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More than 30 years after Mrs. Doubtfire became a home staple, one of its co-stars is remembering a lesson in life he says he’ll never forget—one that came directly from Robin Williams.
Matthew Lawrence, who played Chris Hillard, the son of Williams’ character in the 1993 smash hit, has recently disclosed that the late comedy legend once spoke to him privately to deliver a forceful and sincere message about drug use.
“Sometimes he’d just grab me and he’d be like, ‘Don’t put that stuff in your body. Don’t do it. If I had done it differently, it would’ve been a completely different game,’” Lawrence shared on the Brotherly Love podcast, which his brothers Joey and Andrew and himself co-host.
Lawrence remembered how Williams, who had been candid about his past battle with addiction, didn’t beat around the bush about the damage it had wrought on his health and life. Williams told him bluntly that years of using cocaine had “screwed up his brain” and he was “struggling every day” because of it. The meeting left an indelible mark on Lawrence, who credits it with staying him away from drugs in Hollywood, where drugs were rampant.
“Due to him, I never took cocaine,” Lawrence said. “I never even touched it. I stayed away from it due to what he said.”
Williams, who took his own life in 2014 at age 63, was not only renowned for his genius on screen but for his kindness and guidance off. Lawrence described him as one of just a few grown-up actors who treated child actors like equals and looked out for them.
“Robin was the first adult who really talked to me, not down to me. He was a teacher,” Lawrence said.
The actor’s comments serve as a reminder of Williams’ impact beyond entertainment. While he made millions laugh, he was also fighting personal battles—and trying to help others avoid the same path. His honesty and vulnerability became a gift to younger actors like Lawrence, who took his words seriously.
“I’ll never forget it,” Lawrence said. “He saved me from going down a really dark road.”
