Nearly a decade after Robin Williams’ death by suicide, director Chris Columbus revealed in a recent chat that the late actor considered doing a Mrs. Doubtfire sequel. Chris, who worked on classics like Home Alone and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, said Robin was against the idea until 2014 when he found a “really strong” script.
Chris told Business Insider that Robin requested less time in the fat suit as a condition for the sequel. “Robin’s only comment was, ‘Boss, do I have to be in the suit as much this time?’ It was physically demanding,” Chris told the outlet. “For Robin, I think it was like running a marathon every day he was in the Doubtfire costume. He was older, obviously.”
‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ was one of Robin’s favorites
Mrs. Doubtfire was one of Robin’s most iconic roles, being up high on his list of hits like Aladdin, Hook, Jumanji, and Good Will Hunting. He was both a producer and a double-character actor in the production, which also starred Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Harvey Fierstein, and Robert Prosky.
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Upon its release in 1993, Mrs. Doubtfire received mixed reactions from critics; however, it quickly became a family favorite, grossing over $440 million — almost twenty times the budget. Chris recalled Robin improvising so much on set that they used up to two million feet of film, with 972 boxes of footage still in storage. “It was something to behold,” said Chris, who did not mind at the time because they “were loving what we were seeing.”
Robin’s tragic end and addiction
Despite having made a successful career out of entertaining people, which earned him awards and widespread recognition, Robin battled drug and alcohol addiction for a number of years until the birth of his eldest son in 1983, after which he relapsed twenty years later. His drinking problem cost him his 19-year marriage to Marsha Garces, although he was sober during their split. “You can say, ‘I forgive you’ and all that stuff, but it’s not the same as recovering from it,” he said at the time. “It’s not coming back.”
Robin was confirmed dead on August 11, 2014; he was found with a belt around his neck and cuts on his wrist, causing the authorities to rule his death as suicide. However, an autopsy later revealed the actor battled with Lewy body dementia, a type of progressive brain disease that affects regular body functions and mental well-being.