Field played Williams’ estranged wife and the mother of his three children in the film. A few years before production began, her father had suffered a stroke and was placed in a nursing home. While Mrs. Doubtfire was being filmed, Field received a devastating phone call on set: her father had experienced another major stroke and was not expected to survive.
Speaking with Vanity Fair—which gathered reflections from more than 20 of Williams’ friends and colleagues to mark the tenth anniversary of his death—Field shared the story publicly for the first time. She said she wanted to highlight Williams’ remarkable sensitivity and intuition.
Recalling the day, Field said she was sitting in a tent outside the courtroom set when the doctor called to say her father had passed. Though she was overwhelmed with grief, she tried to remain composed and continue working.
When she arrived back on set, Williams immediately sensed something was wrong. He quietly pulled her aside and asked if she was okay. At first, she insisted she was fine, but when she finally told him what had happened, Williams instantly took action. He arranged for filming to continue around her so she could leave, go home, and be with her family.
Field later reflected that Williams’ compassion was extraordinary, though few people ever saw that side of him.
Another example of his kindness came from Mara Wilson, who played his youngest daughter in the film. After Wilson lost her mother in 1996, Williams gently checked in on her without reopening wounds—a gesture she described as pure kindness.
Robin Williams passed away on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63, leaving behind not only an iconic legacy, but countless stories of quiet compassion.
