Actor and comedian Robin Williams left a lasting impression on his young “Mrs. Doubtfire” co-star Matthew Lawrence, who said in a recent interview that he will never forget the wisdom he gained while making the film.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Lawrence said in an interview with the outlet after being unmasked on The Masked Singer, that Williams had given him the “biggest learning curve” the young actor could experience in regard to acting and entertaining.
“I didn’t quite realize it at the time, but that moment there on set of Mrs. Doubtfire, that those six to eight months were the biggest learning curve anyone can get when it comes to making movies and being an entertainer,” Lawrence said.
“And then on top of that, you get a chance to be around Robin Williams, and he takes an investment in you, as he does with people. But in particular, he really took an investment with me,” he added.
Lawrence, who was 12 at the time of filming, played Chris in the 1993 film, the second child of three children that were nannied by Williams’ character Mrs. Doubtfire, who was dressed in a disguise to spend more time with his children after losing custody in a divorce.
Lawrence said Williams had given him two big lessons – having compassion for people, and how not to judge someone until you walk in their shoes.
“He really quantified what it was to be a real artist for me in the sense that he was definitely, and I worked with some great people, and he was definitely the most brilliant artist I’ve ever worked with,” Lawrence said. “But on top of that, he had the compassion, he had the humility, and he also had these things that he struggled with.”
Williams opened up to Lawrence about his struggles with substance abuse throughout the years. Williams died by suicide in 2014 at the age of 63.
“He really explained his life to me and really brought me in and taught me not just about in front of the camera, but a lot about the behind the camera as well, and how he felt that substances really further pushed his brain to not function properly,” Lawrence said.
“And he really opened up with me, and I’ll never forget it. There were times he would just grab me and he’d be like, ‘Don’t put that stuff in your body. If I could go back and tell myself, this is why I’m telling you, don’t put that stuff in your body.”
Williams’ advice stuck with Lawrence, who said that despite growing up in Hollywood he had avoided using substances and credited Williams for that, adding that he continues to be touched by his presence 10 years after Williams’ death.
Lawrence says that, as he grew up in Hollywood, he did in fact stay away from “that stuff,” and he credits his experience with Williams as being the driving force behind that. Today, more than 10 years after the comedian’s death, Lawrence says he is still touched by his presence.
“Man, it’s a real shame that he’s not with us. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t hear his voice,” Lawrence said of Williams, adding, “I even wish, now with artificial intelligence, I kind of want to go to his family and be like, would you guys allow me to use his voice for some sort of creative expression? Because I hear it every day, in my head.”
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