I grew up watching Robin Williams in everything from Mork and Mindy to Hook, but one of my all-time favorites is his classic '90s family hit Mrs. Doubtfire. Since the actor’s passing, hearing stories from his costars continue to remind me of how amazing he was. These heartfelt stories never fail to make us all emotional. One of his Mrs. Doubtfire costars, Lisa Jakub, has recently opened up about how he helped her confront mental health struggles.

The film focuses on a father who dresses up as a female nanny to spend time with his three children following a divorce. Thanks to streaming, I can enjoy the movie whenever I want to with a Disney+ subscription. Jakub played the middle child and oldest daughter, Lydia. The actor opens about this story while at an event held at the Burbank Marriott Airport (via People):

The event served as a reunion between Hillard siblings, bringing together Jakub with Matthew Lawrence and Mara Wilson. I cannot express how excited I get every time these three get together to share stories. This isn’t the only time the three have reunited, as Lawrence often features his on-screen sisters on his Brotherly Love podcast that he hosts with his brothers.

These events are always a good time for fans like me to hear stories, both new and old. Mrs. Doubtfire remains a beloved film, even though many have been open about certain issues they can’t overlook. However, this hasn’t stopped me and other fans from enjoying the movie and the delightful stories we keep getting. Who could forget when director Chris Columbus teased us all about he got so much extra footage that he could make a NC-17 version of the film?

Each time they reunite, they never fail to bring up fond memories of Williams. One of the main things they often bring up is how the late actor would check in on the children when one of them seemed upset. One particular moment Lisa Jakub brings up is how her Canadian teachers refused to have her back, claiming child actors were “too much work.” This greatly upset her, which prompted Williams to do more than check in; he wrote a letter to her principal, which she still has to this day. She recalls:

In addition to Jakub, her costars have been open about their own experiences. Matthew Lawrence has previously shared about the deep conversations he had with Williams on set. The actor has bluntly talked about how Williams changed his life by being honest with him about substance abuse and even taught him about working behind the camera.

But his legacy has reached beyond just one film, as his Mrs. Doubtfire costars aren’t the only ones who remember him with fondness. Others, such as Sarah Michelle Gellar, who he starred with in the short-lived sitcom, The Crazy Ones, have revealed how his death led her to taking a break from acting. For those who want to read even more stories can also check out his son’s touching post honoring him.

One thing is for sure, Robin Williams and his legacy will never be forgotten.

Sally Field has a lot of great movies, but there’s something really special about Mrs. Doubtfire. Sure, it’s over thirty years old and there’s some issues with it if you look closely, but it’s one of those films I know I’ll continue to rewatch and laugh and cry over for years to come. Field was just asked about her memories on the set of the 1993 movie with Williams, and she shared how the late actor got her into gaming. Wild, right?

Look I know video games are for everyone, but I don’t know many 79-year-olds who actively play them. But, Sally Field shared she is while talking about Robin Williams with this story:

She’s of course talking about The Legend Of Zelda, which was in its 2D computer game era from 1986 to 1997 before it transitioned to 3D for the Nintendo 64 the following year. How sweet is it that Robin Williams and Sally Field were playing Zelda together during their downtime on the family comedy? What’s even more adorable is that Sally Field has caught the bug since then and continues to play the newest version on a Nintendo Switch both with her grandkids and seemingly on her own.

Another lovely detail about all of this is that Robin Williams actually named his daughter Zelda when she was born in 1989, and he was an early adopter of the video game. Later on, Robin and his daughter even starred in a commercial back in 2011 to promote the latest The Legend of Zelda game at the time, Ocarina of Time 3D – which you can watch still on YouTube.

Sally Field’s latest comments come from an interview with Jake Hamilton, which was shared with the co-star of her new movie, Lewis Pullman. Check her out hilarious response when she learns the Remarkably Bright Creatures castmate doesn’t play Zelda like she does:

Williams also came up when Field was on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert this week. She admitted the late actor was always trying to make her laugh and it “was so unfunny.” Field has previously shared a story about how her father died while they were filming the movie and Williams noticed she wasn’t doing well and made sure she could leave for the day. She called him a “very sensitive and intuitive” person.

Field stars as a cleaning lady at an aquarium in the Pacific Northwest in Remarkably Bright Creatures who’s friends with a Giant Pacific octopus. It’s the latest of book-to-screen adaptations, since it comes from Shelby Van Pelt’s bestselling novel of the same title. You can watch both Remarkably Bright Creatures and Mrs. Doubtfire with a Netflix subscription.

After years of wild jungle adventures, Dwayne Johnson announced that the final Jumanji installment has wrapped production, ahead of its 2026 calendar release. As the journey comes to a close, Johnson honored the late Robin Williams with a tribute that reflects the heart of the original story.

Johnson shared the update, posting an emotional message on Instagram. The post reads like a full-circle moment for a series that managed to reboot a treasured property without losing its spirit. It’s part victory lap and thank-you note, as he says goodbye to a project that has clearly meant a lot to him. But before anything else, Johnson made certain to end things where Jumanji began, writing:

Considering how closely the newer entries in the franchise have been tied (both directly and spiritually) to the original Jumanji, and how the crew has continuously paid tribute to Williams on set, that last sentiment lands particularly hard. While the newer entries leaned more into video game mechanics and ensemble comedy, they never fully let go of Robin Williams' legacy as Alan Parrish. The former WWE star's tribute is the perfect closing sentiment to honor the beloved comedian.

The rest of the post digs into the idea of longevity. The Red One star calls the experience one of the most “fun and pure creative joy” runs of his career, and the photos he shared back that up. The carousel moves between color shots from the jungle set and black-and-white behind-the-scenes snapshots from production.

There’s the core crew together again, mud-streaked and smiling, and there are more candid moments. In one, we see the Smashing Machine actor standing under harsh set lighting while a camera operator lines up a shot. Plus a diner scene between Johnson and Kevin Hart was staged during a break.

Then there are candid beats of Johnson and Kevin Hart sitting on a fallen log, laughing. Jack Black appears in full costume, hands on his hips, looking as “Jack Black” as you’d imagine. These moments show a cast and crew that’s grown very close over nearly a decade, since Welcome to the Jungle was released in December 2017.

The camaraderie of the cast is part of what made this rebooted take on Jumanji work. It seemed like a group of actors who enjoyed being in the same sandbox, even as the premise became increasingly ridiculous. Body swaps, video game logic, and respawns could have worn thin, but the cast treated the world seriously enough to make audiences care.

The next, and final, chapter of the Jumanji saga hits theaters on December 11, 2026. Based on the amount of love and respect that everyone involved has brought to the project, I’m betting we are going to get a surprisingly heartfelt swansong from a franchise that’s been running strong for more than thirty years.

As we wait for the next entry, the previous two Rock-helmed Jumanji movies are streaming with a Hulu subscription.

Naming Robin Williams' greatest role is a nearly impossible task. He was in so many wonderful movies, and he put forth numerous outstanding performances, but by at least one metric, the answer to the question is easy. Williams best role was in Good Will Hunting, as that was the movie that won him his (long overdue) Academy Award. Now, one of his co-stars from that film, Stellan Skarsgård, has opened up about the comedic legend and why he had to be "funny to survive."

Many have spoken in the past about the incredible impact that Williams had on making Good Will Hunting the movie it became. During a recent screening of the film (via EW), Stellan Skarsgård talked about his experience off camera with Williams, which was apparently very different depending on how many people were around. The actor explained…

“Had to be funny to survive” is a pretty rough statement to hear, honestly. Most fans probably never saw Robin Williams as anything other than “on” as his interviews and talk show appearances frequently became a stream of consciousness madness as Williams fired off every joke he could think of. It often made for hilarious television. However, the way Stellan Skarsgård describes it makes it sound like Williams felt like he didn’t have a choice but to perform when people were around. He either wasn't able to turn it off or simply felt an obligation.

Williams' lack of “choice” in performing did lead to some interesting work on the set, however. Skarsgård indicates that if his co-star had a great idea for a scene, he felt compelled to try it, just to get it out. He also had a desire to do many more takes of any given scene, and the differences could be quite stark. He continued…

Williams' desire to do multiple takes is well known. It's what led to a fabled, though not entirely accurately reported, NC-17 cut of Mrs. Doubtfire. He would throw every joke he had to see what worked.

Traditionally, multiple takes of a scene are done just to make sure that all bases are covered or that the best possible performance gets captured. The Dead Poets Society star, however, would drastically change his performance between takes, which in turn forced his co-stars to react differently as well. Williams, who was as good at dark roles as he was comedy, would sometimes try wildly different takes on his own performance. Skarsgård indicates that director Gus Van Sant (who was also at the screening) had so many very different Williams performances that the role could have been edited together in any number of ways.

Good Will Hunting didn’t win an Oscar in 1998 for Best Film Editing (though it was nominated), but perhaps it should have, considering the movie had so many scenes to choose from, and found the right ones to make Good Will Hunting a fantastic film.

Good Will Hunting wasn’t the first movie for co-writers and co-stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, but it was the film that catapulted them into Hollywood stardom. It’s been nearly 30 years since the Academy Award-winning movie was released, but Damon says he still thinks about the way it felt when he realized the project they’d worked so hard on was actually happening. He also opened up about why he felt like Rocky making it.

Matt Damon was a guest on the New Heights podcast with Jason and Travis Kelce, and during the show, he was asked what his “Welcome to Hollywood” moment was, when he realized he had truly arrived professionally. Damon calls back to when Good Will Hunting first started shooting, which began production with a scene he wasn’t in, but it still meant everything to him. Damon said…

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon grew up as friends with dreams of Hollywood, and while they were already working actors by the time they were shopping around Good Will Hunting, one imagines that getting somebody to buy a script from two unknowns was a difficult task. So many screenplays never become movies; it wouldn’t have been unusual if Good Will Hunting had just never been made.

One imagines that Damon and Affleck wouldn’t even fully believe the movie was happening until filming got underway, but once it did, and with the likes of Stellan Skarsgard and Robin Williams involved, it finally felt real. It’s not a shock that it was an emotional moment. Damon likens the whole thing to feeling like Rocky Balboa in Sylvester Stallone’s original movie. Rocky was never trying to win; he only ever wanted to go the distance, and so did they. Damon continued…

The Rocky comparison makes sense. Not only was the experience of getting Good Will Hunting made like the character's journey, but it was also similar to the story of Stallone attempting to get Rocky made, having written the movie and then fighting to make it real, and be able to star in it.

In the end, Good Will Hunting did happen, and far more than “nothing” happened with it. The movie would be nominated for nine Oscars, winning two, a Best Supporting Actor award for Robin Williams, and the Best Original Screenplay prize for Affleck and Damon. The movie was so successful that there have apparently been attempts at making a sequel, though, like Rocky did, that seems unlikely. However, the comparison still stands, and it really helps me understand just how much Good Will Hunting means to the people who made it.

It is that time of year once again when we all gather around the TV to watch our favorite Christmas movies. It is also that time of year when we get online and argue over exactly what constitutes a Christmas movie. This often means a particular spotlight on the seemingly endless question of whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie, but here’s one you maybe never considered. What about Jumanji?

Fun fact: all three Jumanji movies were actually mid-December releases. Certainly few, if any, would argue that the recent Dwayne Johnson-led Jumanji films would qualify as Christmas movies. However, the original film with Robin Williams does include a scene near the end that takes place at Christmas, which led one fan on Instagram to suggest it counts as a Christmas movie, and reboot co-star Karen Gillan has officially endorsed this position.

As the original post states, the final scene of the original Jumanji is set at Christmas with Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt’s characters, now married, inviting the family of Judy and Peter, the children they experienced the game with, to their Christmas party. Williams even goes full Santa.

The Christmas scene does ask some particularly interesting questions. Was the scene at the end always a Christmas party? Was it made that way because of the decision to release in December? Or was the December release specifically decided upon in order to match the way the film ended? Is Jumanji a December franchise specifically because of this scene? Does that make all the Jumanji films Christmas movies?

The currently-filming Jumanji 4, is also set for a December release. There's no expectation that the movie will include any Christmas elements, but it could certainly surprise us. We've seen the franchise make references to the original Jumanji before, so any callback to this final scene certainly wouldn't be out of place.

Does this scene alone make Jumanji a “Christmas movie?” That’s certainly a somewhat difficult argument for some to make. For many fans, simply being set at Christmas doesn’t make a Christmas movie, and even if you do think that’s enough, most of the movies that fall into that category. Like the previously mentioned Die Hard, at least have the whole movie set during that period.

Here we’re only talking about a single scene. If you saw Juamanji in theaters back in December 1995, it perhaps made it all feel like a Christmas movie, but 30 years later, separated from that, I’m not sure anybody watching it for the first time would feel that way about it.

Of course, at the end of the day, the only real way to determine what counts as a Christmas movie is your own feeling. If you think Jumanji is a Christmas movie, then it is. If other people don’t feel that way, who cares? You have Karen Gillan on your side.

While many are currently bundled up in warm clothes and gearing up for a festive holiday season, no such winter wonderland is on hand for Dwayne Johnson and the cast and crew of the currently in-production Jumanji: The Next Level sequel, which is already set as a 2026 release date. It’s quite the special time for all involved this week, as December 15 marked 30 years since Robin Williams’ original film hit theaters, and The Rock paid tribute to both the film and its iconic star in an on-set video.

The occasional WWE Superstar took to social media to share his tribute to Williams and everyone involved with the original film, since if it wasn’t for all of their efforts, this franchise would never have lasted as long as it has. Check out the post below, and those who aren’t able to watch can read on to see what the Smashing Machine vet had to say.

It's pretty clear that Dwayne Johnson is enthused about not only bringing his Jumanji trilogy to a close (presumably), but also about once again getting to live in the same fictional universe that Robin Williams helped bring to life back in 1995 alongside Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce. In his words:

Johnson then addressed his favorite moment from the original film that took place between Robin Wiliams' Alan Parrish and Jonathan Hyde's Van Pelt.

No one can convincingly deny that being a great movie moment; I just won't stand for it. How amazing would it be to have a magic word in one's back pocket to use in moments where great threats present themselves?

In any case, the athlete-turned-actor is currently repping that very scene on a daily basis through the necklace hanging around his neck. He speaks to that in the video, saying:

This of course isn't the first time that Dwayne Johnson has addressed his super-special homage to Williams and the original family film, as he drew attention to the prop dice earlier in the third film's production back in November. Most people don't get to wear props from their favorite movie scenes, but obviously The Rock has the kind of Hollywood access that most don't.

Robin Williams was on a lot of people’s minds this year, as it usually goes. Just a few weeks ago, Kirsten Dunst reflected on the impression he left on her after they worked together, and earlier in 2025, the actor’s son Zachary Williams penned a sweet message on his late father’s birthday. On a less positive note, the Mork & Mindy actor’s daughter Zelda Williams pleaded with fans earlier in the year to stop sending her AI videos made using her father’s likeness. I can only hope that Sony and director Jake Kasdan avoid all instincts to add an AI Alan into the newest movie.

When it comes to in-the-flesh actors, also co-starring in the latest action-adventure sequel will be a bunch of familiar faces such as Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan (who recently celebrated an on-set birthday), Jack Black, Rhys Darby, Nick Jonas, Danny DeVito, Burn Gorman, Alex Wolff, Bebe Neuwirth, Lamorne Morris, Ser’Darius Blain, Marin Hinkle and more.

The newest Jumanji movie is set to hit theaters on December 11, 2026, just ahead of the 31st anniversary of the O.G. film’s release.

Throughout Modern Family’s 11-season run, the cast had been through a lot together, both personally and professionally. Even five years after the sitcom ended, they are all still close and holding Modern Family reunions from time to time. While it's clear they all look back on this experience fondly, not everything they went through on set was great, which was made clear as Jesse Tyler Ferguson reflected on the Modern Family cast being with Nathan Lane when news of Robin Williams’ death broke.

