The actress, who plays Lydia in Mrs. Doubtfire, remembered Robin Williams through a sweet gesture of her own. When Lisa Jakub was expelled from her school during the filming of the comedy, her star intervened promptly: here’s how.
That Robin Williams was exceptional on and off the set, it’s certainly no mystery. There are numerous people from the world of entertainment who were very close to him and who, over the years, have shared anecdotes about the generosity and empathy of the late artist, missing for almost 10 years. The last tribute, in chronological order, comes from Lisa Jakubwho starred alongside Williams in Mrs. Doubtifire (1993).
The Canadian actress, now 45, was around 14 when she played the role of Lydia Hillardone of the three children of the reckless man Daniel (Williams). In the cult comedy of Chris Columbusas is known, the protagonist, in order to spend time with his boys after the end of his marriage with Miranda (Sally Field), will transform into the perfect English governess: Iphigenia Doubtfire.
Lisa Jakubrecently took part in one reunion with his ‘brothers’ in fiction, Matthew Lawrence And Mara Wilson. The trio were guests on the podcast Brotherly Lovewhere the actress took the opportunity to remember a very special episode that involved her Robin Williams. During the four months of filming of Mrs. Doubtfire, Lisa attended high school in Canada. At the time, students did not enjoy all the technological conveniences available today, therefore he received his homework directly from the school and, once completed, he sent them back.
Not exactly an effective system and, in fact, it didn’t last long. After a couple of months on set, Jakub received a communication from the school, which he announced the expulsion. “I was devastated – commented the actress – It was so heartbreaking because, you know, I had this very unusual life and school was the only normal thing.” It wasn’t long, however, before Williams decided to take matters into his own hands and intervene.
The thing is, Robin understood that I was angry. She asks me what was happening. I explained it to him. And he wrote a letter to my principal saying that, you know, he wanted them to go back on that decision and that I was just trying to pursue my education and my career at the same time and that, kindly, could they support me in that.
The school, however, did not listen to reason and confirmed Lisa’s expulsion: “The principal received the letter, he framed it, hung it in the office and didn’t ask me to come back. Incredible”.
During the same interview, the woman, who today deals with yoga, wellness and meditation, also remembered what it was like working with Robin Williams. Before joining the cast of Mrs. DoubtfireLisa had already gained some experience on the big and small screen but nothing, she specified, resembled what she experienced on the set of Columbus.
I had been acting for ten years when I started Doubtfire, but we had always used a script, okay, so I knew when it was my turn to speak and I could say my line. And then you find yourself on set with Robin and it’s like, ‘Who the fuck knows what’s going to happen now?’
During the resumed, as is known, the histrionic actor had so much fun that he improvised for much of the time. Jakub, young and inexperienced, imagined that she would simply follow the script. How wrong she was! She found herself completely taken aback by her colleague’s exuberance, but learned to let go and follow him in his madness: “It was really much more meditative than what I had done before, which always seemed rather mechanical to me, like: ‘I know what’s going to happen. ‘Suddenly you’re on set and you think, ‘I’m so lost,’ but you know you’ll follow it, because he is Robin and you can trust him.”
