55 year-old Patrick Swayze has put on some weight and is looking good as he battles pancreatic cancer. He has undergone experimental “cyberknife” surgery and was thought to be gaunt and just hanging in there but these latest photos may prove the speculation wrong. He seems to be in excellent spirits and not as thin as he was at his last photographed outing at a Lakers playoff game in late May. Swayze gave the paparazzi at LAX this Sunday upbeat answers to their questions about his health despite the fact that he had to take off his belt and boots for security:

When asked how he was feeling the actor said “He was cookin’” and when asked about his health he replied “I’m a miracle dude, I don’t know why.”

[From Splash News photo description]

He looks damn good, and it’s great to hear he’s doing so well. Swayze is filming a new show for A&E called The Beast, in which he plays an FBI agent who takes a new partner under his wing. He was flying off to work on the show.

Swayze lives on a ranch in New Mexico with his wife of 23 years, Lisa Niemi, 52. He gave an update to People Magazine in late May stating he was responding well to treatment at Stanford University Medical Center and that he was enjoying Spring and the baby calves that were being born on his farm. He may see many more seasons and babies if he continues on the path he’s on. You look great, Patrick, and we are so relieved to see you doing well.

Photos from 7/20/08. Credit: Splash News

Owen Wilson seems to have changed his life after an unsuccessful suicide attempt. He’s been seeking holistic and alternative therapies and has hired a sober companion to help him stay away from drugs and alcohol. Owen moved into a new home, and even took a healing journey to Arizona and The Grand Canyon in a spiritual quest for sobriety.

There may be a lot of positive changes for Owen recently, but he wants at least one thing back from his old life - his ex-girlfriend, dancer Caroline Cerisola. Owen has asked the 20-something Buenos Aires native to move into his new mansion with him. She is said to be a great influence on Owen, along with being an excellent cook:

Owen Wilson, 38, has asked twentysomething Carolina Cerisola, an ex-girlfriend who has been at his side since he was released from L.A.’s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, to move into his recently completed Malibu mansion!

“Owen is back with the woman he never should have left,” a friend of the actor tells Star. “The whole time he was with Carolina, he was sober and happy. I don’t know what made him split from her, but I am glad they are back together…”

Carolina [is] a terrific cook who “buys all these organic foods and whips them into some gourmet wonders,” adds the pal. “Owen is eating well these days!”

Owen first met the Buenos Aires beauty, who has been dancing at Hollywood’s burlesque club 40 Deuce for the past year, in 2003. But the romance fizzled out by that December.

[From Star Magazine, print edition, October 29, 2007]

Owen’s brothers Andrew and Luke approve of Carolina and are glad she’s back in his life, according to Star.

The recovering actor took part in a lawn mower race near Austin, Texas last week. It was filmed for Willie Nelson’s new music video “You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore,” and included appearances by Jessica Simpson, Dan Rather, Woody Harrelson, and Owen’s brothers Luke and Andrew. Willie Nelson Fan site Still is Still Moving has photos of the event.

Owen is shown swimming on 9/23/07, thanks to Splash News.

It sounds like Owen Wilson is making some great progress in turning his life, his heath, and his head around. A lot of people who battle depression have low energy and motivation, but Owen seems to really be rallying in an impressive way. He’s embracing his health, and actively trying to change and improve his life, and it’s really inspirational to see. Owen has moved into a new house in Malibu that he’s spent over two years working on. It has a beautiful, serene view of the ocean and is said to be the “ultimate bachelor pad.” Hey, some things never change.

Sources tell Star the move is giving Owen, 38, a new lease on life and is really lifting his spirits. “He’s excited about the house, and he loves to talk about it,” says one insider. “The place was all custom-built: pool table, dartboard - it’s full of man toys!” Owen’s even getting friendly with his neighbors. According to the source, he’s been riding around the neighborhood on his moped and taking his dog for walks around the block in order to introduce himself to everyone.