Ferguson’s latest guest on his Dinner’s On Me podcast was Josh Hutcherson, and at one point, the two got to talking about Robin Williams, whom The Hunger Games actor worked with on RV. Williams’ death in 2014 took the world by surprise, and Ferguson explained that he found out about it during one of Nathan Lane’s many appearances on Modern Family as Pepper Saltzman. Now, famously, Lane had worked with Williams on an iconic movie; however, the Mitchell actor completely forgot about it when they learned of his death:

Being on the set of a sitcom where everyone is happy and laughing and then getting news like that is not easy, especially since there’s a big shift in the environment. Plus, while Williams' death hit hard for a lot of people, those who personally knew him, like Lane, were likely hit hardest. However, I'd imagine that the Modern Family star forgetting about The Birdcage actually helped lighten the mood when the tragic news broke.

As I said, Lane had worked with Williams on The Birdcage, which was released in 1996. The film, an adaptation of the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, which is an adaptation of a 1973 play. It follows Albert and Armand Goldman, a gay couple whose son is set to marry the daughter of a conservative senator. Not only was it a box office success, but it was also one of the few films from a major studio to feature LGBT characters at its center during that time. So I can only imagine the type of impact it and its success had on Lane and Williams' lives.

Meanwhile, Williams’ legacy has lived on years after his death, so much so that Dwayne Johnson is honoring him while filming Jumanji 4 by wearing a necklace with the original film’s prop dice. It was a heartfelt way to pay tribute to him as the final chapter in Jumanji continues filming, and there’s no telling what other nods there will be in the actual movie that will be released in 2026.

Getting news that Robin Williams had died was not easy for anyone who was a fan of his work, which was practically the whole world. But Jesse Tyler Ferguson being able to share that moment with the cast and Nathan Lane probably made it bearable, and I can only imagine the kind of stories that were shared around after that.

Jumanji 4 is officially underway, and the first look has fans fired up for what might be the wildest twist the Jumanji franchise has attempted yet. Production kicked off last week, and the first official image shows Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, and Jack Black back in character and standing on a city street. It hints that the game may have finally spilled into the real world. As exciting as that is, fans can’t get enough of the Rock's sweet tribute to the late, great Robin Williams.

The Moana star added an emotional layer when he posted a behind-the-scenes video to his official Instagram, paying tribute to Robin Williams, who starred in the original 1995 film. Johnson has spoken before about how important Williams’ performance was to him, and now he is honoring that legacy by wearing a necklace adorned with the OG flick's prop dice as the final chapter begins.

Check out the clip he shared while driving across the lot in costume, which the internet reacted to instantly.

The comments poured in with love, nostalgia, and excitement for the new movie. Here are some of the standout responses:

• 🔥🔥Such a dope tribute. I love the Jumanji movies 🙌🏾 — zevarra_ceo
• Robin Williams will never be forgotten. — rsquisenberry
• 1995 cameos!!! RIP Robin Williams ❤️ — whoispatrickspencer
• Robin was the best actor. 😩🫶 — bun_in_ice
• Robin was a true legend. ❤️ — matthewshakir
• That is really awesome Dwayne, honoring Robin Williams like that is super awesome🐉 — izukudeku25

Johnson previously confirmed the film is being shot in Los Angeles and called it a fitting place for the “big finale,” since the fourth installment will close out the franchise for good next Christmas—his emotional tribute pairs perfectly with the excitement around the movie’s new direction. With the core cast reunited, the story seemingly breaking into the real world, and the Smashing Machine actor promising a final film that lands on a “beautiful grace note,” the franchise looks set to end on something big, heartfelt, and worthy of the journey.

You probably missed it, but last month Sony quietly made the next Jumanji movie official by locking it into the 2026 release calendar. Now we finally have on-set footage and real updates from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson after being in the dark for a while. The star announced the start of production with an image of a table read of the upcoming movie’s screenplay. At the table read, The Rock was joined by Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Karen Gillan at the center of a long table as they dug into the script for the untitled Jumanji movie that’s officially in the works. As previously announced, it will hit theaters on December 11, 2026.

The most recent film in the series, Jumanji: The Next Level, hit theaters in 2019, so this follow-up has been a long time coming. That movie’s finale hinted at the game bleeding back into the real world, echoing the original Robin Williams classic. With Jumanji 4 leaning into that idea and circling back to the roots of the franchise, I’m beyond excited for the upcoming The Rock movie.

Robin Williams starred in some of the best movies of the 1980s, but there is one movie that seems to be too often forgotten: Popeye. With iconic movies like Dead Poets Society, Good Morning Vietnam, and The World According to Garp, not to mention the hit show Mork & Mindy, Williams exploded (figuratively and almost literally) onto the scene with his madcap sense of humor and his ability to channel dramatic emotion that came from deep down within him. Popeye was his very first starring role in a movie, and only his second movie ever, and it often gets overlooked, which is a shame.

Yeah, It’s Pretty Weird

Popeye is strange, I’ll give you that. The 1980 release is like a cocaine and LSD feverdream at times, but that’s all part of its charm. When I first saw the movie as a kid, I had no sense of that, but I did immediately love it. It’s the kind of movie that is completely different for adults as it is for kids, and I mean that in the most complimentary way. As a kid, I appreciated the slapstick comedy and Williams’ comically large forearms (just like Popeye in the comics).

As an adult, I love the whole absurdist aspect of the comedy, the acting performances, and the songs. Did I mention that it’s a musical, too? Yep, it’s got a little bit of everything, including a soundtrack from the late songwriter Harry Nilsson. While it rarely ranks among Robin Williams' best movies, his take on the legendary sailor man is pitch-perfect. His mumbly delivery and cartoonish facial expressions are amazing. He’s a comic strip come to life.

• Stream Popeye for free on Kanopy (with a library card)
• Stream Popeye for free on Hoopla (with a library card)

The Cast And The Sets Are Amazing

It’s not just Williams carrying the load in Popeye, either. Shelly Duvall is perfect as Olive Oyl, both for how she looks and how she behaves. Like Williams, it’s like she leaped off the page of the Sunday funny papers in one of her best performances on screen. Paul L. Smith, who was mostly known for playing heavies in movies like Midnight Express and David Lynch’s Dune, shows off his comedic chops as Bluto. The rest of the supporting cast, like Paul Dooley as Wimpy and Ray Walston as Poopdeck Pappy, are also fantastic.

The other aspect that really is perfect is the amazing set design. The director Robert Altman hired a crew to build the entire village of Sweethaven from scratch in Malta. In fact, it’s still there today and open to tourists. I’ve never been to Malta, but something like this makes the idea very appealing. The set looks so cool, both on screen and in the pictures of it today. It strikes the perfect balance between cartoon and live-action, which isn’t easy to do.

If you’ve never seen this underrated ‘80s classic, you can watch it for free, as long as you have a library card. It’s available to stream to both Kanopy and Hoopla. Take a chance, I’ll bet you’ll love it!

It’s difficult to understate just how losing Robin Williams affected the world. Millions of fans were heartbroken by his passing, but even more than that, it seems that nearly every life Williams touched directly was left better for it, including his many co-stars, like Kirsten Dunst.

A young Dunst co-starred alongside Robin Williams in the original Jumanji, and in a recent appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show (via EW), she reflected on the time she spent with Robin Williams, at first admitting that it was difficult for her to think of the actor because of the way his death upsets her. She said simply:

In the original Jumanji, a character played by Robin Williams is trapped in the titular game until he is released by two children who come across the board game years later. Dunst played one of the siblings who released the now grown Robin Williams.

However, while thinking about Robin Williams might initially make Kirsten Dunst sad, she also said that watching him on the set of Jumanji had a particular impact on her as an actress. His generosity extended to giving her a valuable gift, but she says it was the way he treated everybody that she took as a significant lesson on how to behave on set. Dunst explained:

Celebrities are used to being the most important people in any room they’re in, so how they treat those who are seen as less important is frequently judged. Kirsten Dunst said the way Williams treated the crew on Jumanji is how she learned that doing that was important.

Dunst's comments about Robin Williams echo those of basically everybody else who ever worked with him. The actors, who were children when they filmed Mrs. Doubtfire with Williams, have also talked about how nice he was to them, and how they learned a great deal from him. The same praise goes for the adults who have all praised Williams for both his professionalism as well as his humor. Though sometimes that humor apparently got to the point that it wasn't suitable for children. The set of a Robin Williams movie was never a dull place.

Kirsten Dunst clearly hasn’t forgotten her time working with Robin Williams on Jumanji. The franchise itself remembered Robin Williams, referring to the character Williams played in the reboot movie Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. A third movie in the reboot series, and fourth overall, was recently confirmed.

Last week, I was reminded of The Fisher King, starring Robin Williams, Jeff Bridges and Mercedes Ruehl. I was inspired to rent the movie with my Prime Video subscription and watch it for the first time since I first saw it in theaters in 1991, and I’m really glad I did. I’ve always had fond memories of it, and not only do I still love the movie, but I have an all-new appreciation for Robin Williams' performance in it. I think it’s arguably Williams' best role of his career.

The Fisher King Is A Classic Example Of The Hero's Quest

If you don’t remember The Fisher King (or haven’t seen it), the movie is about a New York City radio shock-jock named Jack Lucas, played by Bridges, who inadvertently inspires a mass shooting and retreats from the public, ashamed and disillusioned by his actions. Williams, whose loss we all still feel, plays a man whose wife was murdered by the shooter and has lost all grip on reality in the aftermath. A seemingly random meeting brings the two together after Williams’ character, Parry, saves Jack from some would-be muggers.

From there, the story plays out with a heavy dose of magical realism, as one would expect from any movie directed by the great Terry Gilliam. Parry is a broken man, living on the streets and caught in an alternate reality of his own making to help him forget the tragic events that led to the death of his beloved wife.

He believes himself to be a knight in medieval times, trying to earn the love of a woman (Amanda Plummer) he only sees during her commute to and from a train station. To earn her love, he must retrieve the Holy Grail (a fun callback to Gilliam’s time with Monty Python) from a "castle" near Central Park in Manhattan... at least, in his own mind.

Williams Brings Every Ounce Of His Immense Talent To The Movie

Parry’s mental breakdown gives Robin Williams so much to work with. He is manically funny, as Williams was so good at being, but he also has that broken side, which Williams was a master at tapping into. Parry has to be tender at times, because as a chivalrous knight on a quest, he helps as many people as he can, including and especially Jack. The role draws on all those talents that Williams possessed, and I can’t imagine any other actor being able to pull it off nearly as well as the late Williams does in the film.

Playing the high points and the low points of a man in deep manic depression is daunting for any actor, but Williams pulls it off so well here, you almost forget the actor completely. That is, until he strips naked in Central Park and runs around the park in the buff… a very hairy buff, at that. I’m hard-pressed to think of another movie where Williams goes back and forth so quickly between comedy and tragedy. It’s a truly brilliant performance.

As a viewer, I felt everything Parry feels, the humor and the pain, so viscerally. It explains why I never revisited the movie, despite being blown away by it the first time I saw it all those decades ago. It was one of those movies that you love, but don’t think you can watch more than once. Well, now I’ve seen it twice and I’m sure glad I have.

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

It’s been more than a decade now since the world has been without Robin Williams. The beloved actor and comedian sadly died by suicide at the age of 63 and was later revealed to have been diagnosed with Lewy body dementia. Since then, Williams has been fondly remembered by his family and friends as well as the legions of fans who enjoyed his body of work. Williams’ kids are among those who’ve continued to honor him and, this year, his son wrote an emotional tribute on his birthday.

July 21 marks what would’ve been Robin Williams’ 74th birthday and, on social media, plenty of fans and entertainment-based accounts are commemorating the occasion. Zachary Williams – Robin’s son with first wife Valerie Velardi – was among those to speak out. On X, Zak shared a still of his father from the 1987 film, Good Morning, Vietnam. That photo was also accompanied by a potent message not only the younger Williams missing his father but about how there are many people who must contend with grief:

Losing a loved one is rarely ever easy, especially when it’s a parent or another incredibly close family member. With that, the resulting grief can impact a person in a myriad of ways. With that, it’s wonderful to see Zak Williams (41) – whose younger siblings are Zelda (35) and Cody (32) take the time to not only address his own personal pain but to also reach out to those who find themselves in his shoes.

Robin Williams’ absence is still felt tremendously, and he’s widely considered to have been a truly singular talent. Possessing both comedic and dramatic acting chops, Williams bolstered his (highly quotable) movies with his impeccable timing and ability to humanize even some of his most outlandish characters. The Fisher King, Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting and Awakenings are among some of Williams’ best movies. The late star, of course, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Good Will.

More than a few of Robin Williams’ past collaborators have shared sweet memories of working alongside him. For instance, Mrs. Doubtfire’s Sally Field recalled Williams being incredibly considerate after he learned that her father had passed while she was on set. Nathan Lane, who worked with Williams on The Birdcage, also shared touching thoughts about his on-screen lover, who he says was a kindred spirit. Williams’ longtime buddy, Whoopi Goldberg, has also been candid about their friendship.

It would be a gross understatement to say that the Aladdin star is sorely missed, and I’m honestly among those who wishes he was still here with us. Nevertheless, it’s lovely that Zak Williams continues to pay tribute to his father in such sweet ways. Here’s to the elder Williams’ 74th birthday and that his memory continues to be a source of comfort for his kids.

When they aren't catching up on upcoming 2025 movies, movie lovers are always keen to spend a moment appreciating the medium's past. With each year, Hollywood continues to showcase movie magic and the incredible stars who carry the story, but along with it comes some sad and unexpected goodbyes. Online, fans are taking the time to reminisce about big-hitting stars' last movies, like Jimmy Stewart and Robin Williams, and, more specifically, their fitting and impactful last lines.

The conversation took root in a Reddit post whose OP said they were inspired to create the thread because of Robin Williams’ last major Hollywood role, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, which featured his poignant, comforting closing line. Meanwhile, his actual final film, Boulevard, reveals the heartbreaking duality of the beloved late A-lister’s mental health struggles. Check out the comedian who passed too soon's dual last lines:

• "Smile, my boy. It's sunrise." - Robin Williams as Teddy Roosevelt in Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
• “I drove down a street one night. A street I didn't know. It's the way your life goes sometimes. I'll drive down this one and another. And now, another.” - Robin Williams as Nolan Mack in Boulevard

How fitting were Williams’ last words in that double entry of films? While the sweet family blockbuster’s line was what audiences viewed him as, the adventurous, aimless driving voiceover from the 2014 drama mirrored him off-camera more.

From Robin Williams to An American Tail: Fievel Goes West and another pair of Hollywood royals we go:

• "I don't know what's beyond those hills, but if you ride yonder, head up, eyes steady, heart open, I think one day you'll find that you're the hero you've been looking for.” - Jimmy Stewart as Wylie Burp in An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
• “How do you find your way back in the dark?” - Marilyn Monroe as Roslyn’s in The Misfits:
• "Just head for that big star straight on. The highway's under it. It'll take us right home.” - Clark Gable as Gay in The Misfits

Jimmy Stewart, arguably most well-known for the complex holiday tale It's a Wonderful Life, still managed to deliver a grandiose, hopeful message as an animated dog. Truly on par with George Bailey and the actor behind him, even in an animated sequel.

And as for Gable and Monroe, The Misfits was both of their last movies shot before they passed. The King of Hollywood’s matter-of-fact response to the Blonde Bombshell’s dark and mysterious question is almost too much. The small back and forth eerily suits both of their public personas as a femme fatale and the leading man all too well.

