It has now been ten years since the passing of the great departed. Robin Williams He died tragically, On the 10th anniversary of his deathVanity Fair reached out to Williams' friends, colleagues and co-stars, asking them what they would consider working with the beloved comedian. That includes several stars of the 1993 family comedy Mrs. Doubtfirewith Sally Field, who played Miranda Hillard, the ex-wife of Williams' character played by Daniel in the film, Share a story about how he went out of his way to help her during a particularly difficult time..
“I’ve never talked about this story before. I was in an RV outside the courthouse where we were filming the divorce scene. My father had had a stroke two years earlier, and he was in a nursing home. I got a phone call from the doctor saying my father had died, of a massive stroke. He asked me if I wanted to put him on life support. I said, ‘No, he didn’t want that. Just let him go. And please bend over and say, “Sally says goodbye.”’ I was, of course, out of my depth.”
Field continued, offering some insight into Robin Williams' sensitive soul and empathetic nature, with the actor doing everything he could to make sure she was okay and could take the time she needed.
“I went on set trying my hardest to act. I wasn’t crying. Robin came, pulled me off the set, and asked, ‘Are you okay?’ ‘Yes, why?’ ‘I don’t know, I just thought about it.’” [I’d ask] “No, I’m not, Robin. My dad just died.” “Oh my God, we need to get you out of here now.” And he did it—they shot around me the rest of the day. I could go home, call my brother, make arrangements. It’s a side of Robin that people rarely get to know: he was very sensitive and intuitive.”
Not only did Field share this touching story, which will no doubt remind us all why Williams remains so beloved, she also revealed what it was like to work for the improvisation master, crediting him with: Mrs. Doubtfire success.
“My job was to simply respond to whatever he did, as any real person would. I absolutely loved that feeling of being on edge. You couldn’t really see what Mrs. Doubtfire was on the page. She became her own life form primarily because of him.”
Mrs. Doubtfire Star Mara Wilson Praises Robin Williams' 'Incredibly Caring' Nature
Mrs. Doubtfire Star Mara Wilson, who starred alongside Williams as his youngest daughter Natalie, also spoke about working with the actor, revealing that he could be “very quiet” while offering another example of his very caring nature.
“People are always amazed when I tell them that Robin can be so quiet. When I was nine, we read the book What Dreams May Come, shortly after my mother died. He came up to me and asked me very kindly how I was and how my family was, but he didn’t mention anything that would be painful. He was very kind.”
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Of course, in addition to being cute, Williams was also very funny, with Wilson sharing a story about how he was able to connect with children, and how that worked out so well when he voiced the Genie in the 1992 Disney classic. Aladdin.
“He would make his hands talk and argue with each other: ‘I don’t like you! You smell like poop!’ ‘Hey, there’s no toilet paper in my house!’ Which is the funniest thing ever for a five-year-old. There’s actually a part in ‘Friend Like Me.’” [from Aladdin] “Where the genie's hands do some backup singing and move behind him. The animators must have gotten that idea from him – it looked and sounded exactly like the talking hands he used to make me laugh. I think he just had kids.”
Actor Robin Williams sadly passed away on August 11, 2014. The actor remains one of Hollywood's most beloved talents of all time and is deeply missed by friends, colleagues and fans around the world.
