as a man you have a 50% responsibility regarding the pregnancy. Note I said responsibility, not choice. I do believe that a choice to keep or end a pregnancy is 100% a woman’s.
3) If a child is born of the pregnancy, the parents have an obligation to make sure the child is well provided for, financially as well as physically/emotionally.
In my opinion, the mother is handling the physical/emotional raising and he is handling the financial. He is dumb as a box of rocks for not getting a vasectomy, but he is providing for his children. I was raised without a father, my mom flew solo and was awesome. My dad did a shitty job raising the kids he was involved with, so yay me? This baby will be fine, as long as her mom quits trying to force her on Wilson and subjecting her to the constant rejection. You want to feel bad for a rejected celeb kid? Two words – Suri Cruise. Her father bailed on her because he chose his meglomanical ego and insane personal beliefs over his daughter. Sometimes a kid is better off with one parent than two.
Hear, hear.
Are Owen’s parents alive? If I was his mother, I would be reading him the riot act about: 1. Birth Control; and 2. Responsiblity to his children — not just $$, but also being active in their lives. Shit, if I was a sibling, I would give him shit.
I hope Owen’s mother and father — and his actor brothers — are participting in Owen’s childrens’ lives. Owen can be a shit, but he’s family and so are his kids.
My feeling is that mother of his child went public out of frustration of him refusing to be in contact with his daughter, and of course get a good settlement for the child. Not the perfect solution, but I can’t blame her.
I wonder if the daughter had been a son would he have regular contact or is it solely based on his relationship with the child’s mother? If it is the child’s mother that he has an issue with, I can see where not being in the child’s life may be best for his mental health. Why he slept with her on and off for 5 years though is another thing…It is messy for sure.
Why are we assuming he has anything to do with the choice to have no visitation rights? It sounds to me like she got everything she could have wanted. It also seems to me that their relationship ended extremely contentiously. Why would he insist on a paternity test after a five year relationship?
And if she came forward about his being a deadbeat dick, I’d believe her. But it’s not like he can really be called a deadbeat for paying $25k a month to a child he will never know.
I have no idea how people can care for some of their children but not others, but….if this woman had the child against his preferences, this is as good a trade off as any if the kid is properly cared for, well loved by the guardian parent, and has his/her needs fulfilled, so be it. It’s not ideal, but frankly a parent forced to be around against their interest and desire can do just as much damage to a kid with their resentment as one absent. He’s a jackass for not using protection, but I’ve long stopped exhausting myself trying to make parents out of adults who don’t want it.
Stop bashing this man for not wanting the child, his right. She knew what the conditions would be and went ahead with the birth so here we are.
I mean…I dunno. I think that there could be a multitude of reasons why he doesn’t want to have a presence in his daughter’s life. A lot of those reasons could be entirely valid. But I think it’s significant that he is willing to pay child support, and he added her to the SAG health insurance. I know people will say it’s the barest minimum someone should do, but honestly, it’s a LOT more than most people are willing to do at all.
100% agree
In no way am I condoning his behaviour – his track record speaks for itself. When it comes to the minutiae of what was said between him and his various partners and former partners, baby momma’s, whatever and what transpired, I am a bit cynical when the source of such info is a tabloid such as the Sun, Daily Fail, etc
Bare minimum would be spending some time with his child.
Why? He stated before the birth that he didn’t want to be a parent to that child and he shouldn’t have to be, it’d wouldn’t be a good situation for either the kid or him. If women have the right to choose whether they continue their pregnancy or not, men have the right to decide if they want to be a parent or a sperm donor, OW chose to be a sperm donor and he signed legal papers to not be involved in that child’s life.
The person who is damaging the kid’s life, making sure that she grows up feeling rejected by this dad she doesn’t know is her mom. She was very aware that he didn’t want to be involved and chose to pursue her pregnancy as a single parent, she shouldn’t then complain to the media that things are going exactly as stated (nor should she have given her his last name).
Why would he not just get a vasectomy? 25k a month. How does he afford that? I’m not a fan of his work so I guess it’s been in stuff I don’t know of.
I hope she sees that he’s doing her a favour. She doesn’t have to check with anyone about her parenting choices, debate, or share time. Does she really want her daughter going off with him and his girlfriend of the day? I doubt it. Give the baby her own surname and count your blessings.
I mean, it’s a rough call. I grew up with a shitty, religious, abusive father (and, yes, the religion and abuse are intertwined for me). I used to say I wished I’d never met the bastard, and I still think my life would have been better without him in it.
But I have also met women who were ditched by their fathers, and it affected them late into their lives. Especially because their fathers invariably ditched them to raise ‘their real’ families.
Either way, no excuse for the dude. He is in his fifties, and HAD to have picked it up somewhere, somehow by this point that if you don’t want a child in this day and age–there are a million ways to not make one! it’s not like he had no choice in the matter, and it isn’t like he is a dumb kid who didn’t quite get the concept of birth control.
From what I know about him I’d say I wouldn’t have a child with him. And if after few years of dating the woman decides to go through with it…
So for a second can we also question the mother’s actions? Rights come with responsibilities. If you decide to have a child on your own from from a dude you described as an asshole and who you know to be unstable, girl, you are brining a lot of shit upon yourself and, unfortunately, your child, who has zero say in any of it.
He obviously didn’t plan this child. He questioned its paternity, and he explicitly said he doesn’t want to do anything with her.
I mean, no one ever knows what went down between the two people. Maybe she said she was on a pill, maybe condom broke, maybe she said she would take plan B and didn’t.
And paying 25K a month? For a kid he never intends to meet? Now I’m not saying she’s a gold digger…