So what changed for the old Owen, who was dark, depressed, and wanted to die? A lot! For one thing, he’s decided it’s better to love life and enjoy all he has, including his very supportive network of friends and family. He’s even hanging out with an old ex: Carolina Cerisola.

“Owen realizes that there are a lot of people who really care about him, so he’s taking serious steps to find peace,” says the source. He’s not drinking or doing drugs anymore. It’s difficult, but he knows it’s worth it.”

[From Star Magazine, October 22, 2007 print edition]

I like this proactive approach Owen is taking to change his life. If only we could all afford to move to a nicer place to lift our spirits! Owen also had a cleansing ritual over the Grand Canyon, which it sounds like was a symbolic way of getting rid of his past and starting a new chapter in his life. The Enquirer tells the story like he’s crazy or the people around him are nut balls for letting him do it, but I think they’re just taking an unnecessarily sensational view on it.

Owen - who slashed his wrists and swallowed pills at his Santa Monica home - participated in a “spiritual exorcism” September 29th, while perched on a scary glass walkway 4,000 feet above the rocky floor of the Grand Canyon, the Enquirer has learned exclusively. The 38-year-old actor stood on the walkway, stretched 70 feet over the Canyon’s western rim, as a medicine man prepared the ritual.

“Owen and his entourage of about a dozen people emerged from a tour bus at about 4 p.m., and there were two Indians with them, one with long black hair and a feather,” said a witness. “After a while, Owen and the feathered Indian, who was carrying a bag, moved out onto the Skywalk and Owen stood there, looking outward at the Canyon.” Tourists at the site were herded into the nearby Skywalk Cafe so that the healing ceremony could proceed.

The medicine man, from the Hualapai tribe, lit some sage on fire and then began chanting and dancing, while waving the smoke over Owen. In his hand he held a small woven object - a dream catcher. The goal was to scare away the demons. “Personally, I was shocked they let Owen, who has been suicidal, place himself in such a dangerous position,” the witness told the Enquirer. “The railing is only four feet high, and if depression had overtaken him at that moment, he could easily have leaped over the rail. They stayed on the platform for about 30 minutes - with the medicine man chanting and dancing the entire time. Afterward, Owen seemed happy, and was chatting with the tourists.

[From the National Enquirer, October 22, 2007 print edition]

I think as a general rule, depression doesn’t suddenly overtake someone at the moment. It tends to creep up, or sometimes a specific bad event triggers it, but rarely does it lead to an instant suicide attempt. Generally that takes some time and contemplation. Now certainly he’s been in that place before, but I’m guessing his family and friends wouldn’t have been supportive of the cleansing ritual if they thought there was a chance Owen would jump. First off, he doesn’t seem the type to do it in front of his loved ones. And this is clearly an attempt to move on, shed his demons, and focus on happiness and a positive direction. I’m kind of annoyed with the hysterical tone of the Enquirer’s article. It sounds like Owen is doing everything he can to actively embrace his recovery, and I wish him nothing but the best.

Although it’s been reported that Ben Stiller had to (or chose to, who knows) fire good friend Owen Wilson from his upcoming movie “Tropic Thunder” after Wilson attempted suicide, it appears the two are at least on speaking terms. Stiller was on Ellen DeGeneres’ show on Friday, and said that, though he tries not to talk about it too much, Wilson is doing a lot better. I really hope reports that Stiller fired him aren’t true, as that would make him a giant douchebag, and a terrible friend. People have the right to react to a suicide attempt however they want to, but I can’t imagine anything that would be more thoughtless.

“Ben Stiller says things are looking up for his longtime pal and frequent costar Owen Wilson. ‘He’s doing really well,’ Stiller, 41, tells Ellen DeGeneres on her show Friday. ‘I sort of like to protect his privacy, ’cause I feel like it’s his own thing,’ says Stiller. ‘But he’s a really good friend of mine. He’s an incredible guy and I wish him as everybody does, all the best.’

