Robin Williams’ legacy is strong
Amid tributes and grief from family and friends, star’s final films have opened
Comedian has been gone for a year, but his final movies and worldwide tributes keep him in the public’s eye.
Has it really been a year since Robin Williams died? Somehow the world spun on without Williams’ special brand of comic genius in it.
At age 63, after a lifetime of dealing with addictions and depression, plus a new diagnosis of Parkinson’s, Williams hanged himself in his home in Tiburon, Calif., north of his hometown of San Francisco, on Aug. 11, 2014. The news sent a tidal wave of shock and grief around the world.
A year later, his estate is being settled as his widow and children work out remaining differences after court hearings in San Francisco.
The four unreleased movies he left behind have opened or soon will. He was saluted at the Emmys and hailed at the World Series. The bench in Boston’s Public Garden where he filmed scenes for his Oscar-winning role in Good Will Hunting became a mini memorial. California renamed a traffic tunnel near his home the Robin Williams Tunnel.
Williams’ potentially most farreaching impact remains just that: potential. When a worldfamous star kills himself, it brings new attention to mental health disorders and how to treat them.
Williams’ death “opened a national conversation about suicide and suicide prevention,” says Jeffrey Borenstein, psychiatrist and CEO of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation in New York. “People are now more aware that they or their loved ones should seek treatment for depression and other psychiatric conditions.”
Here’s a look back at a year without Williams:
A FRIEND’S TRIBUTE Two weeks after Williams’ death, Billy Crystal delivered an emotional tribute at the Emmys to his longtime friend. “I think it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” he later told Matt Lauer. “They asked me if I would do it and I said, ‘Of course.’ But then came the task of doing it right — and being the spokesman for everybody in front of 17 million people.
He’s my closest friend, and to do it with some humor and only in the short period of time that I had to do it was … difficult.”
A RED CARPET GOODBYE Williams’ widow, Susan Schneider, made her first public appearance at the December premiere of Night at the Museum 3 in New York at director Shawn Levy’s invitation. “We don’t know each other that well, but I feel connected to her,” Levy told USA TODAY. “I cannot begin to fathom what she has endured.” Williams starred as Teddy Roosevelt in all three Night at the Museum films.
HIS CHILDREN ARE ‘STILL GRIEVING’ In February, Zelda, 25, opened up about her father on the Today show.
“He was an incredibly kind and incredibly caring man,” she said. “And he was also very private and very calm and very subdued. So the side of him that people know and love and attach to their childhood is the characters he had so much fun being. And that’s what’s important, and that’s not going anywhere.”
Last month, Williams’ eldest son, Zak, 32, told People he and siblings Zelda and Cody, 23, are trying their best to celebrate their father’s life and to honor him in whatever ways they can.
“We’re still grieving,” said Zak, adding that the siblings “try to focus on the joyful moments and memories.”
Leading up to the anniversary, Zelda took a break from social media.
“In my absence, I understand there will be those who wish to leave messages regarding Dad on my board, but please attempt to be respectful and kind to one another in the process, because kindness is in short supply these days anyhow. Thanks guys.”
WILLIAMS’ LAST FILM OPENED
Boulevard opened on July 17, an art-house drama about a married man coming to terms with his sexuality, and marked the last dramatic film of Williams’ distinguished career. (The actor’s final role is as the voice of a dog in the upcoming sci-fi comedy Absolutely Anything.) Williams’ suicide came just months after Boulevard premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, and distributor Starz held off the film’s release.
TWO WILLIAMS CLASSICS ANNOUNCED REBOOTS
Not popular: A Jumanji remake is set to hit theaters at Christmas 2016. Also, Disney is pursuing an Aladdin prequel called Genie, which will reveal how Aladdin’s Genie ended up locked in the lamp. A chorus of outrage followed on Twitter. “I really don’t want that Jumanji remake. Probably because I feel it’s too soon after Robin William’s death and that’s one of my favs,” wrote @sharlynnshida.
AND TRIBUTES KEEP ROLLING IN
A year later, those who loved Williams find catharsis in speaking of how he touched us and brought laughter to our lives. “I miss Robin so much,” tweeted Margaret Cho, linking to an essay of life lessons inspired by the comic legend.
“The side of him that people know and love and attach to their childhood is the characters he had so much fun being.” Williams’ daughter, Zelda