Along with the iconic but crew above, other greats’ parting sentences also hit as close to home as the heartbreakers above. The grouping of the next trio is lighter in their on-screen finales, but the lines themselves are still unexpectedly fitting in ways. The list includes the 007 actor who set the tone for the James Bond franchise, one of the most influential women for TV history and a recently deceased cult-favorite experimental director.

• “May this new century be yours, son, as the old one was mine.” - Sean Connery as Allan Quartermain in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
• "My pleasure!" - David Lynch as John Ford in The Fabelmans
• “I have some sad news. I bit the big one. I've cashed in my chips. I'm dead.” - Betty White as Mrs. Sarah Vanderwhoozie in Trouble (also known as Dog Gone Trouble)

Not nearly as tragic as the ones above (and I didn’t even include the saddest!), but still suits them just as well. Connery’s line is as cool and intelligent as ever, fit for the Dr. No actor. Lynch, as we know, has one hell of a body of work, but also took the time as a director to appear in another director's movie, The Fableman’s. And playing a legendary filmmaker in another filmmaker’s movie and being the wacky but loved filmmaker he is, no notes here.

Then, of course, to close the quick dive into these creative giants, none other than Betty White. Naturally, there are animals involved and an immaculately crafted joke reflecting death. A true comedy queen through and through.

Needless to say, the conversation and unearthing of beloved actors' on-screen last lines go deep. There are plenty more poignant words from top-tier celebs that span from Stewart’s era to Williams’ one and beyond. Just be ready for what you may find!

Robin Williams has to be one of the most beloved celebrities, maybe ever. The mark he left on the world, both in Hollywood and among his fans, is unmatched. It seems everybody who ever worked with Williams looks back on the time fondly, but I’m not sure anybody had quite the experience that Pierce Brosnan did on Mrs. Doubtfire.

A great deal has been said over the years about the way Robin Williams would riff on the set of Mrs. Doubtfire. There have been claims in the past that there’s an NC-17 rated cut of the film, when what there really are, are outtakes of Williams going off script and apparently getting quite dirty. While participating in a segment with Vanity Fair, Pierce Brosnan confirmed that while filming a scene involving his and Williams' characters in the restaurant near the end of the film, the comedian's language was decidedly not PG-13. It ultimately led to the eventual James Bond star laughing hysterically. Brosnan recalled…

The scene in question sees Brosnan’s Stuart Dunmeyer and Mrs. Doubtfire a.k.a. Daniel Hillard left alone at the restaurant table, where Doubtfire suggests that the jewelry Sally Field’s character, Miranda, was just given was an attempt to get her in bed. The lines Williams uses are already pretty risque, but he apparently went even further off, pushing the limits of what the movie could use.

One of the reasons Mrs. Doubtfire is still a popular movie, and one of the most iconic Robin Williams movies ever, is the incredible makeup work that transformed Williams into the titlular character. The work would win the movie an Oscar, and it turns out Pierce Brosnan only ever saw the actor in the makeup. Believe it or not, their first meeting was an absolutely wild experience where he met a strange combination of Williams and Doubtfire that sounds hilarious but also mildly terrifying. Brosnan explained…

Many people who knew Williams have spoken about just how great a person he was. Some of the Mrs. Doubtfire cast members have spoken about just how wonderful the comedian was on set. Pierce Brosnan adds himself to that list. It’s clear that Williams left a great impression on the actor from their brief time together. He continued…

Chris Columbus' 1993 film remained so popular that there was even talk of a Mrs. Doubtfire 2 before the untimely death of Robin Williams. Certainly, it'd be difficult to do a true sequel without Williams.

As a fan of Mrs. Doubtfire, who, as a teenager, stood outside the restaurant while the finale of the movie was filmed, trying to get a glimpse of the star, I would love to get my hands on the “reams of footage” that we’ll likely never get to see. As funny as the finished film is, it sounds like the stuff we didn't get see is what made the experience truly special for Pierce Brosnan and others.

We're still living in the Golden Age of Superhero movies in Hollywood (some might argue it's sputtering to an end). That doesn't mean there haven't been superhero movies and TV shows in the past, though. In the '80s, there was actually way more than you might remember. We all love Christopher Reeve as Superman and Michael Keaton as Batman, but the list is so much longer than that.

Helen Slater (Supergirl)

After Superman starring Christopher Reeve became a massive hit, the studio started lining up sequels and spinoffs. Supergirl, starring Helen Slater as the titular hero, was one of those. While it exists in the same universe and uses much of the same music, or version of it, it's, frankly, not as good as the first two movies in the franchise. There is one crossover moment, Marc McClure starring as Jimmy Olsen, that's a lot of fun, though. That's not to say it doesn't have its moments, but sadly, it pretty much bombed at the box office.

Michael Keaton (Batman)

Towards the top of any list of iconic superhero portrayals has to be Michael Keaton as Batman in Tim Burton's Batman. People may have winced when Keaton was cast, but he proved all the doubters wrong when he led the character into a new era. Gone was the campiness that marked the 1960s' Batman TV show, and in was a new, darker, grittier version of the Caped Crusader.

William Katt (Ralph Hinkley/Ralph Hanley)

The TV show The Greatest American Hero starring William Katt as the titular hero is mostly remembered today for its banger of a theme song. The show, while fun for a certain demographic of pre-teen boys, somehow managed to last three seasons on ABC before it was canceled with five episodes yet to air in early 1983. Still, the song endures.

Sam J. Jones (Flash Gordon)

Flash Gordon was a different kind of superhero. He didn't have any special powers aside from being a great quarterback, but he was certainly a hero. Sam J. Jones played the titular character in Flash Gordon in 1980 in a wild movie that updated the character, who dates all the way back to the 1930s. Of course, it also has that amazing, unconventional soundtrack by Queen, which has helped it stay relevant for decades.

Gil Gerard (Buck Rogers)

In the late '70s and early '80s, old Depression-era comic strip characters were en vogue, and one of the most popular both in the 1930s and in the '80s was Buck Rogers. The sci-fi show Buck Rogers in the 25th Century was briefly a minor hit for two short seasons on NBC, which was based on a 1977 movie, and is fondly remembered by many Gen X guys, despite its abbreviated run.

Peter Weller (Buckaroo Bonzai)

The 1980s were full of cool, unconventional superheroes, and no hero personified that better than Buckaroo Banzai in 1984's The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. Buckaroo, played by Peter Weller, was a scientist, adventurer, musician, and more. He and his team do everything they can to stop an alien invasion, and the cast of the movie is totally stacked. Some people may hate the cult classic, but if you grew up with it, you likely love it.

Joe Morton (The Brother)

In The Brother from Another Planet, Joe Morton plays "The Brother," who, like Superman, is an alien with all kinds of powers. The movie, directed by John Sayles, was actually a surprise hit when it was released in 1984 and has since become a cult classic. It was also fairly progressive at the time and wasn't afraid to address race and other social issues head-on.

Casey Kasem (Robin)

Between 1973 and 1985, there were multiple versions of the cartoon Super Friends, but one constant throughout them was legendary DJ Casey Kasem voicing Batman's iconic sidekick, Robin.

Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk)

Perhaps the most successful superhero show of the era was The Incredible Hulk, starring Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk (and Bill Bixby as his alter ego, David Banner). The show ran for five seasons on CBS, and not only did it make it 80 episodes, but it also produced five made-for-TV movies.

Tanya Roberts (Sheena: Queen of the Jungle)

The first adaptation of the Golden Age comic Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, was a TV show in the 1950s starring Irish McCalla as the titular hero. In 1984, Columbia Pictures revived the hero for Sheena: Queen of the Jungle, starring Tanya Roberts as the female version of Tarzan, an orphan who grew up in the jungle. If we're honest, the movie is pretty cheesy, and the box office reflects that, as it pretty much completely bombed when it was released in 1984. It's a movie that just doesn't know what it is. Comedy? Maybe. Action flick? Sometimes. Melodrama? Sadly, yes.

Jerry O'Connell (Andrew Clements)

The Canadian production My Secret Identity was a good, low-cost option for U.S. syndication, and the show ran for 72 episodes over three seasons as such. The most notable thing about it is that it starred Jerry O'Connell as Andrew Clements, the teenage superhero lead in the show.

Christopher Reeve (Superman)

Of course, we're going to include Christopher Reeve on this list! The first Superman movie, directed by Richard Donner, was released in 1978, but Reeve continued to play the character well into the 1980s with the three sequels. starting in 1980 with Superman II. It could be argued, in fact, that the first sequel is better than the original, but you can't go wrong with either. You can't say the same thing about the final two in the series, which are pretty mediocre at best.

Dick Durock (The Swamp Thing)

Swamp Thing has been a popular comic book anti-hero since the early 1970s. In 1982 Wes Craven brought the character to the big screen, with actor Dick Durock playing the character in The Swamp Thing. Durock returned to the character in 1989 with The Return of Swamp Thing.

Dolph Lundgren (The Punisher)

The history of The Punisher on the big and small screen has been hit or miss, though mostly miss. The very popular Marvel anti-hero first hit the silver screen in 1989, starring Dolph Lundgren, in The Punisher. No one loves that version. In fact, no one loves any of the versions that have appeared in movies, and Jon Bernthal's version in the Netflix-era Marvel shows has proved more enduring.

Ed Gale/Chip Zien (Howard The Duck)

Two actors played the lead character in Howard the Duck, the 1986 box office bomb about the Marvel character. Ed Gale was in the suit, while Chip Zien did the character's voice. He's not really a superhero, per se, but he is a giant duck who can speak and think like a human (or an alien, really), and that has to count for something. More recently, Seth Green has voiced the character in the MCU.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Some of you might disagree that Popeye is a superhero, but come on, the guy eats spinach and gets super-strength when he does? Sounds like a superhero to us! While 1980's Popeye starring Robin Williams as the sailor man and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl was lambasted at the time, it has since found its place as a somewhat beloved cult classic.

Chuck Wagner (Automan)

What if you took the ideas of Tron and flipped them around so that the humanoid computer programs could exist in the real world... and fight crime! That's pretty much the premise of Automan, starring Chuck Wagner as the program-come-to-life. Yeah, it's pretty much as bad as it sounds, and it only lasted 12 episodes on ABC in the mid-1980s.

Mitch Cohen (The Toxic Avenger)

Though it's a classic "B-movie" from the 1980s, The Toxic Avenger has an enduring legacy. The first movie starred Mitch Cohen as The Toxic Avenger. The character has been part of four sequels in the years since, with a different actor playing the character each time, including, most recently, Peter Dinklage.

Michael Crawford (Condorman)

Disney is responsible for some of the biggest superhero movies of all time, with the giant success of the MCU movies in the last couple of decades. Those were the first time the company tried its hand at the genre, though. In 1981, they produced Condorman starring Michael Crawford as the titular hero. If you've forgotten the movie existed, you're not alone.

Micheal J. Fox (Teen Wolf)

Okay, okay, we admit that we're pushing the envelope here, but in our opinion, Teen Wolf definitely belongs on this list. The classic '80s comedy stars Michael J. Fox as a meek teenager who transforms into a powerful wolf with some serious basketball skills. We dare you to tell us he's not a superhero!

Peter Weller (RoboCop)

RoboCop is a classic anti-hero from the 1980s. The first appearance of the character came in the wild 1987 movie directed by Paul Verhoeven, named after the character. That movie, starring Peter Weller, was followed by two direct sequels in the 1990s and a 2014 reboot starring Joel Kinnaman as the cop-turned-android.

John Ritter (Steve Nichols)

1980's Hero At Large starring the late, great John Ritter as Steve Nichols, an out-of-work actor who turns himself into a hapless superhero after a casting call, is actually better than it's remembered for.

Courteney Cox (Gloria Dinallo)

One of Courteney Cox's earliest roles was a superhero in the short-lived TV show Misfits of Science. The show only lasted 16 episodes on NBC in the 1985-'86 television season. Though the show, about a group of teenagers with superpowers, bombed, it sure didn't slow down Cox in her career.

Alan Arkin (Captain Invincible)

1983's The Return of Captain Invincible is a wild movie. It stars Alan Arkin as Captain Invincible, a washed-up superhero who had been forced into retirement, but is forced to suit up when his arch-nemesis returns 30 years after disappearing.

Simon MacCorkindale (Manimal)

One of the many crazy TV shows created by Glen A. Larson in the 1980s was Manimal. The show, which starred Simon MacCorkindale as the titular shape-shifting hero, lasted just eight episodes in 1983. It's a good thing Larson also created Magnum, P.I. and Knight Rider.

Bruce Boxleitner (Tron)

1982's Tron quickly became a cult classic after decent results at the box office in 1982. Bruce Boxleitner starred as Tron, and while he's not a traditional superhero, he was as close as it came in the early '80s when superhero movies weren't really being made. Or, at least, good ones, so we had to include this on the list.

John Newton (Superboy)

Amid all the adaptations of Superman over the years, one that tends to get lost in the shuffle is the '80s show Superboy starring John Newton as the young hero. In Season Two, Newton was replaced by Gerard Christopher. The lasted two more seasons before it was pretty much relegated to the dustbin of TV history, but it really wasn't a bad show for its time.

Mia Farrow (Alura)

Even the great Mia Farrow has starred as a superhero. Sort of. Farrow played Alura, the mother of Supergirl, in 1984's Supergirl. While we don't see her in her traditional costume from the comics, it's impossible to leave such a legend off the list.

Jeff Lester (Captain Justice)

Arguably, the worst example of a TV superhero show on the list (and that's saying something) has to be Once A Hero starring Jeff Lester as Captain Justice. The show aired just three episodes on ABC before being canceled in 1987.

Lewis Van Bergen (Jon Sable)

Like a couple of other examples on this list, Jon Sable is pushing the definition of a superhero, but since he started out as a comic character and at times shows superhuman abilities, we're including him here. Lewis Van Bergen played the character on the ABC show simply titled Sable.

Dolph Lundgren (He-Man)

Toys being turned into multimedia franchises were all the rage in the 1980s, and one of the biggest hits across media was He-Man. In 1987, the cartoon was adapted into a live-action film starring Dolph Lundgren as the Prince of Eternia. The movie, Masters of the Universe: The Motion Picture, wasn't well received and failed to find an audience that matched the popularity of the cartoon or the toys. Maybe there is a future for the franchise, but only time will tell.

Sam J. Jones (The Spirit)

Sam J. Jones is best remembered for starring in Flash Gordon, but that wasn't the only hero he played in the 1980s. In 1987, Jones starred in The Spirit, a made-for-TV movie based on a World War II-era comic of the same name. It's campy and fun, but it's easy to understand why it's not well remembered.

In the pages of DC Comics, Jimmy Olsen is known as Superman’s pal and, so far, it seems that’ll also be the case in James Gunn’s upcoming film centered around the Big Blue Boy Scout. Skyler Gisondo is set to play Olsen in the highly anticipated 2025 movie schedule release, and he’s downright perfect for the role. Years ago, however, Gisondo received some assistance in real life from co-stars Robin Williams and Ben Stiller. I just learned that the actors helped Gisondo score a prom date, and this makes them heroes in my book.

Skyler Gisondo worked with the two beloved actors on Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb. Apparently, principal photography took place amid prom season and, while Gisondo’ buddies scooped up their dates, he did the same on set. To do so, he enlisted the help of his two co-stars, who helped him record a video for the young lady he hoped to escort to the prom. Ultimately, they produced one of the funniest prom proposals I’ve ever seen, and you can check it out below:

First off, I’m still trying to figure out how I’m only now becoming aware of this entire situation. I’m a fan of Robin Williams, and I’d usually catch wind of his antics one way or another. Nevertheless, I’m glad to have found it now, and I’m loving it. Both Williams and Ben Stiller bring a lot of charm and wit to the proceedings. I especially can’t help but make note of Williams’ killer improv skills, and I keep replaying him calling for dancers as well as Cirque du Soleil performers. The monkey with the rose is a sweet touch as well.