“Wilson, 38, was set to begin shooting the comedy Tropic Thunder with Stiller this month, but was hospitalized on Aug. 26 for what police called a suicide attempt. He dropped out of the film after issuing a statement requesting that he be allowed to ‘receive care and heal in private during this difficult time.’

“Wilson’s withdrawal from the project – which is about actors on a war movie location where a real battle erupts – was reportedly a mutual decision between him and Stiller, and Matthew McConaughey has stepped in to join the ensemble cast that includes Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and Nick Nolte.

“Speaking at Thursday night’s Westwood premiere of his and his son’s latest movie, The Heartbreak Kid, Ben’s dad Jerry Stiller, 80, expressed concern for his son’s best friend and said he was ‘surprised’ to hear of Wilson’s apparent suicide attempt – but he was sure that Wilson would ‘recover.’

“‘I know that he’ll put his life together,’ the elder Stiller, who also costarred with Wilson in 2001’s Zoolander, told PEOPLE. He added that his son has been ‘very close to Owen for most of their careers, and that Ben had been an ‘advocate’ in ‘intervention and all that stuff.’”

[From People]

So I guess they’re still going with the official “mutual decision” line about dropping out of the movie. That preserves everyone’s dignity. I wonder, when Jerry Stiller says that Ben has been an advocate for “intervention and all the stuff,” if he means in terms of Owen’s obvious depression, or his rumored drug/alcohol abuse. Hopefully Wilson will continue to get better, and has lots of loving and supportive people around him. As long as there are good people, he can get better and still have a really great career.

Picture Note by Jaybird: Here’s Ben Stiller with wife Christine Taylor at the premiere for his new movie, “The Heartbreak Kid” yesterday. Header image with mother Anne Meara Images thanks to PR Photos.

Owen Wilson is improving and getting better everyday, according to his friend, director Wes Anderson. Anderson was at the Venice Film Festival this week promoting his latest film with Wilson, “The Darjeeling Limited.” The two go way back - Wilson’s been in a number of Anderson’s films, and they were roommates in college. Wilson wasn’t able to attend the festival, as he’s been at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center the last week after his suicide attempt. He’s back home now and being watched under 24/7 care. Anderson says that Wilson’s spirits have lifted enough to crack some jokes and make people laugh – and any progress is good.

“Just one week after being admitted to the hospital following an apparent suicide attempt, Owen Wilson is back home and “doing very well,” according to friends.

“While the actor has canceled all immediate public appearances, including what was expected to be a high-profile screening of The Darjeeling Limited at the Venice Film Festival this week, his director on the project, Wes Anderson, did show up to the festival and spoke publicly about his collaborator and longtime friend—the two were college roommates—for the first time since Wilson’s hospitalization.

“‘We all miss having him here very much. Obviously, he has been through a lot this week,’ Anderson told reporters on the Lido Monday. ‘I can tell you he has been doing very well—he has been making us laugh.

“‘When he’s ready, he’s going to speak for himself much better than any of us could. He has a very good way with words.’”

[From E! News]

Owen Wilson seems to have a pretty tight-knit family, and as long as he has good people around him that will love him and not judge him, then he’s got a good support system and that can make all the difference in his recovery. I hope he conquers whatever sadness is in his heart.

In related news, “The Darjeeling Limited” isn’t getting the greatest reviews. A lot of viewers are saying that it comes across as trite or hackneyed – though to be fair, appreciating Wes Anderson’s movies requires a very specific kind of humor, so it’s hard to say if the reviewers just don’t get that, or if the movie really is bad. After previewing the movie at the Venice Film Festival, Reuters called it a “tortuous train ride” and noted “The film is overly pleased with itself, and the characters are way too self-absorbed. There’s never a man-eating tiger around when you need one.” I think it’ll probably be like most of Wes Anderson’s movies – you either get it or you don’t, and you love it or you hate it, and there’s no in between. Hopefully Owen’s not reading the reviews and just focusing on getting better.

Picture note by JayBird: Here’s Owen Wilson at the 2006 MTV Movie Awards. Images thanks to PR Photos.