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Matthew Lawrence Reveals the Biggest Life Lesson He Received from Robin Williams Before His Tragic Death: 'Don’t act in...'
Matthew Lawrence reflects on the life lesson he learned from Robin Williams while filming Mrs. Doubtfire, and how it helped him years later in his career.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of suicide.
Matthew Lawrence, known for his role in Mrs. Doubtfire, recently opened up about the powerful advice he received from Robin Williams, who starred alongside him in the 1993 film. In an exclusive conversation with Page Six, Lawrence shared how the late comedian’s words helped him throughout his career, especially during a tough moment on The Masked Singer.
“Robin Williams was the landmark figure in my young career,” Lawrence said. “Not only was he the most brilliant artist, but he was just the most compassionate, humble, good human being I’ve yet to work with in this business.”
Williams, who died by suicide in 2014 after a long battle with depression, left behind words that Matthew Lawrence continues to live by. “Don’t act in fear,” Lawrence recalled. “He would say that all the time and it’s so special.” That advice helped him overcome one of his biggest personal struggles, stage fright.
Years ago, Lawrence went through a challenging experience during a Broadway audition. He said that casting director Bernard Telsey had flown him out to New York, where he ended up performing in front of a packed audience.
According to Lawrence, David Letterman had been filming nearby and came over to watch, bringing along the guests from his show that night, who were also seated in the crowd.
Lawrence shared that he had originally prepared to sing with a background track, but was caught off guard when a pianist showed up instead. The unexpected change threw him off, and he admitted that he couldn’t tell where the pianist was in the song. This led to a moment of stage fright, his throat closed up just as he was about to sing.
He recalled hearing murmurs from the audience and running off stage. The incident left a lasting impact on him for years. However, when The Masked Singer reached out with an invitation to perform, his loved ones, including his brothers Joey and Andy Lawrence, encouraged him to accept. He said he felt honored but was hesitant due to his lingering fear. In the end, he was grateful that his family pushed him to do it.
Lawrence performed as Paparazzo on The Masked Singer, and said one moment stood out in particular, his tribute to Robin Williams with Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. He described it as a lightning-in-the-bottle moment and believed there was a spiritual element to the experience. He stated that it felt like an elevated moment that helped him perform better than he thought he was capable of.
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