Sally Field has revealed that she 'drove Robin Williams mad' on the set of the 1993 comedy Mrs Doubtfire by never laughing at his improvisations. The film, directed by Chris Columbus, starred Williams as an actor who disguises himself as an elderly Scottish housekeeper to spend time with his children after separating from his wife, played by Field.
During an appearance on Stephen Colbert's US talk show, Field recalled that she would not laugh at Williams' antics, which frustrated him. 'I would never laugh, ever,' she said. 'And everybody else was laughing and carrying on.' She added that Williams prided himself on making colleagues laugh, which only increased his irritation. 'It drove him mad, actually,' Field said. 'It wasn't funny. It just wasn't funny.'
The first time she did laugh on set was due to co-star Pierce Brosnan, who played her character's love interest. 'Pierce – wonderful Pierce Brosnan – we were sitting at a table at the restaurant, and he made a fart noise on his arm,' Field remembered. 'And I was gone. That was it.'
Despite the tension, Field has always praised Williams as a co-star and individual. She recalled another moment during filming when she learned her father had died. Williams insisted she go home, telling the crew, 'That's it for the day, guys! We're wrapped here.' He walked her out, showing his compassionate side.
Williams died in 2014 at age 63. His health had declined due to Lewy body dementia, misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease. Field is currently promoting her new Netflix film Remarkably Bright Creatures, in which her character bonds with an octopus voiced by Alfred Molina.
