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Mrs Doubtfire Star Lisa Jakub Reveals Onscreen Father Robin Williams Wrote Letter To Principal After She Was Expelled For Starring In Film; READ
Lisa Jakub was expelled from high school for filming Mrs. Doubtfire, leading her on-screen father, actor Robin Williams to write a letter to urge her re-admittance.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Robin Williams' legacy continues to shine brightly, thanks to a heartwarming story about his support for a young co-star. Recently, a letter Williams wrote on behalf of Lisa Jakub, who played his daughter in the beloved 1990s film Mrs. Doubtfire, resurfaced, reminding us of his immense generosity. While filming Mrs. Doubtfire, a story about a father who pretends to be a British nanny to spend more time with his children, young actress Lisa Jakub, who portrayed the eldest sister Lydia 'Lydie' Hillard, faced unexpected challenges. Jakub's high school expelled her because she was away from class to work on the film.
Robin Williams, known for his empathy and generosity, stepped in to help. Upon hearing about the situation, Williams was upset about what he felt was unjust treatment. In response, he wrote a letter to Jakub's school administration, asking them to reconsider their decision. In the letter, Williams urged the school to support Jakub and recognize the value of the experience she was gaining while filming.
Robin Williams wrote a heartfelt letter to Lisa Jakub's school principal
The 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire may be remembered for Robin Williams's hilarious performance, but for child star Lisa Jakub, the filming came with an unexpected challenge: expulsion from school. Jakub, who was a Canadian high school student at the time, was expelled during the filming of Mrs. Doubtfire.
According to her, she was attending high school in Canada but had to leave for four months to shoot the movie. The plan was to send her schoolwork back and forth by mail, given that this was before the days of the Internet. Initially, the arrangement seemed to work, but a few months into filming, the school sent a message that changed everything.
"I got thrown out of high school on Doubtfire. We were a couple of months into filming, and my school in Canada sent a note saying: ‘This isn’t working for us anymore, don’t come back.’ Yeah, 9th grade. I was devastated. It was just so heartbreaking, because I had this life that was very unusual, and that was the one normal thing," she explained.
Robin Williams, noticing Jakub's distress over the situation, decided to take action. He wrote a letter to her school's principal, asking them to reconsider the decision and allow her to continue her education while pursuing her acting career.
Lisa shared, “The amazing thing was Robin saw that I was upset — he asked me what was going on. He wrote a letter to my principal saying that he wanted them to rethink this decision and that I was just trying to pursue my education and career at the same time, and could they please support me in this. The principal got the letter, framed the letter, put it up in the office, and didn’t ask me to come back. Amazing.”
This incident was just one example of Robin Williams' kindheartedness. He often went out of his way to help his colleagues and young actors in the industry. For instance, Matthew Lawrence, who played Chris in Mrs. Doubtfire, shared that Williams wrote a letter of recommendation to help him get into the University of Southern California.
Cast of Mrs. Doubtfire reunites after 30 years
Lisa Jakub, Matthew Lawrence, and Mara Wilson, the child stars from the iconic comedy Mrs. Doubtfire, recently reunited more than 30 years after the film's original release. A photo of their get-together was posted on social media on Wednesday, May 1, capturing the heartwarming moment.
The original cast members, who portrayed siblings alongside Robin Williams' titular character in the 1993 family comedy, were seen smiling and embracing in the photo. "A little reunion was had," remarked Lisa Jakub, who played the oldest sibling, Lydia Hillard, in the movie.
"The sisters had so much fun hanging out with the brothers. @marawilson and @matthewlawrence still feel like my siblings — even 30 years after filming Mrs Doubtfire," Jakub, who starred as oldest child Lydia Hillard, wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
Jakub, 45, on a similar Threads post, added, "We had a little reunion. 30 years later and my Mrs. Doubtfire family still feels like family."
Robin Williams, who tragically passed away in 2014, continues to be revered as one of comedy's greatest talents. Mrs. Doubtfire remains a cherished classic, showcasing Williams' genius for blending humor with heartfelt moments.
Directed by Chris Columbus, Mrs. Doubtfire was not only a hit with viewers, but it also did well at the box office. It won an Oscar for Best Makeup at the 1994 Academy Awards too.
Mrs. Doubtfire is currently available to stream on Disney+.
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