'Paint' actor Owen Wilson admits 'wig' helped his performance

Paint star Owen Wilson believes his curly wig did "a lot of the heavy lifting" while for his Bob Ross-esque character Carl Nargle.

The film follows Carl Nargle, a painter on TV who is going through a rough time after a younger rival steals the spotlight from him.

Visibly channeling real-life The Joy of Painting host Ross, the actor credited the wardrobe department for their thoroughness.

"I did like a little painting before to just see what it felt like. But one of the big things for me came when they got the look dialled in with the wardrobe," he told The Hollywood Reporter.

"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."

Apparently, the voice was another major factor in tapping into this eccentric character.

"When you watch those Bob Ross shows, there's just something very attractive and welcoming about the way he sounds and the stuff he's saying," Wilson said.

"Carl Nargle, you know, had the No. 1 painting show for 22 years in Vermont, so he had something that people enjoyed as well.

"He was very comfortable and confident until everything sort of gets shaken up.

Owen Cunningham Wilson has enjoyed a long association with filmmaker Wes Anderson with whom he shared writing and acting credits for Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and The Royal Tenenbaums. He is the recipient of an Academy Award nomination and BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay.