Sally Field Reflects on Robin Williams' Humor in Mrs. Doubtfire

Sally Field Shares Memories of Mrs. Doubtfire

Academy Award-winning actress Sally Field and the late comedian Robin Williams collaborated on the beloved film Mrs. Doubtfire, which has since become a cherished family favorite. Although Williams passed away in 2014, Field recently disclosed that she rarely found his antics amusing during filming. Instead, it was another actor who succeeded in making her laugh. The 1993 comedy, directed by Chris Columbus, grossed an impressive $441.3 million against a budget of $25 million. In India, the films Avvai Shanmugi and Chachi 420, featuring Kamal Haasan, drew inspiration from this Hollywood classic.

Sally Field Discusses Robin Williams' Humor

During her guest appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Field recounted how her lack of laughter on set frustrated Williams. While the rest of the cast frequently broke into giggles, Field remained stoic, claiming that Williams' jokes simply did not resonate with her. "It just wasn't funny," she remarked.

However, it was British actor Pierce Brosnan, who portrayed her love interest, Stu Dunmeyer, that finally elicited laughter from her. During a restaurant scene, Brosnan made a humorous fart noise with his arm, prompting uncontrollable laughter from Field. Williams quipped, "That's all it took?"

Overview of Mrs. Doubtfire

In Mrs. Doubtfire, Field plays Miranda, the ex-wife of Daniel (Williams), who is navigating a divorce while caring for their three children: Lydia (Lisa Jakub), Chris (Matthew Lawrence), and Natalie (Mara Wilson). To spend more time with his kids, Daniel disguises himself as an English nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire, juggling the challenges of his new role alongside his job.

Sally Field's Upcoming Projects

After a three-year hiatus, Field is set to return to the big screen with her new film, Remarkably Bright Creatures, which will debut on Netflix on May 8. Directed by Olivia Newman, the drama features Field as Tova, a widow who forms a unique bond with a giant Pacific octopus (voiced by Alfred Molina) and a young man, played by Lewis Pullman, who arrives in town in search of his father.

The film also stars Joan Chen, Kathy Baker, Beth Grant, Sofia Black-D'Elia, and Colm Meaney. Co-written by Newman and John Whittington, Remarkably Bright Creatures is based on Shelby Van Pelt's acclaimed debut novel.