'Mrs. Doubtfire' stars reflect on Robin Williams at 90s Con

Mara Wilson and Lisa Jakub recalled fond memories of working with Williams.

March 16, 2022, 12:00 PM

"Mrs. Doubtfire" stars Mara Wilson and Lisa Jakub reunited at Connecticut's Hartford Convention Center last weekend for the first 90s Con.

Speaking about the beloved 1993 movie -- and their friendship -- nearing its 30th anniversary, the two reflected on working with late comedy legend Robin Williams, who died by suicide in 2014.

"I have so many moments of him being kind and looking me in the eye and and talking to me very gently," Wilson told ABC Audio. "He was a very gentle and quiet, introverted person underneath."

Wilson said Williams also often acted "silly, like making his carpet bag bark like a dog and making little hand puppets that would talk to you and make little jokes."

"I consider myself incredibly lucky to have known him," the "Matilda" star added.

Jakub said Williams "was very open about his issues with mental wellness" and taught her "it was OK to be vulnerable."

PHOTO: Robin Williams in a scene from the film "Mrs. Doubtfire," 1993.
Robin Williams in a scene from the film "Mrs. Doubtfire," 1993.
20th Century-Fox/Getty Images, FILE

"What was most meaningful to me was to see that human beneath the comedic act," she added.

Jakub said Williams had "a massive impact" on her. She has since launched the mental health resource platform Blue Mala.

Wilson and Jakub, who were 6 and 14 when filming "Mrs. Doubtfire," shared how Sally Field and Williams teamed up to take care of them on set. Jakub said the two treated them "like we were their kids" by ensuring "we had time to just be kids and not always be working all the time."

Wilson agreed that the two were "parental," and said, "Sally would get down to my level and help me with my lines. They treated us like we were kids, but they also helped us with our responsibilities."

"Mrs. Doubtfire," directed by Chris Columbus and based on Anne Fine's 1987 novel "Alias Madame Doubtfire," won the Oscar for best makeup and has spawned a Broadway show based on the film.

If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. You can reach Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 (U.S.) or 877-330-6366 (Canada) and The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.

Related Topics