In case you needed further proof Robin Williams was one of the greatest people of our time, an old letter he wrote on behalf of his “Mrs. Doubtfire” costar Lisa Jakub resurfaced.
While filming the iconic ’90s movie about divorced dad Daniel Hillard (Williams) who poses as a British nanny so he can be closer to his children, one of the child actors was having a rough time. Jakub, who played eldest sister Lydia “Lydie” Hillard, was expelled from her high school. Her crime? She was filming a movie.
Angry at what he felt was unjust treatment, Williams wrote a letter to Jakub’s school, urging them to reconsider their decision. The letter, which recently surfaced again on both Reddit and Imgur, demonstrated just how amazing Williams was.
Uproxx noted Jakub wrote about the experience on her blog on the day Williams died. To hear her describe the ordeal makes us miss Williams even more.
“When I was 14 years old, I went on location to film “Mrs. Doubtfire” for five months, and my high school was not happy. My job meant an increased workload for teachers, and they were not equipped to handle a “non-traditional” student. So, during filming, they kicked me out. When I arrived at work the next day, Robin noticed that I was upset and asked me what was wrong. I explained what had happened, and the next day, he handed me a letter that he wrote to my school…When I told him I still didn’t think they would take me back, he said, “It’s kinda like Amnesty International. That school just needs to know that people know the truth.””
Our reactions right now.
So, the school quickly recanted its decision and allowed Jakub to return, right? WRONG.
According to Jakub, “The school framed the letter. They hung it in the principal’s office. But they didn’t invite me to return to school.” Same to you, school.
Despite the final outcome, Jakub learned something critical that day in 1993. She explained, “Robin stood up for me. He was in my corner. I was only 14, but I had already seen that I was in an industry that was full of back-stabbing. And it was entirely clear that Robin had my back.”
It’s obvious Williams made a huge impact on the lives of people he knew, as well as the lives of strangers who watched him on TV. Based on the outpouring of love he received from both celebrities and family after his death, Williams was someone who will always be missed. However, it’s important that stories like this “Mrs. Doubtfire” letter are never forgotten. Just like the Genie in “Aladdin” claimed, we never had a friend like him.