This is all definitely funny, but it’s also incredibly sweet, considering that the two veteran actors didn’t have to go to such great lengths to help their younger co-star. It’s been said that not all heroes wear capes, and I think that certainly rings true in this case. A gesture like this shouldn’t be overlooked, and Skyler Gisondo seemed to appreciate it. Gisondo spoke to THR about it around that time, and it sounds like he and his colleagues had a fun time putting it all together:

I’m not sure if Kal-El will help Jimmy Olsen find a date in the highly anticipated Superman, but I’m excited to see their dynamic nonetheless. Few castings feel as appropriate as Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy, given he not only looks the part but he also exudes the DC character’s boyish charm. He also gives “aw, shucks” vibes, which was on display when he talked about bringing his “best” to the role of Olsen.

Quite frankly, I’m a tad envious of Skyler Gisondo for putting together a successful prom-posal with two comedic titans like Robin Williams and Ben Stiller. I would hope that Gisondo holds onto this memory fondly, given that Williams passed away in 2014 at the age of 63. All in all, this is a humorously sweet reminder of a moment in time that not only signifies humor but also Williams’ propensity for caring for co-stars and Stiller’s sheer kindness as well. Those are certainly qualities that make a hero.

You can see a hero rise when Superman opens in theaters on July 11. In the meantime, read up on other upcoming superhero movies that are headed to the big screen.

Mrs. Doubtfire is one of the best movies of the '90s. When thinking about the film, the first thing that comes to mind is the always quotable Robin Williams in his unforgettable drag makeover as the mischievous nanny. However, for the Mrs. Doubtfire cast and crew who had the honor of working with him, the experience was about much more than just laughs and slapstick humor. One of Williams' co-stars from the 1993 comedy recently opened up about their time on set, recalling not just the fun moments, but also the deep, reflective conversations they shared with the legendary actor.

Matthew Lawrence, who played one of Williams’ children in the '90s classic, opened up about his on-set relationship with the comedy actor during an interview with EW. Apparently, Williams was very honest about his own struggles with Lawrence, who was about 12 when he made the film, especially when it came to drug use. While it was a pretty series topic for a tween, Lawrence appreciated it, and he remembered it after all these years, saying:

For context, Williams struggled with substance abuse issues throughout his life. He admitted to having a cocaine dependency in the '70s and '80s, and having on-and-off problems with alcohol over the course of his career. This clearly was a tumultuous battle for the iconic comedian, who wanted to ensure that Lawrence didn’t have the same struggles that he did.

This openness, as well as kindness and humility, were qualities of the Good Will Hunting actor that made him so wonderful to work with, according to his co-star, who also lauded his talents as an artist. He said:

Lawrence was very young when he made Mrs. Doubtfire, and while he didn’t know it at the time, it was clearly a formative experience.

It set the bar for every other acting experience he would have later on, and getting to be around such a joyful and warm presence as Williams was a big part of it. He was an incredible person to learn from, as his experience and talent were unmatched. Lawrence explained:

This all sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime experience with a once-in-a-lifetime kind of person. Being a child actor has its own challenges and has been criticized heavily by those with traumatic experiences. However, Robin Williams seems to have created the perfect environment for a young actor, one filled with laughter and love, as well as hard lessons from his own challenges.

Everyone who has worked with Williams seems to have incredible stories about the kind of person he was, carrying on his legacy in a beautiful way. Williams is greatly missed, but thankfully, the tales of his character and heart live on.

You can revisit Robin Williams’ astounding performance in Mrs. Doubtfire with a Hulu subscription. For more information about other movies starring the legendary Oscar winner, make sure to consult our feature on the best Robin Williams films and where to watch them.

The Birdcage is one of the best '90s movies, and that's in great part because of the hilarious moments between Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Now, ahead of the comedy celebrating its bittersweet 30th anniversary next year (considering Robin Williams died in 2014), Lane is sharing memories of working with his co-star that simultaneously sweet and emotional.

Nathan Lane spoke about getting cast on The Birdcage while on the Dinner’s On Me With Jesse Tyler Ferguson podcast. Here’s what he had to say about working with Robin Williams:

Of course he was, this is Robin Williams. Nathan Lane had all positive things to say about the Armand to his Albert on The Birdcage ahead of it being three decades since its 1996 release.

Williams, of course, had so many successful movies over the years, from his start in Mork and Mindy to his Oscar-winning work in Good Will Hunting. To this day, all of these projects along with The Birdcage have stood as classics and are remarkable examples of the actor's talent. To that point, Lane said he watched the movie he made with Williams for the first time in a while recently, and it was an emotional experience:

Aww, this is so sweet and has me in my feelings over the pair. Clearly, Nathan Lane and Robin Williams had a blast on The Birdcage, and the actor is greatly missed following his death.

In the 1996 movie helmed by Mike Nichols, the pair play a gay couple, with Williams’ Armand being the owner of a drag club and Lane’s Albert being the star queen of the club. Hilarity ensues when they decide to conceal their identities for Armand’s 20-year-old son when he is engaged to the daughter of a conservative senator. Check out some of the best moments between The Birdcage’s leading couple:

The Birdcage is considered a groundbreaking movie for the LGBTQ+ community since it was one of the few major studio films about queer characters. While Williams wasn’t gay, Nathan Lane is, but at the time wasn’t as big of a star as Willams was.

When speaking about getting the part, Lane said he originally had to turn it down because he was doing A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum on Broadway, but ultimately after Nichols insisted he was the right one for the part, he convinced the show’s producer to delay so he could shoot the movie. Thank goodness all that happened too, because then we wouldn't get to hear stories like this:

The Birdcage was initially envisioned to star Steve Martin as Armand and Williams as Albert, but Martin was unavailable and Williams didn't want to play Albert after starring in Mrs. Doubtfire. So, Nathan Lane was hired, and what a great duo they were!!

We can’t think of any other pair to play these characters in the 1996 film. If you are looking to see them on screen together, The Birdcage is currently one of the best movies on Max and it's available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Some of the most extraordinary performances in movie or TV history have seen the actor completely disappear into a role, not only changing their appearance but also adopting a voice almost entirely different from their own. Take a look at some of the most impressive voice alterations that an actor took on to perfect their unique portrayal of a now iconic character (or characters).

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

Every year, we watch our favorite celebrities take on a big gig by hosting Saturday Night Live, and whether you end up loving the episode and how stars like Scarlett Johansson, Keke Palmer and sad boy Timothée Chalamet perform on the long-running hit, one thing that seems to be absolutely true is that agreeing to be one of the upcoming SNL hosts is a big challenge for most of them. Now, Glenn Close has opened up about the amazing advice she got from Robin Williams before she hosted for the first time.

What Did Glenn Close Say About The Advice Robin Williams Gave Her Before Her First SNL Hosting Gig?

Most of us would never want to perform in front of hundreds of people, much less do that with the knowledge of millions of others watching us from home, but that is the job one takes on when deciding to host SNL. On top of any nerves over that, this is a sketch comedy series (which is out of the wheelhouse of many stars) where you literally cram all week for the appearance and then still have to use cue cards because dialogue and whole sketches change so frequently (among other reasons, which Bowen Yang helpfully explained).

Obviously, these are some of the reasons for anxiety from the hosts, but Back in Action star Glenn Close recently told People about the great advice she got from Robin Williams before hosting the first time in 1989, and said:

Awwww. Right? Close was quite lucky, I’d say, for having an all-star comedian like the late Robin Williams as a friend to help her out with advice so she could relax into what sounds like an intense process a little bit. For five decades now we’ve heard a lot of famous people say a lot of things about hosting SNL, but something I certainly hadn’t thought about was the basics of figuring out which of possibly dozens of sketch ideas you wanted to be a part of. Honestly? Just thinking about that is giving me choice paralysis and making me a little bit nauseous.

The star of the upcoming series, All’s Fair (which will hit the 2025 TV schedule later this year) also got lucky because things ended up going quite smoothly for her, and she added that it was “great fun” to host and then did it again for the SNL Christmas episode in 1992. Hopefully, everyone who will host the iconic show for the first time will have a friend as great and smart as Robin Williams to ask for advice.

Before Robin Williams really hit it big in his film career, the late actor had some memorable TV roles and appearances, including his run as one of the titular characters in the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy. The series ran for four seasons from 1978 to 1982, and centered on an extraterrestrial, played by Williams, who comes to Earth and befriends a human who becomes his roommate and eventual love interest, played by Pam Dawber. Henry Winkler opened up about how Williams crushed his audition for what would be one of the best sitcoms of all time.

Mork & Mindy started out as a single episode for Happy Days, in which Williams’ Mork comes down from the planet Ork and is introduced to Fonzie, Ralph, Potsie, Chachi, and Richie, who initially saw the flying saucer. It was Williams’ performance in the episode “My Favorite Orkan” that convinced producers to make a spin-off surrounding Mork. Winkler told Scrubs alums Zach Braff and Donald Faison on their podcast Fake Doctors, Real Friends that no one wanted to play Mork, and they were on quite the time crunch:

At the time of his audition, Williams was still gradually breaking out in the industry, with a few small roles in film and television. He was a regular performer on the sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In in 1977 but still was not too known. That is, until his audition for Happy Days. While he started out shy, Winkler recalls what happened in that audition room and how the mood changed:

Anyone aware of Robin Williams knows how unsurprising that is, but considering he was able to flip a switch and go from a shy human to someone completely different, it’s a testament to how talented he was. Whether or not a Mork spinoff would have happened if anyone else had landed the role is unknown, but since Williams blew everyone away, they knew they had a hit on their hands and weren’t willing to let it slide, and that turned into the '70s and '80s sci-fi show.

Mork & Mindy is one of the many famous sitcoms that never made it to 100 episodes, as it capped out at 91 episodes during its original run, with an additional four during syndication. To this day, though, it remains a favorite among fans and is one of the funniest sci-fi TV shows of all time even despite the spinoff not being like the original series or fellow spinoff Laverne & Shirley, and Williams certainly had a lot to do with it.

Those wishing to see just what Mork & Mindy is all about or wanting to watch it again to see how much of a genius Williams truly is can watch the series for free on Pluto TV. All four seasons are streaming on the ad-supported streamer, and knowing that it’s free makes it even better.

When I first heard about Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, I had a feeling this was going to be one of the most remarkable and emotional experiences on the 2024 movie schedule. When I saw the documentary’s beautiful trailer over the summer, I made a note to watch it as soon as it became available with a Max subscription. And I did. I was blown away by it from start to finish, but there was one thing I didn’t fully expect: Robin Williams being at its emotional core.

Sure, I knew that the friendship shared by the two late actors was a key part of Christopher Reeve’s story – both before and after the May 1995 accident that left him paralyzed – but the various stages of their decades-long relationship created some of the most magical and unforgettable moments of the entire documentary. And I just have to talk about it…

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story Was A Powerful And Moving Documentary, But The Robin Williams Stuff Hits So Hard

As a whole, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story shows all the ways the late Superman actor became a real-life superhero in the years between his tragic accident and death nearly a decade later, as well as his enduring legacy 20 years after his passing. With home videos from his family’s collection, sets of his most famous films, and all the work he put into his fight for disability rights later in life, the nearly two-hour documentary wastes no time exploring his life, legacy, and impact.

But, as I was watching the documentary, and even now a few days after the credits rolled, the impact Robin Williams had on Reeves, and vice versa, is something I can’t stop thinking about. Knowing that Williams’ life would come to a tragic end a few months shy of the 10th anniversary of his best friend’s death added even more weight to an already emotional story. The triumph and tragedy of life, as well as the ecstasy and agony of existence, are all explored through this tight bond shared by two former college roommates.

Robin Williams Dressing Up Like A Doctor After Reeve's Accident Shows The Power Of Friendship

Though Williams was battling his own demons throughout his life, the comedian always knew how to make us laugh with some much-needed comic relief. But it wasn’t just on the screen or stage where the beloved comedian brightened the spirits of those around him with his signature brand of humor, as detailed in Super/Man.

When the documentary turns its focus to the days and weeks following Reeve’s accident, there’s a clip of Williams on Oprah where he talks about dressing up like a Russian proctologist and messing with his dear friend to lift his spirits. Immediately following that is an old recording of Reeve talking about that moment and how his old friend had let him know that “somehow I was going to be okay.”

That anecdote, which is just one of many told throughout the film, shows the true power of friendship and how there’s nothing better than having someone dear to you come in, make you laugh, and let you know that it’s going to be okay.

But It Didn't Stop There, Because The Late Comedian Dedicated So Much Of His Life To His Best Friend

Remember the 1996 Oscars ceremony, where to the surprise of everyone, Christopher Reeve appeared on stage and made his first public appearance since the accident 10 months earlier? Well, Williams and his then-wife, Marsha, had a huge role in making that moment happen. In the documentary, it’s revealed that the couple purchased a retrofitted van for Reeves so that he could get to the airport.

Even years after the accident, Williams continued to support his longtime friend. At one point, in the doc, Reeve’s assistant, Laurie Hawkins, talks about how the comedian, referred to as “Brother Robin,” was on the list of people the family and caretakers would call upon to help lift his friend out of a state of depression. Then, just moments later, Glenn Close starts talking about Williams throwing a party for his friend on the anniversary of his accident every year, calling it a “celebration” and an “appreciation of life.”

One thing I found particularly interesting in this section of the documentary was an old recording of Reeve talking about his friendship with Williams and how they never really got wrapped up in conversations about the disability or him being confined to a wheelchair. Instead, they laughed and carried on as if they were just two friends hanging out.

Robin Williams Speaking At Christopher Reeve's Funeral Was Utterly Heartbreaking

I was seven years old when Reeve was paralyzed and 16 when he passed away in October 2004, and so I knew full well how the story would end even before pressing play. However, I wasn’t ready to watch the snippets of Williams delivering a eulogy at his friend’s funeral. Gutted isn’t a strong enough word to describe how I felt watching one of the funniest comedians to ever walk the earth look so sad, defeated, and alone up there on stage.

Before sending off his friend with “May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest” from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Williams talked about his “brother” and how despite being the chaos to Reeve’s order in life, it was joy. Though he tried to make jokes to lighten the mood, I still can’t help but see the sorrow and anguish in Williams’ eyes as he said goodbye to someone so dear to his heart.

After Watching The Documentary, I Miss Robin Williams Even More

This is probably the case for a lot of people my age, but few celebrity deaths hit me as hard as Robin Williams’ in August 2014. A decade later, I’m still trying to process it, still trying to make sense of it, and still trying to come to terms with the fact that someone who brought so much joy to so many lives could have been going through so much darkness in their final days.

I miss Williams. He was in the first movie I ever saw in theaters (Hook). He made me laugh in his comedic roles, he made me cry in his stellar dramatic performances, and he has been an inspiration to me for years. Watching Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story not only helped me learn about the man who played Superman and bettered the lives of countless people around the world, but also say goodbye to his friend, and my childhood hero.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story is a touching tribute to the actor in its name but also the friendship he shared with Robin Williams. And with James Gunn’s upcoming Superman set to pay tribute to Reeves in some way, his legacy will live on for generations to come.

Stream Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story on Max.

Robin Williams' legacy is full of heartwarming stories, some of which involve the lengths he would go to check in on the people in his life. Sally Field opened up about Williams supported her after her dad passed away. Meanwhile, Nathan Lane reflected on the Oprah inteview he and Williams did, during which Williams protected Lane from having to come out before he was ready. Now, Conan O’Brien is adding to the list of sweet anecdotes about the late comedian (and getting me in my feelings) by revealing how Williams reached out after he lost The Tonight Show back in 2010.

