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The last days of Robin Williams: ‘Patch Adams’ star was 'hiding sadness' in final interview, fans claim

Robin Williams had an uncharacteristically sulking demeanor during the interview as he spoke about his last role
UPDATED JUL 21, 2023
Robin Williams died by suicide on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63 (Flick Flock/YouTube and IMDb)
Robin Williams died by suicide on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63 (Flick Flock/YouTube and IMDb)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Robin Williams, one of the greatest entertainers of all time, unquestionably led a life that made him immortal in the eyes of his admirers. Dubbed one of the sexiest male actors of all time, the acclaimed actor cast a spell on his audience with his charming smile and acting chops in hit movies like ‘Mrs Doubtfire’, ‘Patch Adams’, ‘Goodwill Hunting’ and 'Dead Poets Society'.

After a celebrated decades-long career, Williams died by suicide on August 11, 2014, at the age of 63. At the time, reports said that the actor's death at his Paradise Cay, California, home was the consequence of acute depression and that he had been previously identified as having a minor form of Parkinson's disease. However, these claims were refuted when an autopsy report clarified that Williams had been suffering from an incurable neurological disorder called Lewy body dementia that every doctor had missed.

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Comedian/actor Robin Williams appears on
Comedian/actor Robin Williams appears on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' at the NBC Studios on October 14, 2004 in Burbank, California (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

'He wasn’t in his right mind'

The brain-eating disease apparently took over Williams’ emotions while hindering his thinking ability. Following the actor’s death, his third wife Susan Schneider opened up about his final days, and what was revealed following his death. Schneider, who married Williams in 2011, was convinced there wasn't any foul play but mentioned he was suffering from LBD, going through different waves of emotions throughout the day. “I knew my honey was clean and sober, they sat me down and said, essentially, Robin died of diffuse Lewy body dementia. They started to talk about neurodegeneration. He wasn’t in his right mind," she said, according to The Irish Times.

HOLLYWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 09:  Actor Robin Williams (R) and Susan Schneider arrive at the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures'
Actor Robin Williams (R) and Susan Schneider arrive at the premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' 'Old Dogs' at the El Capitan Theatre on November 9, 2009 in Hollywood, California (Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Robin Williams appeared different in his last interview

“The coroner described how these Lewy bodies were in nearly every region of his brain. It makes sense why he was experiencing what he was experiencing. Cognitive [function]. Moods. Movement. Depression. Fear. Anxiety. Hallucinations. Delusional thinking. Major sleep disorders. Paranoia. They were all affected. I remember walking out of that facility down the steps and feeling: now I have the name of it,” Schneider continued. Following Williams’ demise, his nostalgic fans claimed that he was clearly not himself during his last interview.

Robin Williams in the  movie 'Jack' (Getty Images)
Robin Williams in the movie 'Jack' (Getty Images)

The 'Dead Poets Society' star maintained a composed demeanor during the entire interview as he spoke about his latest role and how much of a tough job it was, as per the Things. The interview has garnered more than 12 million views on YouTube, with several fans pointing out a difference in the actor’s appearance. "It’s still hard to believe that the legendary man who was so upbeat, goofy, and happy in his movies was going through these horrible issues,” one user said while the second wrote “You can tell even then just by looking into his eyes that he already had a deep-seated sadness. We miss you, Robin.”



 

'Hiding it all'

“I can sense a little of his sadness but he definitely stays calm in this interview like hiding it all. I miss him,” another fan pointed out. However, Williams not only seemed different in his last interview but also in his final movie, ‘Night At The Museum’. Director Shawn Levy recently confirmed that Williams struggled on the set even with the most basic things, including remembering his lines. "I would say a month into the shoot, it was clear to me — it was clear to all of us on that set — that something was going on with Robin," the director told People.

Robin Williams and Shawn Levy in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014) (IMDb)
Robin Williams and Shawn Levy in 'Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb' (2014) (IMDb)

"We saw that Robin was struggling in a way that he hadn't before to remember lines and to combine the right words with the performance,” Levy said, adding that Williams was aware that his performance had dropped, and he worried that his time in the film was unusable. "When Robin would call me at 10 at night, at two in the morning, at four in the morning, saying, 'Is it usable? Is any of this usable? Do I suck? What's going on?' I would reassure him. I said, 'You are still you. I know it. The world knows it. You just need to remember that,'" Levy added.

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