(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Woody Allen feared Owen Wilson was "too blonde" for his latest movie.

The director's film Midnight in Paris stars Owen as the lead character Gil.

However, Woody had misgivings about the actor and wasn't convinced he had the required range to play the role.

"Owen Wilson is an actor I've admired for a long time, but I didn't have a part he could play and in fact I didn't think he could play this one," Woody admitted to British magazine ShortList. "For ages I thought he was just too much of a Californian, too blonde, too much of a beach type. I found I was wrong."

Midnight in Paris is a romantic comedy about a family travelling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple, played by Owen and Rachel McAdams who are forced to confront their own shortcomings when magical experiences begin in the city at midnight.

The movie also stars Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen and Carla Bruni.

Owen is best known for playing light-hearted characters in comedies such as The Wedding Crashers and You, Me and Dupree.

But Woody is confident that the actor has the ability to play deeper roles.

"He had a huge acting range and he knocked off the part, and I was wrong to judge him the way I did," he confessed. (C) Cover Media