The veteran talk show host interviewed Eric Idle on his podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, and the two comedians reflected on their friendships with Robin Williams. O’Brien shared a wholesome story about how the Oscar winner cheered him up after being pushed out of The Tonight Show after a short hosting stint. Apparently, he called O’Brien up, to check in on how he was doing, and then told him he had a bike waiting for him at a premiere bike shop. O'Brien recalled just what Williams said to him:

This act of kindness was the most Robin Williams way of going about a situation. He did something incredibly generous and thoughtful to show he was thinking about the Conan host. Yet he, of course, had to add his own splash of silliness to the gesture by making the bike look ridiculous as a nod to O’Brien’s Irish roots. Still, I can't think of a better way for a comic to cheer up a fellow comedian.

For context, Conan O’Brien was tapped to host The Tonight Show after Jay Leno was meant to retire in 2009. However, instead of retiring, Leno was given a primetime talk show ahead of TTS, and that poorly affected the latter show's ratings. As a result, O’Brien and his colleagues had a challenging time finding an audience, and he was soon removed from the show.

The Tonight Show debacle was heavily covered in the media, and arguably added to the combative nature of the late night landscape at the time. It was also a devastating and complicated time for O’Brien, who avoided talking about it for a while. Knowing he had support from other comics, especially one like Robin Williams probably meant the world. He said of the gesture:

Eric Idle then added to that, saying the gesture was "typical Robin," as the Good Will Hunting star would often go out of his way to show his friends he was thinking of them. This story as a whole is truly telling about Williams’ character and makes me miss him even more. Even though it's been 15 years since this moment, and over 10 years since Williams passed away at 63, his memory lives on through the gifts he brought to the world and the kindness that he treated others with. His comedy carries on his legacy in it’s own way, but stories about his genuine character feel just as special.

Fans of Robin Williams can remember him through his work by checking out our feature on the best movies from Williams. You can also hear more nostalgic stories by checking out his popular podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, which is streaming on both Spotify and Apple Music.

Some have said that tragedy is an important element to comedy but, for some of stand-up’s most acclaimed stars, tragedy saw the end of their career. Far too many of our favorite comedians passed away when they still had so much to offer on the stage and, yet, their jokes continue to make us laugh to this day. These are some of the funniest people we miss the most.

Bill Hicks

At his final stand-up show, Bill Hicks reflected on his career as a comedian whose goal to “illuminate the collective unconscious and help humanity” with his material left him “virtually anonymous” for years. However, since losing his battle with pancreatic cancer at just 32 years old in 1994, his philosophical wit and clever political commentary have made him one of the most influential comics of his time, if not all time.

Patrice O'Neal

His hilarious commentary on the likes of gender politics and race culture made one-time The Office star Patrice O'Neal one of the most respected names in stand-up. In 2011, the same year he released his first and only stand-up special, Elephant in the Room (one of the best stand-up comedy specials on Paramount+), he suffered a fatal stroke, caused by Type 2 diabetes he had suffered from since his 20s, when he was 41.

Mitch Hedberg

Known for his retro fashion sense, boisterous tone of voice, and a memorable appearance on That '70s Show, most of Mitch Hedberg's best jokes were masterful one-liners, such as, "Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something." He was only 37 when he passed away from an overdose of multiple substances in 2005.

Richard Pryor

With all of his achievements, including his acclaimed collaborations with Gene Wilder, his landmark SNL hosting gig, and his many iconic and controversial moments on stage (such as accidentally lighting himself on fire), you could make an argument that Richard Pryor was the best comedian to ever live. He died of a heart attack in 2005 at 65 but his stand-up and acting career had already slowed down by then due to his long-time struggles with MS.

Gilda Radner

As one of the founding Not Ready For Primetime Players, Gilda Radner made a huge impact on SNL in so little time with her high-energy approach and an impeccably unique sense of character. Rarely has the comedy world seen a performer quite like the one-time wife of Gene Wilder since she passed away at 42 in 1989 after a battle with ovarian cancer.

Bernie Mac

Earning his title as one of the "Kings of Comedy" – also the name of the tour he shared with Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley, and Steve Harvey – with his blunt approach to risqué topics in an autobiographical style, Bernie Mac became a staple of the Ocean's Eleven movies and starred in his own eponymous hit sitcom on Fox. Despite living with sarcoidosis for years, the disease was not connected to the comedian's death at 50 in 2008, which was caused by cardiac arrest.

Andy Kaufman

As a one-of-a-kind, eccentric comedian who challenged the very idea of what comedy could be with his bizarre performance art, Andy Kaufman became one of stand-up's most revered legends. Unfortunately, the subject of the acclaimed, Jim Carrey-led biopic, Man on the Moon, never made it to 40, succumbing to lung cancer when he was just 35 in 1984.

Phil Hartman

With his diverse arsenal of memorable characters and impeccable showmanship, you could easily argue that Phil Hartman is the greatest Saturday Night Live cast member of all time, which makes his horrific, untimely death at 49 especially heartbreaking. He was still starring on his post-SNL sitcom, NewsRadio, when his then-wife, Brynn, murdered him in his sleep in 1998.

Sam Kinison

Sam Kinison was blessed with a razor-sharp wit and a lung capacity that allowed him to raspily scream his punchlines at a deafening pitch. The Pentecostal preacher-turned-comedian had only just reached the peak of his career at 38 years old when he was killed in a car accident in 1992.

Robin Williams

Academy Award winner Robin Williams was the gift of bringing joy to audiences of all ages with his unbelievable, one-of-a-kind energy and rapid-fire improvisational skills. Unfortunately, behind his zestful demeanor as a comedian, he hid a pain that worsened as he got older and, when he was just 63, he took his own life in 2014.

Norm Macdonald

With a deliriously deadpan delivery and a signature eccentric wordplay, Norm Macdonald crafted some hilarious quotes throughout his career when performing stand-up, as "Weekend Update" host on SNL, etc. Most of the Canadian comedian's fans and adoring peers were unaware of his battle with leukemia until he succumbed to it in 2021 when he was 61 years old.

Lenny Bruce

Lenny Bruce was a comedian decades ahead of his time, boasting a bold, free-wheeling approach to commenting on various risqué topics that would actually get him arrested for obscenity in 1964. Just two years later, he passed away at the age of 40, due to acute morphine poisoning caused by an overdose, and was later portrayed by Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman in the 1974 biopic, Lenny.

Garry Shandling

Garry Shandling was one of the most creative comedic minds of his time, as reflected by his unique stand-up bits and acclaimed, meta TV creations It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. He was only 66 when, in 2016, the comedian passed away due to a pulmonary embolism.

Bob Saget

There are two kinds of Bob Saget fans: those who grew up with him as the star of Full House and the host of America's Funniest Home Videos and those who admired his shamelessly raunchy stand-up style. Both sides of fandom were joined together in mourning when an incident of blunt head trauma claimed the life of the 65-year-old comedian.

Gilbert Gottfried

If you did not know him for his stand-up, you undeniably knew Gilbert Gottfried for his unmistakable voice, which he lent to the screen as Iago in 1992's animated Disney movie classic, Aladdin, or as the Aflac duck. The comedian was just 67 when he passed away in 2022 due to ventricular tachycardia, which was worsened by his longtime, private battle with type II myotonic dystrophy.

Flip Wilson

For four years, Flip Wilson hosted his own popular variety, on which he performed as his many now-iconic characters, such as the flirtatious Geraldine. In 1998, the two-time Emmy-winning comedian was just 64 when he passed away from liver cancer.

Richard Jeni

Quick-witted Italian-American Richard Jeni found success as a stand-up comedian and went on to star in one of the best Jim Carrey movies, The Mask, and his own sitcom, Platypus Man. Unfortunately, he also had a history of schizophrenia and severe depression which supposedly led to taking his own life in 2007 when he was just 49.

Greg Giraldo

Greg Giraldo's penchant for insult jokes made him a staple of Comedy Central's most hilarious celebrity roasts for years, with the Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff marking his final appearance as a roaster in 2010. That same year, after falling comatose from a prescription medication overdose, his family chose to remove him from life support and he passed away soon after at 44 years old.

Brody Stevens

Brody Stevens was known for starring in many movies with his friend, Zach Galifianakis (namely The Hangover and Due Date), and for his self-effacing stand-up style. His struggles with bipolar disorder and depression were documented in Comedy Central's 2014 series, Brody Stevens: Enjoy It!, five years before he took his own life at the age of 48.

Ralphie May

Ralphie May's stand-up career began when he won a contest to open for his idol, Sam Kinison, at 17 and when he later finished second in the first season of Last Comic Standing in 2003, his popularity skyrocketed. The comedian, who had wrestled with obesity for most of his life, was 45 when he passed away from cardiac arrest, following weeks of suffering from pneumonia, in 2017.

Freddie Prinze

His clever observational comedy style led to Freddie Prinze becoming the star of the classic blue-collar TV show, Chico and the Man, which also starred Jack Albertson. The Puerto Rican comedian was only 22 when he shot himself in 1977 and is survived by his son, actor Freddie Prinze Jr.

Charlie Murphy

In addition to his stand-up and acting careers, Charlie Murphy's claim to fame was being Eddie Murphy's older brother and telling stories of his bizarre experiences with Prince and Rick James on a classic Chappelle's Show episode. The comedian was only 57 when he passed away in 2017 from leukemia.

The Amazing Johnathan

Better known as The Amazing Johnathan, John Edward Szeles became a hot ticket in Las Vegas for his hilarious combination of stand-up with magic tricks. Hulu's The Amazing Johnathan Documentary from 2019 chronicled his struggles with cardiomyopathy, which later caused him to pass away from heart failure in 2022 when he was 63.

Dustin Diamond

After making a name for himself playing Screech in the Saved by the Bell cast, Dustin Diamond went on to continue working as a stand-up comedian. Sadly, his career was cut short in February 2021 when, just a month after he was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he passed away at 44.

John Pinette

Outside of his stand-up career (which largely consisted of material that commented on his eating habits), John Pinette was best known for his major guest appearance in the final episode of Seinfeld in 1998. It was in 2014 when a pulmonary embolism ended the comedian's life when he was just 50 years old.

Robin Harris

Robin Harris became popular for a bit from his episode of HBO's One Night Stand which was later adapted into the underrated animated '90s movie, Bebe's Kids. Unfortunately, he never got to see the 1992 feature because he passed at just 36 years old from a cardiac arrhythmia two years earlier.

Sean Rouse

Fans of raunchy stand-up comedy must have been fans of Sean Rouse, who had a brief acting career with a small role as an MIB agent in 2002's Men in Black II. He was only 43 when, in 2018, he suffered a stroke, which was followed by a heart attack and, unfortunately, he did not recover.

Tim Wilson

Known for his schtick of performing his own humorous country music tunes on stage, Tim Wilson was also a staple of the popular, nationally syndicated radio program, The Bob and Tom Show. He was only 52 when the comedian, husband, and father of two suffered a fatal heart attack in 2014.

Dennis Wolfberg

Dennis Wolfberg worked as a teacher in New York City before pursuing a full-time career as a stand-up comedian, which led to an acting career that included a recurring stint on Quantum Leap. He came very close to having a TV series of his own before he died from melanoma in 1994 when he was 48.

Kevin Barnett

Kevin Barnett was a talented, young comedian known for his appearances in movies like Chris Rock's Top Five and Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk with Me and Don't Think Twice, as well as co-creating the short-lived Fox sitcom Rel with star Lil Rel Howery and Rabinowitz. He was just 32 years old when he suddenly passed away from pancreatitis in 2019.

Jay Leggett

Jay Leggett gained popularity in the 1990s after he joined the In Living Color cast, on which he portrayed characters like The Depressed Irish Singer on the hit sketch comedy TV show. In 2013, the 50-year-old comedian suffered a fatal heart attack after spending a day participating in his other passion, hunting.

Mike DeStefano

Mike DeStefano became relatively known in the comedy world for his candid discussions about his substance addictions in much of his stand-up material. The 44-year-old comedian had just gotten done filming a video for Funny or Die when he suffered a heart attack that ended his life in 2011.

Whoopi Goldberg, the beloved EGOT-winning comedian, recently returned to The View following its hiatus from the 2024 TV schedule. On last week's show, she took a moment to reflect on her cherished friendships with two late Hollywood icons: Robin Williams and Christopher Reeve, who will forever be remembered as Superman. During the heartfelt discussion, Goldberg shared touching stories about both men's profound impact on her life and expressed her deep gratitude for having known them.

The conversation on The View's September 19th broadcast was sparked by the appearance of Christopher Reeve’s children, Matthew, Alexandra and Will. The trio joined The View to promote the new documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. The film delves into Reeve’s life before and after the tragic 1995 horse-riding accident that left him paralyzed. As a longtime friend and colleague, the Sister Act star was featured in the documentary, sharing her reflections on just how deep her connections with the two were:

Whoopi Goldberg’s co-host, Sunny Hostin, pointed out that the Ghost actress had been interviewed for the documentary and even appeared in In the Gloaming, a film Reeve directed in 1997, which is about the AIDS crisis. Whoopi fondly recalled how surprised she was to be cast in the film, saying:

Despite their busy lives and infrequent meetings, the Color Purple star described Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams as constant pillars in her life. Reeve and Williams, who met while studying theater at Juilliard, shared a close bond that extended to their inner circles. Reeve’s son, Will, revealed in a recent interview with People that Williams was one of the first people to visit his father in the hospital following his accident. He said:

Whoopi Goldberg also acknowledged the strength and resilience that both of her late friends displayed throughout their lives, particularly in the face of hardship. She added:

Christopher Reeve passed away in October 2004 at just 52 years old, following complications from a heart attack. A decade later, the world was shaken again when Robin Williams, who had long struggled with depression and anxiety, tragically died by suicide in 2014. It was only after his passing that an autopsy revealed Williams had been battling Lewy body dementia, a heartbreaking and debilitating neurological disorder.

Whoopi Goldberg’s emotional tribute on The View wasn’t just a nod to the immense talent of these two legendary actors—it was also a celebration of the deep, enduring friendships they shared. With Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story set to hit the 2024 movie schedule, Goldberg’s reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the powerful bonds that shaped the careers and personal lives of these Hollywood icons. As the Till star so beautifully highlighted, these connections continue to resonate with fans worldwide, leaving a lasting impact both on and off the screen.

Whenever we talk about the best ‘90s movies, it doesn’t take long before the conversation turns to the most iconic actors of the final decade of the 20th century and their most beloved performances. But what are Will Smith’s, Julia Roberts’, or Keanu Reeves’ best movies for the unforgettable and transformative 10-year stretch? 

We’re being totally subjective here (Because why not?), but here are the best ‘90s movies for these 32 actors. Best Picture winners, a handful of the best action movies of all time, and other films that turned up-and-comers into overnight megastars can all be found below.

Will Smith (Independence Day)

Will Smith was already a household name by the time Independence Day was released and became the biggest movie of 1996, but this massive sci-fi flick took him to new heights. Electric, magnetic, and charismatic beyond belief, the Fresh Prince became the King of the summer blockbuster with his portrayal of Captain Steven Hiller.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic)

Is there a bigger ‘90s movie than Titanic, both in terms of financial returns and cultural prominence? Yeah, James Cameron’s story of the ill-fated ship, his special effects, and the rest of the cast made this 1997 disaster movie a must-see, but Leonardo DiCaprio, with his “King of the World” moment, made this an all-timer. 

Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire)

Picking the best ‘90s movie for Tom Cruise is no easy task, considering some of the actor’s best performances took place that decade. However, despite Magnolia and Mission: Impossible being great in their own ways, this has to go to Cruise’s dynamic portrayal of the struggling sports agent in Jerry Maguire. “Show me the money,” is a quote we keep in our repertoire nearly 30 years later. 

