Owen Wilson Breaks Down His Favorite Memories of Making ‘Zoolander’ and More (Exclusive)

From ‘Bottle Rocket’ to ‘Shanghai Noon,’ Owen Wilson is looking back at his fondest on-set memories

Which onscreen role is Owen Wilson most often recognized for? These days, he tells PEOPLE, fans approach him about everything from “the Loki thing” (he plays Agent Mobius on the Marvel series) to the Ben Stiller comedies Zoolander and Meet the Parents.

“I did this thing with Spike Jonze, a skateboarding video,” he recalls. “And that wasn't even obviously a movie, but there's a lot of kids that skateboard, and adults, that come up about that.”

But Wilson, 54, most appreciates notice for the film that launched his big-screen ascent: 1996’s Bottle Rocket, the first of many collaborations with his University of Texas at Austin dorm roommate, Wes Anderson.

Related: Owen Wilson Reveals His Dream Costar Is Nicolas Cage: 'I've Loved Him in So Many Movies' (Exclusive)

“I recently went to Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl, and I hear somebody go, ‘Ca-CAW’ [a Bottle Rocket reference],” Wilson recalls. “I turn back, and this guy’s pointing at me. This movie that did no box office — the idea that 30 years later it stuck with somebody enough that they’re seeing me and saying that, is nice.”

Before Anderson wrote a college play with Wilson in mind, he continues, acting was never on the table as a career option. It was “faith or vision,” as Wilson puts it, that led Anderson to cast him and his brother Luke Wilson onstage and then onscreen. And if the filmmaker hadn’t seen that potential, he and Owen Wilson wouldn’t have gone on to helm eight critical and commercial hits together — and become Oscar-nominated screenwriters of 2001’s The Royal Tenenbaums.

Here, Wilson shares his favorite memories from the sets of movies past, ahead of his role in Disney’s new Haunted Mansion remake (in theaters July 28).

Bottle Rocket (1996)

Anderson and Wilson began writing screenplays together during their time in college, completing a short film entitled Bottle Rocket in 1994 before adapting it to feature-length in 1996. “It was him saying he wanted me and my brother Luke to play the characters,” Wilson remembers, “and, obviously, [Anderson’s vision] has only continued and strengthened” in the years since.

Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and more instant classics followed, and although Wilson isn’t among the all-star cast of Anderson’s most recent entry, Asteroid City, he tells PEOPLE it’s a personal point of pride to see its success.

“I was driving to a soccer game with my kids, and we see the billboard for Asteroid City,” the Los Angeles-based actor says. “It’s kind of amazing when I think, ‘Oh yeah, that’s my [old] roommate!’ because his movies are particular. They’re very identifiably as his.”

He adds with a smile: “That there’s such an audience and enthusiasm for that, I think, can make us feel good about the culture.”

Shanghai Noon (2000)

“What comes to mind” about his action-packed buddy comedy with Jackie Chan, Wilson says, “is us sitting around one night while we were filming with Jackie and his stuntmen. There’s nine guys on his stunt team that he’s traveled with that helped him do everything!

“They started playing this drinking game—and very different from the ones we grew up with in college. Theirs seemed to have a lot more energy.” On a whim, Wilson recommended to director Tom Dey that they include the drinking game somehow in Shanghai Noon itself.

“So that ends up being in the bathtub scene between Jackie and I, we start playing a drinking game that we just lifted from what he was doing,” he explains. “What I remember is being in these hot tubs with the soap, ’cause we needed the bubbles… but being in soap all day? I don’t want to act like I’m, you know, looking for hazard pay. But I remember that was one of the challenges.”

Was there actual drinking before filming the scene? Wilson laughs: “There wasn’t.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Zoolander (2001)

When it comes to fan favorite Zoolander, led by writer-director-star Ben Stiller, one scene will always remain Wilson’s highlight, he says: “The dance-off! The walk-off scene!”

One of the 2001 comedy’s most memorable moments skewering the fashion industry, the scene in question features a runway “walk-off” between Stiller and Wilson as rival models — judged by David Bowie playing himself. “My older brother Andrew is in the scene, and it was around the time of Fight Club,” Wilson recalls. “So Ben wanted him to have a shaved head. He’s in my corner along with that famous model Tyson Beckford.”

Wilson remembers feeling “very self-conscious with all the dance-type stuff ’cause I’m not a natural dancer. But then just committing to it. It ends up, I think, being one of the really good scenes in the movie.”

Wedding Crashers (2005)

Of the raunchy 2005 comedy costarring Vince Vaughn and Rachel McAdams, Wilson remembers filming in Los Angeles: “One of the first things that we filmed was at a church near where I used to live with Wes and Luke on Wilshire and Highland.

“They had some bicycles for us [on-set], and Vince and I rode over to get some ice cream." He adds, “That was a fun experience.”

Wedding Crashers is another movie strangers approach Wilson about, he says. “Somebody just showed me a picture from it, of Vince and I, where we’re obviously in full charm mode at a wedding.”

Marley & Me (2008)

“For Marley & Me, I remember how much fun I had working with [director] David [Frankel],” Wilson says. “And Jen [Aniston] I just loved.”

One dialogue-free scene filmed in Miami featured Wilson’s real parents, portrait photographer Laura Wilson and public television executive Robert Wilson, in the role of his character’s parents. “What was so funny to me is, they didn’t realize that you weren’t gonna hear us [while filming the scene]; it was a long shot where you’re just gonna be an image.

“So Jen is just, as herself, as we’re walking along — ’cause they do kind of want you talking — she’s like, ‘So where are we having dinner tonight?’ And my mom thought…that she was really asking her to have dinner that night, and my mom said, ‘Well, I think Owen’s already picked a place for us, but yes, that would be lovely if you joined us.’”

A testament, Wilson says with a smile, to the fact that “Jen is such a good actor.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.