Robin Williams‘ legacy has still been felt throughout Hollywood in the years since his death at age 63.
News broke on August 11, 2014, that the actor — who won an Oscar, six Golden Globe Awards, five Grammy Awards and more over the course of his prolific career — was found dead in his California home. There were no illegal drugs or traces of alcohol in his system at the time of his death, which was ruled a suicide.
Immediately after Williams’ death, tributes poured in from those who knew him best. “I could not be more stunned by the loss of Robin Williams, mensch, great talent, acting partner, genuine soul,” Steve Martin wrote via social media at the time.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, who starred alongside Williams on the CBS show The Crazy Ones, shared a collage of photos of the pair. Fellow comedian Ellen DeGeneres tweeted, “I can’t believe the news about Robin Williams. He gave so much to so many people. I’m heartbroken.”
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Weeks later, Billy Crystal honored his friend and Father’s Day costar on stage at the 2014 Emmy Awards, calling Williams “the brightest star in a comedy galaxy.”
“It is very hard to talk about him in the past because he was so present in our lives,” Crystal continued. “He made us laugh. Hard. … He could be funny anywhere.”
Crystal hailed Williams as “the greatest friend you can ever imagine,” ending his tearful tribute with a poignant thought. “While some of the brightest of our celestial bodies are actually extinct now, their energy long since cool, but miraculously, because they float in the heavens so far away from the sound, their beautiful life will continue to shine on us forever,” he said. “And the glow will be so bright. … And you’ll think to yourself: Robin Williams, what a concept.”
Along with his storied career, which included roles in Good Will Hunting, Mrs. Doubtfire, Dead Poets Society and more, Williams was a father of three. He welcomed son Zak with his first wife, Valerie Velardi, before their 1988 split. With his second wife, Marsha Garces, Williams shared daughter Zelda and son Cody.
Zelda, now 35, spoke publicly about her father’s death for the first time on the Today show in February 2015. “I think a lot of people feel his absence. But for me, especially, it’s going to take a lot of work to allow myself to have the sort of fun, happy life that I had,” she said. “But that’s important. Anybody who has ever lost anyone works very hard to continue that memory in a positive way.”
Asked what she hoped fans remember about her dad, she continued, “People should remember what they want to remember about him. Who am I to guide what their childhood memories are of watching his movies? That’s their memories. … I have mine, and they are mine, and I love that. They are private and lovely and perhaps very different, but who knows?”
She added, “The world keeps spinning, but that doesn’t mean he was never on it.”
Zelda and her siblings have continued to reflect on the loss of her father, with Zak writing a touching message on what would have been Williams’ 73rd birthday.
“There’s not a week that goes by without someone sharing with me how you helped them through a dark time or a rough patch. I’m so grateful to be your son. Love you forever,” Zak, now 41, wrote via X earlier this year.
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At the time of his death, Williams was married to Susan Schneider, who opened up about his struggle with Lewy body dementia following his death. (Williams was previously diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and his autopsy pointed to signs of depression and anxiety.)
Like his loved ones, Hollywood stars have mourned the absence of Williams over the last 10 years. Pierce Brosnan spoke candidly about grieving his Mrs. Doubtfire costar in a 2019 GQ interview.
“Oh, Robin, still, his passing still hurts deeply,” he said. “I miss him. … Robin was brilliant.”
Brosnan previously reflected on his first interaction with Williams, telling Us Weekly in 2014, “I walked into the trailer and there was Robin in a pair of Ugg boots, hairy legs, shorts, Hawaiian shirt and hairy chest. That’s how I met Robin Williams, and that’s how I met Mrs. Doubtfire. And I had the time of my life. Every day was just sheer magic with the man.”
In December 2023, Whoopi Goldberg was moved to tears while remembering Williams at the annual Kennedy Center Honors, where Crystal was being recognized.
“I want to acknowledge … the person who should also be standing here with me is our brother Robin,” she said on stage. “You are my family, you’re my big brother, and you have no idea what an honor it is to see you get your due. I love you. You’re a mensch. You’re a national treasure. National treasure. Billy, congratulations.”
While speaking with reporters ahead of the ceremony, Crystal also took the opportunity to reflect on his bond with Williams. “I’m really feeling I’m missing my friend Robin tonight, very much so, because of all of what we did together,” he said. “I know that he would be here, and he is, so it’s special and a lot of feelings for me tonight.”
More of Williams’ former colleagues shared their favorite memories with Vanity Fair as the 10th anniversary of his death approached.
“We knew him as the funniest person in the world, and I remember us having that expectation,” Matt Damon told the outlet, reflecting on his time filming Good Will Hunting. “I’m sure he felt that [pressure] all the time. But I found him much more to be the Juilliard-trained actor: serious, quiet, reflective. We hadn’t even started rehearsals yet, and he recited that long monologue on the park bench, letter-perfect. He came completely prepared, but was also ready to throw it all out and go with a better idea.”
Night at the Museum‘s Ben Stiller added, “When he was around his fans, he would give them his full attention. Skyler Gisondo, playing my son in the third [Night at the Museum] movie, got me and Robin to help him ask his date to prom. Robin would go above and beyond to make people happy. He called everybody Boss. ‘Yes, Boss. You want me here, Boss?’”
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One of the most heartwarming stories came from Sally Field, who joined Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire. She recalled being in her trailer on set when she learned of her father’s death.
“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?’” she told Vanity Fair.
When she explained what happened, Williams leapt into action. “[He said], ‘Oh, my God, we need to get you out here right now,’” she recalled. “And he made it happen — they shot around me the rest of the day. 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.”
The Fisher King‘s Jeff Bridges praised Williams for his “generosity” and sense of humor. “He had access to the humor of the cosmos and let it rip through him,” he said. “And his compassion, the charitable events he did with Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal … It’s like, we’re not gonna be here that long, so give us what you got, kid. He certainly did.”
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