The actress opens up about Robin Williams’ “sensitive and intuitive” side that “people rarely knew.”
Sally Field is opening up about how Robin Williams was there for her when her father passed away during the filming of Mrs. Doubtfire.
The Norma Rae star, who played matriarch Miranda Hillard in the 1993 dramedy classic, paid tribute to the beloved comedian who passed away on Aug. 11, 2014 by suicide, revealing a sweet interaction she had with him while grieving on set.
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“I was in the camper outside of the courtroom where we were shooting the divorce scene. My father had a stroke a couple of years before, and was in a nursing facility,” Field told Variety. “I got a phone call from the doctor saying my father had passed — a massive stroke.”
She continued, “He asked if I wanted them to put him on the resuscitator. I said, ‘No, he did not want that. Just let him go. And please lean down and say, ‘Sally says goodbye.’”
Despite the heartbreaking news, the grief-stricken actress tried to continue working, business as usual, but Williams saw right through the facade.
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“I was of course beside myself. I came on the set trying with all my might to act. I wasn’t crying. Robin came over, pulled me out of the set, and asked, ‘Are you OK?’” the actress said.
After hearing about her loss, Williams replied “Oh my God, we need to get you out of here right now.”
“And he made it happen,” Field said, sharing that Williams went to director Chris Columbus and managed to get the production schedule changed. “They shot around me the rest of the day.”
She continued, “I could go back to my house, call my brother and make arrangements. It’s a side of Robin that people rarely knew: He was very sensitive and intuitive.”
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In the film, Williams played Field’s on-screen ex-husband Daniel Hillard, who disguised himself as British nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire in an effort to spend time with his children after the court gave Miranda full custody.
Mrs. Doubtfire was a massive success — winning Williams his fourth Golden Globe Award in 1994 for his performance. The movie earned $219 million in ticket sales and ranked second at the global box office upon its initial release.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Crisis Lifeline (988) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress.
