Owen Wilson says his 'Paint' movie perm is better than 'Zoolander': 'Favorite wig I've worn'

If you're going to satirize Bob Ross, you've got to get the wig just right.

Owen Wilson knew as much when he signed on for "Paint" (now in theaters), a quirky comedy about a fictional artist named Carl Nargle who stars in a top-rated public access TV show. Before shooting started, the actor saw multiple mockups of his character's Ross-inspired perm, all of which were "way off base."

"I started to get a bit nervous because I felt we had to nail that, and eventually we did," Wilson recalls. Now, "I would say this is my favorite wig I've worn. 'Zoolander' I had one, as well as some other characters. But this one, even at the end of my life, if someone says, 'What's the look you enjoyed most of the characters you've played?' I think it would be Carl Nargle."

Ross became a household name in the 1980s hosting "The Joy of Painting," which aired for 31 seasons on PBS and taught viewers how to paint 30-minute masterpieces. Like Ross, who died of cancer at 52 in 1995, Carl is known for his soothing voice, casual attire and feel-good affirmations.

But off camera, Carl is insecure and jealous of Ambrosia (Ciara Renée), a hot young artist who joins his Vermont station with her own painting show, creating provocative art that outshines his quaint landscapes.

"I love the idea of the biggest fish in the smallest ponds, and that's what Owen's character is in this world," says writer/director Brit McAdams. "I also like the idea of having elevated stakes in a workplace where everyone's really nice. If the world is incredibly polite, what would it take to upset the apple cart?"

To prepare for his role, Wilson watched and painted along to old episodes of Ross' show. Wilson also took an art lesson with his sons Robert, 12, and Finn, 9.

"There's a teacher who came over and helped us paint a mountain with a snowy landscape and a pond," Wilson says. "We all got into it. I don't want to say whose was the best, but if you define 'best' as most accurate, then I think maybe mine was. But you can go to a museum and know that it's not necessarily about (making) a faithful, exact replica. It's about something else, so maybe theirs had more of a special quality."

For Wilson, one of the joys of making and sharing "Paint" has been learning how beloved Ross still is today.

"There's a reason he's lived on," Wilson says. "You'll see college kids wearing T-shirts with Bob Ross' face, and it's because there was something needed. He was a great teacher."

And although "Paint" depicts Carl as a van-dwelling lothario, McAdams assures that the comedy is meant in good fun.

"I love Bob Ross," he says. "I grew up watching him and this is coming from nothing but a respectful place. There's a really good-natured element to the film, and having watched it play to audiences, it's a really funny film, too. That's something the world needs a little bit more of these days."

More films out this weekend 

• 'One True Loves': Phillipa Soo talks romantic drama, life after 'Hamilton'

• 'Showing Up': Hong Chau stars with Michelle Williams in new art-world comedy

• 'Air': Matt Damon on Easter eggs, Ben Affleck and the time they met Michael Jordan

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Owen Wilson learned to paint, rocked a perm for Bob Ross-inspired film