Austin, Texas – Luke Wilson is just as imperturbable in person as on the silver screen – and I say it definitively, even after a single meeting.
Give me a second to explain.
Wilson, who has incredible roles on his Hollywood curriculum – of which Richie in “The Royal Tenenbaums”, Emmett in “Legally Blonde”, launches in “The Skeleton Twins”, and the godfather in “Old School” – often offers a wonderfully soothing presence for other characters to make their nerve energy.
In real life, he exhibits the same atmosphere, at least that he did during the Gala Imagine Muny last week at the Austin City Limits Moody Theater, the fourth effort to save a municipal golf course within the limits of the city in the booming capital of Texas.
Wilson was on site for the event because, frankly, he uses the Municipal of the Lions of 18 legendary holes to find his own calm if necessary. As part of the event, led by Ben Crenshaw and his childhood boyfriend Scotty Sayers, Wilson was presented in a short video, something he has done before and will probably be invited to start again.
Let’s go back a little before arriving at the peak of this story. I attended these four galas and watched the members of the community open their wallets and hearts to help the cause. Over the years, I have chatted with Sergio Garcia, Lyle Lovett, Verne Lundquist, Mark Brooks, the former Texas Mack Brown football coach, Ray Benson by Sleep at the Wheel, estimated the advertiser of Austin radio and former match player Dell Play Ed Clements and more. Heck, last year when I was on the green carpet chatting with Lundquist, My pre-adolescent daughter was failing with actor Kyle Chandler. She then turned to me and said to me: “So dad, this guy has Friday evening lights or something?”
And although yes, there is the serious named here, it is really an indication that the biggest names in the city come to support Crenshaw in this cause.
The land on which the municipal lions are one of the 500 acres known as the Brackenridge Troct, which belongs to the University of Texas. The course is considered the first fully de -registered municipal course in the south and the city has rented 140 acres for Muny since 1936, paying around $ 500,000 per year. Originally, the thought behind the Save Muny Conservancy led by Crenshaw and Sayers was to buy the university’s land at a fair price, but as real estate soared to Austin, the group moved to work closer to the university to manage maintenance and the simple Push rental negotiations.
This year, when the night ended, I dip in views and sounds, while sitting at a table with the women’s university of Texas, Laura Ianello, and her husband, Jeff. It was then that Suzanne Erickson, who manages public relations for the Conservancy, asked me what I thought of Wilson. I said that I hadn’t had the chance to meet him. This sparked a series of Jason Bourne type events that looked like nothing of what I had ever been part.
Erickson caught my hand and tried to pass me in front of a bouncer, who insisted that she did not have the right identification information to get behind the scenes. Then came to discuss with another security member. Then she pushed me into a stairwell at the mezzanine, where we dodged many security members to find Wilson.
And with Wynonna Judd surrounding a song on the famous ACL scene, Wilson was kind enough to shoot me in a room to offer his reflections on the municipal lions, a place where he is really expensive. He spoke of the peaceful course, especially in the midst of urban sprawl that surrounds him now. He explained how he admired Crenshaw’s tenacity and commitment to save the property, which could certainly be sold for a massive sum. He talked about the history of green space, something you feel has a real meaning for him.
“For me, it’s like trying to save Central Park,” said Wilson. “I will never forget that Ben said to one of these meetings that it is a place of peace and tranquility, and that is really what it is. Latino.
“And Ben went to this little school that is right opposite. This is where he learned to play golf. To think that someone who continued to accomplish what he has accomplished is incredible. She is a very calm and dignified person.
“And then there is something to say for Texas. For me, it’s an incredible state. My two parents come from Massachusetts, and they moved to Texas in I Thinon ’64, and they like the fact that Texas is a place where people do things.
“And that is, you know, so clearly, a place that you know you don’t want to lose.”
The night was another success without a broadcast. More than a million dollars have been collected for the cause and awareness was noted at another new level.
But in the process of this discussion, Wilson completely missed the Wynonna final. After answering all my questions and we left the rest, the lights had passed and Wynonna had disappeared.
I looked at Luke and grimacted, if only to explain in a non-verbal way that I was sorry to have missed the end, expecting what he could ride his eyes and show frustration.
With the same level level he shows on the screen, Wilson put his hand on my shoulder and simply said: “Everything is fine. What a beautiful night.”
Imperturbable.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Luke Wilson wants to help Ben Crenshaw save the municipality of the Austin Lions