Sandra Bullock (Speed)

Sandra Bullock put herself on the map with her performance in Speed, one of the most iconic 1994 movies. Though she was great in Demolition Man the year before, Bullock’s take on Annie Porter made her an overnight sensation and quickly became one of her best roles to date, even outside the ‘90s.

Morgan Freeman (The Shawshank Redemption)

How Morgan Freeman didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in The Shawshank Redemption is one of the biggest mysteries, and travesties, in Hollywood history. His portrayal of Ellis "Red" Redding in this spectacular Stephen King adaptation is so strong and so believable that you don’t see him as an actor playing an inmate, but more like an aging prisoner trying to “get busy living or get busy dying.”

Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction)

As much as we would have loved to argue for Jurassic Park being Samuel L. Jackson’s best ‘90s movie, Ray Arnold has nothing on the bad mother [redacted] that was Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction. Easily Quentin Tarantino’s best movie, this 1994 classic is essentially a master class in dialogue and non-linear storytelling.

Meg Ryan (Sleepless In Seattle)

A few years after leading the best romantic comedy of all time with When Harry Met Sally, Meg Ryan teamed up with Nora Ephron (who was directing this time around) for Sleepless in Seattle in 1993. The chemistry between Ryan and Tom Hanks as Annie Reed and Sam Baldwin, is incredible, even if they only share a couple minutes of screentime.

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

It’s hard to imagine what Julia Roberts’ career and Hollywood in general would be like if the actress didn’t play Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman. Sure, Roberts already had some hits and would have gone on to land big roles, but this 1990 rom-com instantly made her one of the brightest stars on the planet and showed off her dynamic range and impeccable comedic timing.

Angela Bassett (What's Love Got To Do With It)

Angela Bassett’s best movie, What’s Love Got to Do with It saw the celebrated actress take on the role of the legendary Tina Turner in this 1993 biopic about the late singer’s life, career, and toxic relationship with husband and music partner Ike Turner. Bassett had some pretty iconic ‘90s roles throughout the decade, but this is at the tippy top of the mountain.

Keanu Reeves (The Matrix)

Picking Keanu Reeves’ best movie of the 1990s is more difficult than you’d think. Point Break, My Private Idaho, and Speed are all contenders, but none come close to the heights of The Matrix and his performance as Neo, aka, the One. Watching Reeves’ character develop throughout this great ‘90s sci-fi film never gets old.

Robin Williams (Good Will Hunting)

Robin Williams had SO many good movies in the ‘90s, but Good Will Hunting was in a league of its own, at least in terms of performances by the late comedian. The richness, range, and emotion found in his portrayal of Sean Maguire is something to behold. No wonder he took home an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Bruce Willis (The Sixth Sense)

The ‘90s saw Bruce Willis play everything from his most iconic character in the second and third Die Hard movies to the leads in multiple blockbusters. However, none of those compare to his work in The Sixth Sense. There is just something so warm and refreshing about his portrayal of a child psychiatrist trying to help a young boy make sense of life and his strange gift.

Harrison Ford (The Fugitive)

Have you gone back and watched The Fugitive lately? If not, do so now. If you have, you’re all too familiar with Harrison Ford’s performance as Richard Kimble, the Chicago doctor trying to clear his name after being wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife. Air Force One and Clear and Present Danger are great, but this 1993 thriller is one of Ford’s career-best.

Frances McDormand (Fargo)

Frances McDormand’s portrayal of Marge Gunderson in the Coen Brothers' Fargo earned the actress the first of her three Academy Awards, and for good reason: she’s the heart and soul of the 1996 crime comedy.  

Gary Oldman (The Fifth Element)

Gary Oldman played some of the meanest ‘90s villains in movies like Air Force One, Leon: The Professional, and The Fifth Element, the latter of which features his best work of the decade. Jean-Baptiste Emanuel Zorg is one of those characters that you love to hate and enjoy watching as much as the 1997 sci-fi film’s hero, which is saying something.

Wesley Snipes (White Men Can't Jump)

In the years following his breakout performance in Major League, Wesley Snipes became one of the dependable faces in Hollywood thanks to unforgettable turns in New Jack City, Demolition Man, and Jungle Fever. But let’s be real, Snipes’ take on Syd Deane is one of the most iconic ‘90s characters and essentially carries this all-time great basketball movie.

Tom Hanks (Saving Private Ryan)

Tom Hanks dominated the ‘90s with Oscar-winning performances in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump as well as other decade-defining films like Toy Story and A League of Their Own. But in terms of the BEST movie, that has to go to Saving Private Ryan, Steven Spielberg’s harrowing World War II epic about heroism, survival, and the hope of a better tomorrow.

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

We could have listed Goodfellas, Heat, or even A Bronx Tale as Robert De Niro’s best movie from the ‘90s, but his performance as Max Cady in Cape Fear is on a whole other level. Easily one of the Oscar winner’s most menacing characters, the psychopathic ex-con with a bone to pick is a force of pure evil here.

Al Pacino (Heat)

After playing all-time great gangsters in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Al Pacino was on the other side of the law in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime epic, Heat. Sure, Scent of a Woman earned him that elusive Oscar for Best Actor, but his take on Lieutenant Vincent Hanna is the stuff of legend. Plus, we also got to see Pacino and Robert De Niro share a scene for the first time.

Anthony Hopkins (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs is one of the greatest performances of all time. That said, it should be no surprise that this great horror film gets the call here. Though there was some stiff competition.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Boogie Nights)

As much as we would love to break down all the awesome ways Philip Seymour Hoffman stole the show in Twister and My Boyfriend’s Back, the late actor really came into his own in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1997 drama, Boogie Nights. Hoffman’s sympathetic take on Scotty J. was nothing short of brilliant and showed what was to come.

Jodie Foster (The Silence Of The Lambs)

If you were to break down Jodie Foster’s best performances, her portrayal of Clarice Starling would be at or near the top of that list. A movie that has been quoted or referenced countless times over the years, this 1991 thriller remains one of the best ever made.

Brad Pitt (Seven)

David Fincher’s Seven is Brad Pitt’s best movie from the ‘90s for a variety of reasons: 1) the movie about a serial killer taking lives based on the seven deadly sins is violently unique, 2) it was the start of a partnership between actor and director, and 3) Pitt showed he was more than a pretty face and really had what it took.

Arnold Schwarzenegger (T2: Judgment Day)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is not only a decade-defining action movie or a landmark achievement in visual effects, it’s also Arnold Schwarzenegger’s best movie of the ‘90s and perhaps all time. James Cameron’s sequel is bigger and louder than its predecessor and epic beyond compare.

Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act)

Whoopi Goldberg won her first Academy Award for her role as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost, a film that kicked off an impressive decade for the comedian and actor. Her spiritual guide for Patrick Swayze’s ghostly Sam Wheat in this supernatural thriller helped anchor the film and turn it into the biggest movie of 1990.

Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting)

Matt Damon went from a relatively unknown actor to one of the brightest faces (and voices) in Hollywood thanks to Good Will Hunting. His tortured performance as a young math prodigy in South Boston is still captivating more than 25 years later.

Eddie Murphy (The Nutty Professor)

Eddie Murphy did a little bit of everything in the ‘90s, but The Nutty Professor shows off some of the comedian’s best work. Playing multiple characters (heroes, villains, and in between) really showed off Murphy’s dynamic range and varied comedic styles.

Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore)

Though Big Daddy proved that Adam Sandler could handle slightly more dramatic roles, there’s no denying the fact that Happy Gilmore is the former SNL star’s best ‘90s movie. His take on a failed hockey player finding new purpose (and fortune) in the world of golf was a game-changer and created one of the best sports characters of all time.

Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)

Denzel Washington is another actor who had more great roles in the ‘90s than we can count, but at the top of his “best” list is Spike Lee’s 1992 biopic, Malcolm X. The movie about the controversial civil rights icon was eye-opening, enchanting, and epic.

Joe Pesci (Goodfellas)

We could have talked about My Cousin Vinny, we could have talked about Home Alone, and we could have even made a case for Casino, but none of that is possible without Goodfellas. The movie, which introduced the world to Joe Pesci’s Tommy DeVito, is one of the greatest gangster movies of all time and an influential piece of cinema we still rave about 30-plus years later.

Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise)

Ridley Scott’s Thelma & Louise, a movie featuring one of the best female friendships with Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis’ titular characters, helped kickstart the decade back in 1990. Easily Sarandon’s best movie of the ‘90s, this crime drama about two friends on the run from the law is just so dang great.

Jim Carrey (Dumb & Dumber)

Jim Carrey absolutely dominated the ‘90s comedy scene, and the box office in general back in 1994. While Ace Ventura Pet Detective and The Mask both have their moments, we have to be real for a second and admit that Dumb and Dumber is some of Carrey’s best work.

Movie fans had lots to love in the '90s and these actors and their best movies of the decade will never be forgotten.

While Good Will Hunting launched Matt Damon and Ben Affleck into stardom, it also served as a defining moment in Robin Williams' career. For his incredible performance as Will's persistent therapist, showing audiences his talent ranged far past comedy, the Dead Poets Society actor won his only Academy Award. Now, it’s been 27 years since this fantastic film from the '90s was released, and Matt Damon shed some light onto the natural talent of the Mrs. Doubtfire star in what has to be one of the top behind-the-scenes stories from Good Will Hunting.

Following Robin Williams' birthday and the 10th anniversary of his death, Vanity Fair collected touching sentiments and memories from a number of the Aladdin actor’s closest co-stars. Many were about his off-screen kindness, moments like when he supported Sally Field on set after her father died. However, Matt Damon chose to highlight a moment of on-screen magic, a line crafted by the timeless comedic genius that left The Martian actor and the director shook:

The improvised line is regarded as one of the best Robin Williams quotes.

It is a callback to his character, Sean Maguire, opening up to Will Hunting about how he ditched a Red Sox playoff game to go find his future wife, saying “I just slid my ticket across the table, and I said, 'Sorry, guys; I gotta see about a girl.” Real Bostonians will understand how big a deal that is. Then, at the end of the movie, his mentee repeats the line back, in a full circle moment.

Well, apparently, Maguire’s iconic retort was all Williams, whose natural instinct took over, showing he so perfectly understood the two characters' dynamic.

I can just picture young Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, jaws on the floor, feeling insanely lucky they got this once-in-a-generation talent to take a chance on them.

A true artist, the Jumanji actor seemed to always want to give the best performance he could. The director, Gus Van Sant said it became a bit of an issue when they already had a perfect take and Williams would want another. And another. And then one more.

However, this line is a perfect example of trusting the process, especially when it comes to the Good Morning, Vietnam actor’s process. Had Van Sant stopped doing takes, we would have never gotten that bit of perfect quip!

Moments like that are what mark great Robin Williams movies. And when the leaves start to change and school is back in session, you know it’s time to rewatch this instant classic, which is available now with a Max subscription. Also, if you are ever in Boston, be sure to check out the Good Will Hunting bench. You never know, you might even run into Matt Damon sitting there!

If you know me, you know I love animation. I’ve always been a fan, from the latest animated movies coming out as part of the 2024 movie schedule to classics that I could rewatch again and again. I also love animation on television, something that I grew up on and have come to appreciate even more. But there are just some characters voiced by actors that I genuinely could not imagine another actor voicing them – and today, we’ll be going over them. 

Robin Williams As Genie (Aladdin)

This is the obvious answer. Robin Williams as the Genie in Aladdin was honestly one of Robin Williams' best roles, and he wasn’t even on screen. He was able to give so much energy, wit, and fun to a character that was drawn, and it almost made you feel like Genie was a friend rather than some random side character.

Tim Allen As Buzz (Toy Story Franchise)

Toy Story is hands down one of the best Pixar films, and a big reason for this is the natural partnership between Buzz and Woody. Of course, I had to put Tim Allen as Buzz here. I’m pretty sure we can barely think of Buzz in any other way aside from Allen doing it, even if Chris Evans did give it his all in the Lightyear cast. 

Dante Basco As Zuko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

“Hello, Zuko here,” is a line that has lived in my brain since I was literally a child and will forever be there. Dante Basco as Zuko is iconic. Not only is Basco basically the biggest Avatar: The Last Airbender fan out there, but he’s also voiced not one but two characters in the ATLA universe. However, he, like Zuko, can’t be beaten, and we will always love him voicing one of the best redemption arcs on television. 

Bryce Papenbrook As Eren Yeager (Attack On Titan)

Let me preface this by saying that yes, I know the primary voice roles for anime are the Japanese voice actors but have you ever heard an English dub actor who is just so good that it makes it almost impossible to watch it in Japanese? That’s Bryce Papenbrook with Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan. As one of my favorite anime, I started this series listening to Papenbrook, and I ended it with him, too, when I watched the finale again with the dub. He does Eren so well, and it’s hard to picture anyone else but him. 

Eddie Murphy As Mushu (Mulan)

Eddie Murphy is one of those actors where it feels like he plays himself in his voice roles, and he, as Mushu, is certainly one of them. I cannot tell you how often I quote this character. “Dishonor on you! Dishonor on your cow!” I mean, only Murphy could have that kind of delivery. 

Tara Strong As Timmy Turner (The Fairly Oddparents)

There are some voice actors out there who ultimately defined my childhood, and Tara Strong is one of them. I could put so many of her characters on here from multiple different TV shows, but I think the best one has to be Timmy Turner from The Fairly Oddparents. I couldn’t imagine Timmy having a distinct voice, and Strong brought so much character to his iconic kid. 

Seth MacFarlane As Stewie Griffin (Family Guy)

Family Guy has cemented itself as a show that just won’t stop, and the voice actors have pretty much stayed the same since the beginning. One that hasn’t changed is Stewie Griffin, who is voiced by the creator of the show, Seth MacFarlane, and obviously, he has to be here. I’m pretty sure Stewie is probably the most iconic character from the show, and it’s because of MacFarlane’s delivery and his hilarious lines. 

Tom Hanks As Woody (Toy Story Franchise)

Come on. You knew Tom Hanks would be here. Hanks is like the grandfather of our generation when it comes to voice roles, and his role as Woody will live on in our memories long after we’re all gone and Toy Story becomes a certified classic (if it isn’t already). Hanks is just that good, and I will listen to him voice Woody over and over again. 

Ellen DeGeneres As Dory (Finding Nemo)

Ellen DeGeneres isn’t exactly known for her movies, as she was mainly a daytime talk show host for many, many years, but her voice acting as Dory in Finding Nemo is top-notch. Dory wound up becoming just as big as the clown fishes that we followed in the movie and became a loveable character that children all around the world flocked to, and that’s because of DeGeneres and her voice skills. 

Jay Baruchel As Hiccup (How To Train Your Dragon)

Even though there’s a live-action How To Train Your Dragon set to release, you can’t beat the animated movies, and of course, Jay Baruchel is voicing Hiccup, the main character. Honestly, I think Hiccup would have been really tough to nail if the voice actor wasn’t right. Baruchel had to find the delicate balance between a surprisingly brave warrior and a kind of wimpy teenager and build on that for three movies straight – and he rocks it. 

Eddie Murphy As Donkey (Shrek)

Eddie Murphy as Donkey is everything. Look at me. Look at me and tell me you can picture someone else as Donkey because I surely can’t. This talking animal has cemented itself into pop culture with hilarious lines, memes, and so much more, and it’s because of Murphy’s delivery. Now I’m gonna go and make some waffles. 

Kaiji Tang As Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Kaiji Tang is an example of an English dub actor in anime who knocks it out of the park. I honestly love any version of Jujutsu Kaisen, and Season 2 was one of my favorite anime of 2023, but let me tell you, Tang, as Gojo, made it so much better. His line delivery is just phenomenal – it’s no wonder the character is, like, the anime community’s crush. With that smooth voice, it’d be hard not to crush on him.

