Robin Williams' kind gesture so teenager doesn't feel like a 'monster'

Lisa Jakub, who worked with Robin Williams when she was a teenager on Mrs Doubtfire, has revealed how the actor was kind to her and helped her not feel like a “monster”.

Lisa, 45, starred in the classic 1993 film as Lydia Hillard, the eldest of Daniel Hillard's (played by Williams) three children when she was 14.

The film became an instant classic and saw the comedy legend play a desperate father who dresses in drag and prosthetics just so he can find a way to spend time with his children during a messy divorce from his wife , played by Sally Field.

The cult classic also starred child star Matilda, Mara Wilson and James Bond star Pierce Brosnan, who previously spoke of Williams' “humanity and passion for all of us as actors” and revealed that the Mork and Mindy star would arrive on set every day at 4 a.m. in a 2023 interview with GQ.

It is for this kindness and passion that he is remembered today, and Lisa reflected on his role over 30 years ago and revealed the kind words she received from his famous co-star.

“(He was) probably one of the first people to talk to me really honestly about mental health,” she said.

“And he would tell me about his struggles and the things he had experienced. And that was the first time I was like, “Oh, I'm not a monster. I don't have to hide that. It’s just something that some of us have to deal with,” she added to Fox News Digital.

Williams, who would be 72 if he were alive today, committed suicide in August 2014, aged 63, after suffering from depression and a form of dementia.

The actor has spoken openly about his depression, his addiction to alcohol and drugs earlier in his life and how he was supported by groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous.

In a 2010 interview with the Guardian, he was asked if he was happy: “I think so. And I'm not afraid of being unhappy. It is good too. And then you can say that everything is fine. And that’s the problem, that’s the gift.

In the new interview, the actress also revealed, “Robin was everything we hoped Robin would be, and it's so wonderful to think about him now… (I'm) grateful that I was able to be his presence, to have been able to work with him, that he was so kind to me.

Lisa has now stepped away from the entertainment industry and founded a program to help prevent veteran suicide.

She said that, by a strange coincidence, she had since learned that Williams was working with unemployed veterans to help them find work as extras on his film sets.

“A lot of people told me that Robin also worked a lot with the veteran population and always had production crews that hired local veterans to be background actors or things like that on set, which I had never heard of it at the time. I worked with him…but I also love that little connection,” she said.

This isn't the first time Lisa has spoken out about Williams' kindness towards her. She revealed in a Brotherly Love podcast that he wrote to her school principal when she was about to be expelled for taking time off work to shoot Mrs. Doubtfire.

“He wrote a letter to my principal saying he wanted them to rethink this decision and that I was just trying to pursue my education and my career at the same time, and could they support me in that.”

The manager received the letter, framed it, posted it in the office and did not ask me to return. Unbelievable,” she revealed, explaining that despite her best efforts, the letter was unsuccessful.

Earlier this year, Matthew Lawrence, who also starred as one of the children in the film, opened up about the possibility of a Mrs. Doubtfire reboot.

The actor revealed that before Williams' passing, a reboot was being considered: “I mean, in 2014, they were talking about it, and everyone was kind of excited about it. And then obviously [Williams] deceased. So I do not know.

“I wouldn’t want to do it without him personally,” he concluded.

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