10 Facts About Some Of Robin Williams’ Most Beloved Films

Sadly, Robin Williams passed away in August 2014 but prior to his death, he created an unforgettable legacy that will be respected forever. He starred in so many classic films that it would be impossible to forget what an impact he made in the movie industry during his creative and inspirational life.

Along with an actor, he was also known for being a comedian, a voice actor, and a genius improviser. He knew how to come up with the funniest jokes and dialogue on the spot! Here are some interesting facts about some of his most beloved movies from before he passed away.

10 Blake Lively Almost Starred In ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ With Robin

1993 is the year Mrs. Doubtfire premiered. The super adorable movie is all about a man who decides to dress up as a female nanny in order to spend more time with his kids after a messy divorce limits his visitation hours. The daughter in the movie is played by Mara Wilson but Blake Lively actually auditioned for the role as well! Blake Lively didn’t land it but ended up landing the leading role in Gossip Girl years later when she was older.

9 He Chose The L Street Tavern Location In ‘Good Will Hunting’

In 1997, Robin Willian starred in a movie called Good Will Hunting. This movie is a drama that is respected and highly revered to this day even though it premiered back in the 90s. It is about a genius-level janitor who is finally able to reveal just how intelligent he is after spending years feeling like he is less-than. One of the filming locations in the movie is at a bar called L Street Tavern and Robin Williams is the one who chose the spot.

8 Liam Neeson Almost Starred In ‘Dead Poets Society’ Instead

Dead Poets Society, a movie that premiered in 1989, almost starred Liam Neeson instead of Robin Williams in a leading role. The movie is about a teacher who teaches the subject of English at an all-boys preparatory school. In order to get lessons clearly across to his students, the teacher uses interesting methods that most other teachers wouldn’t consider.

7 Scarlett Johansson Almost Starred In ‘Jumanji’ With Robin

Scarlett Johansson almost starred in Jumanji with Robin Williams back in 1995. Kirsten Dunst is obviously the young actress who ended up landing the role but it would’ve been really interesting if Scarlett Johansson had been the one! Both actresses are in their late 30s so it makes a lot of sense that they were going up for the same roles at the same time. Scarlett Johansson moved on with her life and landed one of the biggest roles over in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Black Widow.

6 If Robin Williams Didn’t Want To Star In ‘Aladdin’ There Were Other Ideas

Robin Williams ended up doing voice acting for the character of the Genie in 1992s Aladdin but if he hadn’t been interested in taking on the role, casting directors had a few other actors in mind.

Some of those actors include John Candy, Martin Short, John Goodman, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, or Albert Brooks. Robin Williams did such a great job that it is hard to picture anyone else voicing that character.

5 ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’ Was Filmed In Bangkok, Thailand

In 1987, Good Morning, Vietnam was released. The movie was filmed in Bangkok, Thailand despite the fact that the title has the word Vietnam in it. The movie focuses on a radio personality who has a hilarious sense of humor. His job is to lighten up the lives of soldiers who haven’t been able to experience comedy in quite some time. He is dedicated to cracking jokes and putting smiles on the faces of soldiers who were out fighting in the war.

4 ‘Hook’ Was Almost Going To Be A Musical

Hook from 1991 was almost supposed to be a musical rather than a serious drama. The movie is classified as a family-friendly fantasy but it is filled to the brim with some very heartfelt, deep, and emotionally taxing moments.

Robin Williams plays the role of an older Peter Pan who has grown up and become a lawyer. He is no longer the magical little boy who never goes up anymore. He returns to Neverland and reconnects with Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys. He also reconnects with Captain Hook.

3 It Took 4.5 Hours To Complete His Makeup For ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’

Every single time it was time for Robin Williams to film a new scene for Mrs. Doubtfire, he had to get his makeup done for 4.5 hours! That is quite a long time to spend in a chair having cosmetics added to your face, but for Robin Williams, it was definitely worth it. He knew that he wanted to bring the character to life in the most hilariously realistic way possible.

2 Mel Gibson Almost Directed ‘Good Will Hunting’

Gus Van Sant is the man who ended up directing Good Will Hunting but once upon a time, Mel Gibson was actually planning to direct the movie. He ended up stepping down and decided not to direct the film anymore because he had other obligations to focus on. Gus Van Sant ended up doing an incredible job directing the movie so everything worked out in the end.

1 He Improvised Quite A Bit In ‘Dead Poets Society’

For Dead Poets Society, Robin Williams did quite a bit of improvisation! This means that he came up with a lot of his jokes right on the spot. Following the script for this movie wasn’t necessarily something he wanted to do. He was able to work with his costars to come up with hilarious dialogue without any preparation. Sometimes improvisation makes for a better result because things don’t come across as being so scripted.