Trey Parker As Eric Cartman (South Park)

There are so many outrageous episodes in South Park that make you squirm, and you want to know who’s behind most of them. Eric Cartman, because he’s a menace to society – so, of course, one of the creators is the voice behind him. Trey Parker is a naturally funny person, so he as Eric Cartman makes sense – only he could think of the most ridiculous and awful lines to say for a literal fourth-grader. 

Billy Crystal As Mike Wazowski (Monsters Inc.)

When making this list, I thought about putting maybe John Goodman as Sully, but then I really thought about it and realized that Mike is actually low-key more iconic. Mike, in general, is a great character with a good backstory and a hilarious sense of humor, but you want to know why he’s so funny? It’s because of Billy Crystal—I can almost feel him through Mike. Mike is Billy, Billy is Mike. 

Shameik Moore As Miles Morales (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)

Miles Morales proved anyone can wear the mask in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, a film that became a huge hit and spawned a sequel and another movie coming out soon enough. However, a big reason why Miles is such a great character is because of the voice behind him, Shameik Moore. Since the first film, Moore has brought humility to Miles, but also that kind of smooth swagger that we know only he could have. He’s excellent, and I can’t wait to hear more from him. 

Tom Kenny As Spongebob (SpongeBob SquarePants)

How could I not include Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants from the SpongeBob SquarePants series here? This man is my childhood. Sure, there are impressionists out there who believe they can impersonate SpongeBob, but no one can do it like Tom Kenny, and I stand by that. 

Kaley Cuoco As Harley Quinn (Harley Quinn)

There have been multiple people who have voiced Harley Quinn in Batman TV shows and animated movies, but I’m sorry. Kaley Cuoco takes the cake, and I want her to be the animated version of Harley Quinn from now on. Her take on Harley in the TV show Harley Quinn is hilarious, on-brand, and unforgettable, and if you haven’t had the chance to watch her voice the heck out of his classic DC villain/antihero, then you have to. 

Mike Myers As Shrek (Shrek)

Obviously, I had to put Mike Myers on this list. While I do think Donkey is a little more iconic, Mike Myers as Shrek is pretty much the same as butter and toast, or Oreos and milk, or popcorn and movies—you get my gist. Myers as Shrek is pretty much the standard for celebrities voicing animated characters, and he’s quite hard to beat. 

Dakota Fanning As Coraline (Coraline)

Coraline is one of the best stop-motion films out there, and surprisingly, no matter how creepy it might be to others, it’s a comfort film for me. And, of course, I can’t imagine anyone else voicing Coraline other than Dakota Fanning. She was so young at the time but still brought so much sass and wonder to the character, and it made me love Coraline for the explorer she was. 

Dan Castellaneta As Homer Simpson (The Simpsons)

Oh, you know he would be here. The Simpsons is hands down the most iconic TV series of all time and has been around since the 1980s. Dan Castellaneta has voiced the patriarch of the Simpsons family since the very beginning and has cemented himself in television just as much as the rest of the cast. But you can’t get more iconic than Homer freaking Simpson. 

Christy Carlson Romano As Kim Possible (Kim Possible)

Kim Possible was a show from my childhood on The Disney Channel that made me want to be a spy. It likely led to a few injuries when I jumped from trees to show how cool I was. Either way, it was mainly because of Kim and how kick-butt she was while also being a remarkable teenager, and thanks to Christy Carlson Romano’s voice acting, she was made all the better. 

Christian Bale As Howl (Howl’s Moving Castle)

Howl’s Moving Castle is one of my favourite Studio Ghibli movies, and I have to admit that for this, I do like the English dub better because, come on, you can’t beat Christian Bale as Howl! That man has a voice as smooth as butter, and you will find yourself falling for Howl so quickly because of how he voices the character. Ugh, I’m getting butterflies just thinking about it. 

Antonio Banderas As Puss (Shrek 2)

Shrek has plenty of iconic voices, but you want to know who has one of the best ones? Antonio Banderas didn’t even show up in the Shrek franchise until the second movie. But Banderas’ voice was so popular that he spawned not one but two spin-off films – the second of which featured one of the best DreamWorks Animation villains of all time, so you know he’s iconic. 

Jeff Bennett As Johnny Bravo (Johnny Bravo)

Okay, so, if we’re being honest, Johnny Bravo is actually a pretty lousy person and very misogynistic, but man, is it funny to get his butt handed to him in so many situations? It’s because of Jeff Bennett and the way he voices him. He’s just so funny in a messed-up way. I love it. 

Matthew Mercer As Levi Ackerman (Attack On Titan)

Attack on Titan is a case where I tend to lean more towards the English dub than the Japanese because of some of the voice-acting choices, and Matthew Mercer as Levi Ackerman is just *chef’s kiss.* Don’t get me wrong, the Japanese voice actor Hiroshi Kamiya does a great job, too, but when I think of Levi, I think of Matthew Mercer’s voice, and that just means I literally cannot imagine anything else.

Jack Black As Po (Kung Fu Panda)

Po the Panda is one of those characters that has become a pretty big name for DreamWorks Animation. In reality, it’s really just Jack Black behind a microphone in the sound booth voicing some of the most hilarious moments ever. Sometimes, it feels like I’m almost just watching Jack Black on screen because Po is as funny as him.

Helena Bonham Carter As Emily (The Corpse Bride)

The Corpse Bride is an excellent stop-motion animated film that certainly has a specific group of people who watch it every year (me included during Halloween). I could talk about Johnny Depp as Victor, but I have to point out Helene Bonham Carter as Emily. She voices the character so well and gives so much life to a literal corpse. It’s one of Carter’s best movies. 

Chris Rock As Marty (Madagascar)

Chris Rock as Marty makes sense. While there were only three Madagascar movies, Rock voiced the zebra in each of them and killed it every time. I could literally watch an entire spinoff film on just Marty. I want more, Marty. Please give me more hilarious lines like “Oh, sugar honey iced tea!”

Bill Fagerbakke As Patrick Star (SpongeBob SquarePants)

You can’t have SpongeBob without his best friend, and Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star is a match made in heaven. Since the show’s beginning, Fagerbakke has voiced the sea star, and he’s perfect for the role. Honestly, I almost want to watch him and Kenny voiceover the Super Bowl again next year because he as Patrick and them together is just perfect. 

Matthew Lillard As Shaggy (Scooby Doo)

There have been many voice actors who have come and gone to voice Shaggy, but let’s be honest here – Matthew Lillard has become Shaggy. Ever since he did the live-action version of Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo films, we’ve loved seeing him as Shaggy, and then he began doing the animated version. He’s been voicing the character (except for Velma, but we don’t talk about that), and he’s fantastic. 

Oscar Isaac As Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse)

Oh, Miguel. TikTok’s boyfriend of Summer 2023. The man, the myth, the legend that somehow captured my heart and reminded me that I have a thing for fictional brooding men. Either way, Oscar Isaac voices Miguel, and yes, this man is Miguel, and I will not accept any other person voicing him. 

Idina Menzel As Elsa (Frozen)

I had to put Elsa here somehow. Frozen is one of the biggest animated franchises of all time, and it’s mainly because of Elsa, her ice powers, and the incredible force of Idina Menzel’s voice. There isn’t another singer/actress on the planet that could belt like that.

While there are plenty of other animated characters we could discuss, these were just some of the first ones that came to mind—and now I feel like having an animated movie marathon. 

We know Robin Williams for being one of the greatest actors around. While Williams had a lot of unforgettable roles in movies, he made a lasting impression on those with the privilege of knowing him in many positive ways. On the set of one of 20th Century Fox’s best movies Mrs. Doubtfire, Sally Field shares the sweet way her talented co-star supported her after her father passed away.

On the 10th anniversary of Robin Williams’ passing, many friends and colleagues spoke to Vanity Fair about how the Oscar-winning actor would go out of his way to make anyone laugh. However, Williams was also there for those who needed comfort like Sally Field whose life was hit with tragedy on the set of one of Field's best films Mrs. Doubtfire.

It’s a heartbreaking story to find out about your father’s passing while you’re shooting a movie. I can’t even imagine what that must feel like. The comedy-drama film already had her character going through a marriage break-up we’re still not over and other depressing scenes from the movie that were ultimately deleted, dealing with a real-life tragedy on top of filming hard scenes must have been a lot to handle.

While Robin Williams and Sally Field were co-stars on Mrs. Doubtfire, they still had a powerful bond even when the cameras were off. As the Hook actor was able to see the clear pain of Field before knowing what it was, he found a sweet way to provide support for her when she needed it:

It does my own heart good to hear stories of compassion about a man known to incite laughter in his audience. That care and goodness was present in Robin Williams through a lot of people he got to know. He helped Sharon Osbourne, ready to give up chemo, get through her treatment by coming to her house and making her laugh which motivated her to return to treatment. Williams also helped Steven Spielberg continue with the Holocaust film Schindler’s List by doing a standup routine for him over the phone. The Good Will Hunting actor truly had a gift for brightening the day for those going through dark times.

When Sally Field was hit with the personal tragedy of losing her father while working on Mrs. Doubtfire, Robin Williams arranged it so Field could go home and make arrangements for her father. The Emmy Award-winning actor clearly had a profound impact on those lucky enough to know him, providing to a person anything they needed to help them get through a hard day. You can see the two stars in Mrs. Doubtfire available with a Hulu subscription and/or a Disney+ subscription.

The world lost a true talent when Robin Williams died at the age of 63 back in 2014. Williams was widely mourned, with his fans and his peers in Hollywood paying tribute to him in a myriad of ways. While the Oscar winner may be gone, he’s certainly not forgotten, as people continue to post about him and his work across social media. His family also continues to remember him as well. Today, July 21, is Williams’ birthday, and his son took a moment to commemorate the occasion. He did so by penning a sweet tribute to his dad, and it’s enough to bring a tear to one’s eye.

Robin Williams would’ve turned 73 today, and a number of admirers have taken to X to share their remembrances of him while remembering his birthday. His oldest son, 40-year-old Zachary, took to that same platform as well to share his tribute. Zak, who’s the head of the PYM (Prepare Your Mind) mental health company, shared a throwback photo of his beloved dad. While that snapshot was sweet enough, it was the message that the younger Williams wrote that was truly heartwarming: 

After news of Robin Williams’ death became public, it was reported that he died due to asphyxia caused by hanging. It was later revealed that he had recently been diagnosed with Parkinsons’ Disease, and the autopsy that was conducted found that he had symptoms that tracked for dementia with Lewy bodies. 

We can’t speak to the nuances and complexities of the father-son dynamic between Robin and Zak Williams. However, based on the latter’s post, he continues to hold an immense amount of love for his late father. The Jumanji alum was also a parent to two other children, with one being 31-year-old Cody and other being 34-year-old actress/director Zelda Williams. The Good Will Hunting star’s children have honored him on other occasions. For instance, in 2018, Zelda marked her dad’s birthday with a sentimental message, and Zak marked the seventh anniversary of Robin’s passing with a tribute in 2021. 

This coming August will mark a decade since Robin Williams’ death, which is honestly a tough pill to swallow in some ways. But, as mentioned, the famed comedian remains beloved for his work, which includes films like The Fisher King, Dead Poets Society, Good Morning, Vietnam and Aladdin. And those are only a few of Williams’ best movies. Zak is even introducing his own son to his grandfather through some of the kid-friendly fare he starred in. Few can lay claim to such a storied body of work, and I have no problem saying that his films will surely be enjoyed for years to come.

I’d also expect the Williams family to continue to celebrate their patriarch as time goes on. Of course, the general public should also be understanding of their feelings and the ways in which they choose to remember the beloved actor. Here’s wishing a happy heavenly birthday to Robin Williams, and you can celebrate the star by checking out his seminal work.

It’s unfortunate but celebrity and drug use sometimes go together. While drug use doesn’t always lead to tragic consequences, it certainly has happened. One actor who has avoided getting into hard drugs is Eddie Murphy, though he admits it’s not from lack of opportunity. He says he was once offered cocaine while hanging out with Robin Williams and John Belushi.

Appearing on the New York Times Interview podcast (via Page Six) the Beverly Hills Cop actor revealed that just as he started working as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, he found himself hanging out with former SNL star John Belushi and Robin Williams, and the two offered him a chance to try cocaine, which he declined. Murphy said…

Murphy has apparently led an almost entirely clean lifestyle throughout his professional career. The actor says he doesn’t even drink and didn’t try pot until the age of 30. He called being famous at such a young age a “minefield” and he seemed quite aware of the potential for things to go bad. Luckily for him, he says doing drugs just never really interested him. Murphy continued…

Murphy credits God as a force that helped him not want to do these things. He says it wasn’t a moral problem, he didn’t necessarily have an issue with drugs or the people who chose to do them. Rather, he seemed to understand the potential problems they could cause for him, and as such, simply had little interest in them.

John Belushi tragically passed away in 1982 following a heroin overdose. Robin Williams eventually got sober, he would later say he did so specifically because of Belushi's death. The actor would talk openly during his stand-up performances about the toll that drugs took on him. Williams even discussed his addiction problems with young co-stars in his movies.

Considering that one of the men who was with Eddie Murphy that night would die of a drug overdose only a couple of years later, it’s not surprising that the actor feels like someone or something was looking out for him. He certainly knows what the worst-case scenario in that situation would have been.

We’ve seen too many great stars die young thanks to drugs. While other stars from Rob Lowe to Tom Holland now living a sober lifestyle. Eddie Murphy has had a strong career for four decades. He has even been able to return to one of his earliest movie hits with a fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie, Axel: F which recently arrived for everybody with a Netflix subscription. While Murphy may have been able to try cocaine that night and still become the star he is today, for him that was never a concern, and that's not a bad thing.

Kevin Costner is a legendary actor known for his roles in Hollywood classics like The Untouchables, The Bodyguard, and Dances with Wolves. But few are quite as iconic as Field of Dreams, which is widely considered one of the best baseball movies of all time. Costner's portrayal of Ray, a farmer who hears a mysterious voice telling him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield, moved audiences to tears and reinforced his status as a leading man. Although according to Costner, the role could’ve gone to another established leading man in Hollywood: Robin Williams. Now he's explaining why the casting director ultimately went to Costner instead.

In a recent interview with GQ, the Yellowstone star talked about some of his memorable movies over the years, and Costner opened up about what some of the fan favorites meant for him and his career. When reflecting on Field of Dreams, Costner told some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the 1989 baseball classic, and chatted about what drew him to the script. He also talked about a moment where he asked the director, Phil Alden Robinson, why he didn’t go after Robin Williams for the role. He said: 

This explanation actually makes perfect sense and truly captures the movie star reputations of both of the actors at the time. Williams was famous for his kooky, over the top personality. His quick wit was part of his charm and he shined in movies like Dead Poets Society, where he was meant to be an off-kilter quirky professor in an otherwise straight-laced environment. The audience already had a background with Williams, so when he would hear voices in the corn in the film, it would’ve been too expected, because it sounds like a Robin Williams routine he may do on stage. 

On the other hand, Kevin Costner had a completely different reputation. Before Field of Dreams, the actor had done masculine All-American roles like The Untouchables and Bull Durham. He was a movie star everyman, feeling like a representation of small town America. Somewhat of an aspirational ideal, Costner represented something very different than Robin Williams. If anyone was going to go crazy on film, it definitely wasn’t Kevin Costner, which is why the audience may be more apt to believe his character’s experience in Field of Dreams. 

Both actors are phenomenal, never needing to reach for emotionality and connection with an audience, it just comes naturally. However, there was something about Costner that just made sense for Field of Dreams. While casting Robin Williams’ for his warmth and star power may have been a natural instinct for a casting director, they saw something unique and special about Costner, which made him right for emotional sports film that still hits hard today (no pun intended). It remains one of Costner’s best performances, and it’s truly hard to imagine anyone else in the role. 

