The Big Picture Owen Wilson recalls a possible ghost encounter from when he was a kid. Wilson praises director Justin Simien’s approach to making his first big Disney film. He also picks the two Haunted Mansion co-stars that he thinks would help him survive a night in a real haunted house.

I’ve rewatched Anaconda more times than I care to admit and there’s also 1999’s The Haunting, but Haunted Mansion serves as a strong reminder that we need Owen Wilson in more horror movies.

Justin Simien’s adaptation of the iconic Disney ride features Wilson as Father Kent, a priest recruited by Rosario Dawson’s Gabbie to deal with her ghost-infested home. Knowing he can’t do it alone, Father Kent assembles a team that includes LaKeith Standfield’s Ben Matthias, a former paranormal investigator who was developing a camera that could capture images of paranormal activity. However, after the passing of his wife, Ben gives up on those ambitions and becomes a New Orleans tour guide. But, with a little nudging from Gabbie, Father Kent, and the rest of the team (Danny DeVito and Tiffany Haddish), Ben might be ready to tap back into his past goals and beliefs to help rid Gabbie’s mansion of its 999 spirits.

With Haunted Mansion arriving in theaters nationwide on July 28th, I got the chance to chat with Wilson about his experience returning to the genre. Hear all about his possible ghost encounter as a kid, what it was like working with director Justin Simien on his first big studio film, which Haunted Mansion co-stars he’d team up with to survive a night in a haunted house, and loads more in the video at the top of this article, or you can read the interview in transcript form below.

Image via Disney

PERRI NEMIROFF: Because I love ghost stories, did you have a ghost story that haunted you as a kid growing up, something that maybe every now and then you think about today?

OWEN WILSON: There was one time I remember, some kids in the neighborhood, we had climbed on this roof of a house that no one lived there, and I felt like I saw somebody in the window and bolted, and everyone saw me bolt and they ran, and then they were like, “Why are we running?” I go, “I think I saw something in the window!” So, I’m never sure if I actually did or if I just wanted to kind of pump up the excitement on a summer day.

Those thoughts tickle me to no end. I love that stuff. We had Cropsey at sleepaway camp, and I love thinking about Cropsey every once in a while, and the orange Cropsey moon!

WILSON: What’s that mean? Cropsey?

It’s like an evil entity that used to haunt the sleepaway camp that I went to. Whenever the moon would turn orange it would be a Cropsey moon, and everyone would be on high alert.

WILSON: Cropsey Moon. I gotta watch out for that.

I think about that too much. Speaking of scary stories, you need to make more horror movies.

WILSON: Yeah! [Laughs]

It’s been a long time.

WILSON: I guess I did one other one. Anaconda’s not really a haunted one.

That counts. It’s a monster movie. That’s genre.

WILSON: But it is kind of a genre that sort of seems recession-proof. [Laughs] It’s like people always kind of – what is it about us that wants to be scared?

To be scared in a safe space!

WILSON: Yeah, I think that’s what it is. Very well said.

I am putting in the order for you to do another horror movie, please.

WILSON: Yeah, good! [Laughs]

Image via Disney

I wanted to highlight Justin’s work on this film because I’m really excited about the idea of him getting to direct a big studio feature and I’ve got high hopes he’ll wind up doing more in the future – if that’s what he wants, at least. So what is something about him as an actor’s director and a leader on a project of this scale that you would be excited for more actors out there to get to experience?

WILSON: For Justin I think this was a really, you know, it’s a big Disney movie, and right from when I first talked to him and we were kind of talking about the character, he just has a very engaging, kind of upbeat way of talking with everyone, and actors. You always felt comfortable to kind of try stuff and encouraged, and he could come up with good lines himself and good ideas because he has a good sense of humor. He’s just kind of unflappable, and that’s a nice quality in a director, too, especially for somebody coming on to something so overwhelming. And [he] just always kind of stayed himself.

Turning to the rest of your team now, they just released a featurette today that highlighted the importance of having a good ensemble here and how much fun you all had working together. Can you give me an example of a time on this set when a scene partner gave you just what you needed and it made something in your own performance even better?

WILSON: I actually think some of the ghosts, some of the makeup and everything. The way these ghosts looked was pretty terrifying and unnerving, and so that was just one less thing to act because it kind of throws you, so it was easy to sort of get that feeling.

That is exactly what I need to hear about this movie right now.

Given the fact that you have worked on many big studio movies with a lot of VFX, is there anything on this set that made even you go, “I cannot believe this is what it takes to make it look like that on screen in the end?”

WILSON: Yeah, I think just the sets and building these mansions and some of the outdoor scenes that we did that were still shot on a stage, but then out on the backlot. Sometimes you go to work on a movie and it’s kind of a small movie and it’s fun to work on, but this was kind of a movie where you’re like, “Whoa, this is a big Hollywood movie,” when you saw those sets and how impressive they were. And again, sort of like with the ghosts, it’s one less thing to act.

You feel it while you’re watching even just the trailers and promotional material. I’m already catching myself pausing on every frame to look for little hidden details. Is there anything that you caught in the production design while on set that caught your eye, you appreciated and hope that viewers will notice?

WILSON: We also were in New Orleans and shooting at some of those places and the way these trees looked – it’s funny that I’m kind of talking about the trees, but it was just this long road flanked by trees, and these trees were like – what was the name of that scary moon that you talked about?

Cropsey Moon!

WILSON: The Cropsey Moon! It’s like, you would not want to have a Cropsey Moon in these trees.

I would!

WILSON: [Laughs] Yeah!

I would enjoy that.

Image via Disney

I have a little bit of a silly question for you. Let’s say you, as in real you, have to spend a night in a haunted house and can pick two Haunted Mansion co-stars to team up with. Who do you choose that you think would give you the best chance of surviving the night in the haunted house?

WILSON: I think Rosario. Her work in The Mandalorian, she’s very capable, and that’s just kind of her upbeat spirit. So, definitely her. And then Jamie Lee Curtis, she’s pretty formidable too as a person [laughs], so I could see both of them kind of calming me.

I think that sounds like a perfect pairing to me!

So now for your character, at the beginning of the film, what do you think his greatest strength is, but then also what’s his greatest weakness, the thing that could stop him from being a good team player and figuring out the mystery?

WILSON: I think my character’s greatest strength is probably his enthusiasm and getting people to play as a team and supporting everyone, and then his weakness is, his relationship with the truth is, you know, not completely faithful.

Looking for more Haunted Mansion conversations? Be sure to check out my interview with LaKeith Stanfield and Rosario Dawson below: