In the new trailer for Paint, Owen Wilson’s character is hilariously frustrated during a painting rivalry. The film follows Wilson as artist Carl Nargle, a legendary painter who has hosted Vermont’s top painting show for three decades with his signature whisper and artistic skill. The movie was directed and written by Brit McAdams and is set for a theatrical release through IFC Films on April 7th with an exclusive streaming release with AMC+ to follow.
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Exactly one month before Paint hits theaters, IFC Films has released a new trailer for the quirky comedy starring Wilson.

The trailer reveals the main narrative of the film as an All About Eve-type story featuring the beloved veteran painter played by Wilson enjoying his quaint fame and the love of the public before getting pushed out of that long-held job by a fresher, younger, and more talented painter, Ambrosia, played by Ciara Renée.

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Is Owen Wilson’s Character Based On Bob Ross?

Paint will also star Michaela Watkins, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Stephen Root alongside Wilson and Renée. While the film is not a biopic about painter Bob Ross, it certainly took inspiration from the famed artist, as evidenced by the original Blacklist description of Wilson’s character as a “Bob Ross-esque PBS painting show host.” Wilson’s trademark whispery voice made him the perfect casting choice for a character loosely based on Ross, whose quiet and soothing delivery was one of his staples during his TV career.

The costume design for Wilson’s character, from the groovy 1980s outfits to the perm, also harkens back to Ross’ unique style. Both Ross and Wilson’s comically-named Carl Nargle also head seemingly identical popular instructional painting programs, both of which air on the public TV channel PBS. However, there are various differences between the two happy painters that give Nargle enough individuality. The fact that Ross was a very private person who rarely discussed his personal life also means that much of Nargle’s background is completely fictional.

While Nargle’s show airs in Vermont, Ross lived and worked in Florida. There was also no rivalry between Ross and an up-and-coming younger artist that was gunning for his job, as Ross’ show ran unimpeded from 1983 to 1994. The trailer frames the rivalry between Ambrosia and Nargle as the main narrative of the film, which bodes well for the film’s originality. While using Ross’ looks and career as a basis for the story was a risky move considering the backlash Netflix’s Ross documentary received from the painter’s estate in 2021, McAdams seems to have created a unique story with Paint that’s only very loosely based on the renowned painter.

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Source: IFC Films