You can revisit Kevin Costner’s performance in Field of Dreams now, as the movie is available to rent now on Amazon. Fans of the actor should also check out his latest directorial project, Horizon: An American Saga, which is in cinemas nationwide now. For more information about movies heading to the big screen this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule. 

When thinking of the best ‘90s movies, it would be hard not to acknowledge the 1997 drama Good Will Hunting. Given its status, it’s no surprise director Gus Van Sant is still reflecting on working with Robin Williams, one of the film’s stars, who kept people laughing on set, by the way. There was just one problem. 

In an interview with THR, Van Sant discussed his time working with Williams on the film and what he considered the actor's one "problem."

The film starred Williams as Sean Maguire, a therapist who treats Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a secret math genius who works at MIT as a janitor. The film showcased Williams’ range as an actor and includes the inspiring movie speech given to Damon's character that people still talk about today. If you're looking to rewatch this moment, the film can be streamed with a Max subscription. 

Upon its release, the film garnered Williams' fourth Oscar nomination and first win for Best Supporting Actor at the 1998 awards show. It also catapulted Damon and Ben Affleck, his costar and co-writer on the project, to stardom and nabbed them their first Oscar win for Best Original Screenplay. Van Sant was also nominated in the Best Director Category. 

The director went on to say that the film's set was particularly loud because Robin Williams "was just cracking jokes." Van Sant also reacted to the actor calling him “the mellowest man in Hollywood,” a characterization the director doesn’t agree with. 

Williams, who died in 2014, seemed to share a similar fondness for the director and said as much in a Sirius XM interview with fellow Oscar winner and friend Whoopi Goldberg. 

Van Sant isn’t the only Good Will Hunting alum who has discussed working with the late Robin Williams. Affleck once described him as “warm and lovely” to CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend. 

Despite the film’s great success, it doesn’t seem like a sequel is anywhere on the horizon as Affleck shot down those rumors at the premiere of his 2023 film Air, a film about Nike where Affleck got to direct Damon. So, while it might not be set in the Good Will Hunting universe, the two continue to work together. 

For nearly every BatFan, there is just one cinematic portrayal of the Joker that they consider to be the definitive iteration of the Clown Prince of Crime on screen. Some think of the late Heath Ledger’s Academy Award-winning performance in 2008’s The Dark Knight as the greatest of all time, while many others would say no one has beaten Jack Nicholson from Tim Burton’s 1989 classic, but quite a few believe neither of them hold a candle to Mark Hamill’s vocal performance in Batman: The Animated Series and several great animated Batman movies, too. Lest we forget, however, that these legends were never the only ones considered for the iconic role.

It is very rare that an actor chosen to bring a popular comic book character to life on the big screen is the first choice for the job. For instance, the list of actors who could have played Batman is pretty long and the amount of actors considered to portray Superman is hefty enough to give the Man of Steel himself a challenge. The Dark Knight’s maniacal arch-nemesis is absolutely no exception, and you might find yourself asking if we are the ones playing a joke when you check out the following collection of actors who could have joined the live-action DC movies’ legacy as the Joker.

Adrien Brody

In the eyes of many, The Dark Knight is the greatest live-action Batman movie ever and a key reason why is Heath Ledger’s unforgettably grim portrayal of the central villain. However, before the Australian was cast in his definitive role, an actor who already had an Oscar under his belt tried out for the part.

As MTV reported in 2010, The Piano star Adrien Brody confirmed a rumor that he met with director Christopher Nolan for the role of the Joker while speaking at that year’s South By Southwest Festival. He had nothing but praise for the late actor who ended up winning the part, but admits he would have been honored to take on the role, which would have marked his comic book movie debut — a bucket list item the Asteroid City cast member still has yet to cross off.

Brad Dourif

Academy Award nominee Brad Dourif is an undisputed horror icon for originating one of the most beloved horror movie villains (Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise) and owning the screen in the underrated The Exorcist III, in addition to his memorable turn in the Lord of the Rings movies as Grima Wormtongue. Yet, he came close to adding another dastardly character to his repertoire which would have increased his notoriety by a hundredfold.

According to Business Insider, when asked if he would ever voice the Joker during a panel at the New York Comic Con in 2013, Dourif replied with the surprise reveal that he almost played the character in live-action. Apparently, he was Tim Burton’s original choice to play Jack Napier in 1989’s Batman, but Warner Bros. rejected the idea, leading to Jack Nicholson’s famous casting.

Ryan Gosling

While I certainly understand most of the gripes fans have with Jared Leto’s Joker, I am not someone who outright hates the Academy Award winner’s portrayal in 2016’s Suicide Squad, and even believe Zack Snyder’s Justice League shows the potential this iteration had. However, speaking as a fan of Ryan Gosling, I would have kicked the future Morbius star out the door in favor of the future Barbie cast member in a heartbeat.

Indeed, according to The Wrap, Gosling was approached to play the DC Extended Universe’s version of the Clown Prince of Crime in David Ayer’s villain crossover flick. Unfortunately, he was not willing to agree to a multi-picture deal and, thus, the role went to his future Blade Runner 2049 co-star.

John Lithgow

Because of his friendly aura and innocent appearance, it is easy to forget that John Lithgow is a phenomenal force when it comes to playing bad guys — such as his Emmy-winning performance as, arguably, the all-time best antagonist on Dexter, Arthur Mitchell, or the voice of Lord Farquad from the Shrek movies, to name just a few. For that reason, I would have loved to see what he would have done with the role of The Joker.

As a guest on The Discourse podcast (via The Playlist), Joe Dante recalled how, in the early 1980s, he was offered the chance to bring Batman to the big screen following the success of Gremlins, and wanted to give the villainous role to Lithgow, whom he had met on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie. He wound up becoming so excited by the idea of the actor as The Joker that it made him less interested in the title hero, ultimately driving him away from the project altogether.

Frank Sinatra

The first feature-length live-action Batman movie, Batman: The Movie, was spun-off from a classic, campy series from the mid-1960s that starred Adam West in the title role. That era’s Joker was played beautifully by Cesar Romero, but rumors have suggested that an actor who hoped to take on the juicy role before his casting was Academy Award winner Frank Sinatra.

As it turns out, the rumor is true and was confirmed by Burt Ward in the book, Truth and Rumors: The Reality Behind TV's Most Famous Myths (via The FW). The Robin actor claimed that the renowned actor and musician "was very upset because he couldn’t play The Joker." With all due respect to Romero, it is a sight I would been very curious to see.

Robin Williams 

Perhaps the most well-known and infamous example of an actor who could have played The Joker is the late Robin Williams. Reason being: he truly did come very close to landing the role for Batman ’89 but, as the Academy Award winner claims, his offer was not particularly genuine.

In a 1993 interview for Mrs. Doubtfire (from take2markTV), Williams claims that Warner Bros. offered him the role as “bait” to attract the attention of their primary choice, Jack Nicholson. He would echo that statement years later in an interview with Empire, in which he mentions that a similar situation happened with Batman Forever, in which he was given the opportunity to play The Riddler before the part went to Jim Carrey.

While these beloved actors may not have gotten the last laugh, we can at least agree that, in most cases, the role of The Joker ultimately went to the right person.

There was a time when music videos were as important as the radio in promoting the hottest artists and songs of the day. Back in the '80s and '90s, MTV was one of the most powerful cultural forces in the country, and that was reflected in how many stars you can spot in videos from the day. 

Sometimes, they were already huge stars, like Robin Williams and Chevy Chase, other times, they were actors looking to get their break and now, years later, we can marvel at their humble beginnings. This is a list of famous people in videos from the zenith of MTV highlights both.

Alicia Silverstone - "Cryin'"

Alicia Silverstone first got famous for starring in videos, specifically Aerosmith videos. The Clueless star appeared in three videos for the Boston rockers, the first for the song "Cryin'", then later showing up in the videos for "Amazing," alongside Dazed & Confused cast member Jason London. Silverstone's final appearance, and maybe the most famous video, was for the song "Crazy," alongside Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv Tyler. 

Courteney Cox - "Dancing In The Dark"

One of the most famous examples of a star getting her first break in a music video is, of course, Friends star Courteney Cox in the video for Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing In The Dark." The video, which came out in 1984, was directed by Brian De Palma and, according to Cox, she was one of several women Springsteen could have picked out of the audience, and it was random that he chose her. What kismit! 

Cindy Crawford - "Freedom '90"

Director David Fincher, who has had quite an amazing career in film, started in music videos. One of those videos, George Michaels' "Freedom '90," was challenging because Michaels told Fincher he wasn't going to appear in the video. Fincher decided to cast a bevy of famous supermodels to lip-sync the song, including Cindy Crawford in a bathtub. 

Eva Mendes - "Miami"

In 1998, a young actress from Miami was cast in a video for the Will Smith song, "Miami." Eva Mendes had starred in one direct-to-video movie at that point and was that actress. It would be another three years before her breakout role in Training Day. It's a brief moment in the video, as she drove her convertible next to Smith's on the causeway to Miami Beach.

In 1993, Janet Jackson was on top of the world. Her fifth album, janet. was another huge hit, selling millions of copies, partly on the strength of the single, "That's the Way Love Goes." Little did anyone know at the time that one of the extras in the video would go on to a career that eclipsed even Jackson's, a then-unknown Jennifer Lopez. 

Matt LeBlanc - "Miracle"

Bon Jovi's "Miracle" is, let's be frank, not the New Jersey legends' best work. One thing they did get right was the casting for the video. Matt LeBlanc was a young actor and model just starting out on a career, so while his job is really only to look good in this video, he certainly does. It would be a few more years before America was introduced to his comedic chops too. 

Hugh Laurie - "Walking On Broken Glass"

By the time Hugh Laurie appeared in the video for Annie Lennox's "Walking on Broken Glass" in 1992, he was already very famous in the UK. It would be a few more years until the legendary TV show House would debut in the US, making Laurie a household name on both sides of the pond. John Malkovich also stars in the video, reminding fans of his role in Dangerous Liaisons. 

Angelina Jolie - "Wondering"

Angelina Jolie was a model in Hollywood from her teen years on, so it's no wonder she would have a few videos of her resume, including The Rolling Stones' video for "Has Anybody Seen My Baby," but it is surprising to see her in a video for the Athens, GA-based jam band Widespread Panic's song "Wondering" from 1993. Jolie also appears on the cover of the band's album Everyday, which includes "Wondering."

Zooey Deschanel - "She's Got Issues"

Zooey Deschanel is as successful in music, with her duo She & Him as she is on the big screen, so of course she has an early credit in a music video. Deschanel appears with fiery red hair in the video for "She's Got Issues" by The Offspring. 

Naomi Campbell - "Is This Love"

Bob Marley died over four decades ago, but his legacy is as big as ever, with the release of the biopic One Love in 2024. Back in the day, the reggae superstar filmed a video in London for his song "Is This Love" featuring a couple of local kids, including a 7-year-old Naomi Campbell!  

Macaulay Culkin - "Black Or White"

Michael Jackson redefined what a music video could be with "Thriller" and after that, he often released short films that were much more than just a song, and often they had big stars in them. For "Black or White" in 1991, MJ brought in Macaulay Culkin and George Wendt to play father and son, for example. 

Christina Hendricks - "One Hit Wonder"

Long before Christina Hendricks hit the big time with her role in Mad Men, she was a model and struggling actor in the '90s. One of her earliest roles, way back in 1998, was in the video for "One Hit Wonder" by Everclear. Luckily for all of us, that wasn't her only hit. 

Matthew McConaughey - "Walkaway Joe"

Alright, alright, alright, we'll concede that Dazed and Confused is what made Matthew McConaughey famous, but before that, he appeared in Trisha Yearwood's video for her hit "Walkaway Joe," playing the titular character of the song. 

Wesley Snipes - "Bad"

For the second single, "Bad" from his album of the same name, Micheal Jackson teamed up with Martin Scorsese to make an 18-minute short film for the video. In the video, Jackson famously has a dance-off with his rivals in a New York subway station. One of the baddies is none other than Wesley Snipes, who only had a few credits under his belt previously. 

Patrick Swayze - "Rosanna"

Toto's song "Rosanna" is famously about Rosanna Arquette. Less well-known is that if you watch the video closely, you'll notice a familiar face as one of the West Side Story-like dancers. Patrick Swayze, one year before his big break in The Outsiders is one of the dancers. In an even cooler bit of trivia, another one of the uncredited dancers in the video is Cynthia Rhodes, who would co-star as Swayze's first dance partner, Penny, in Dirty Dancing. 

Elijah Wood - "Forever Your Girl"

Elijah Wood has been working in Hollywood forever. He started as a child actor in films like Back to the Future II and The Good Sun, but before those even, he had a part in Paula Abdul's video for "Forever Your Girl" in 1989. 

Chevy Chase - "You Can Call Me Al"

Chevy Chase was one of the biggest stars on the planet in 1986 when he starred in the video for "You Can Call Me Al" with his buddy Paul Simon. It is, no lie, one of Chase's best performances, and it's impossible not to crack up at his facial expressions and physical comedy in the video. 

Johnny Depp - "Into The Great Wide Open"

Johnny Depp has always wanted to be a rock star, so it was a great move by Tom Petty to get him to play the part of one in the video for "Into The Great Wide Open" in 1991. The video also stars the legendary Faye Dunaway and Gabrielle Anwar. 

Jennifer Connelly - "I Drove All Night"

The late, great Roy Orbison found almost as much fame after he died as he found in life. Two albums of all-new songs were released posthumously and one song, "I Drove All Night," released in 1992, featured Jennifer Connelly alongside Jason Priestly, in the video, along with Orbison in grainy images of an old TV appearance. 

Kirsten Dunst - "I Knew I Loved You"

Does anybody remember the band Savage Garden? The Aussie duo had a string of huge hits in the late '90s, including the song "I Knew I Loved You" which features Kirsten Dunst as a woman on a subway with whom the lead singer, Darren Hayes, is in love. 

Robin Williams - "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

Bobby McFerrin's 1988 song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" has to be one of the most surprising #1 hits of all time. The song was huge when it came out, and went on to win three Grammys. Someone must have had an inkling though, because superstar Robin Williams co-stars in the video with McFerrin. 

Kim Basinger - "Last Dance With Mary Jane"

Tom Petty made some legendary videos during his career, but the strangest has to be the one for "Last Dance With Mary Jane" which features Kim Basinger playing a corpse, dressed up as a bride. Great song, but a very weird video.

Keanu Reeves - "Rush, Rush"

1991 was a big year for Keanu Reeves. Not only did he star in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey and Point Break, but he also appeared as a James Dean-like character in the video for "Rush, Rush" by Paula Abdul. 

Eddie Murphy - "Do You Remember The Time"

In case you've forgotten just how huge Michael Jackson was in the early '90s, remember there was a time he could premiere a video on MTV, BET, and Fox all at the same time. The video starred Jackson, of course, along with Eddie Murphy and Iman as ancient Egyptian royalty. Magic Johnson also appeared. 

Katie Holmes - "Tongue Tied"

Katie Holmes' career was just starting to take off in 1999 with her starring turn on Dawson's Creek. She also found some time to appear in the video for the song "Tongue Tied" by pop punk band Eve 6. It's not the last time Holmes has appeared in a video, either. A year later, in 2000, she starred with Micheal Douglas and others in a Bob Dylan video. 

Winona Ryder - "Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child"

By far the award for the strangest appearance on this list goes to Winona Ryder in the video for Mojo Nixon's song "Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child." Leave it to the late Nixon for coming up with the most ridiculous premise for a song, then landing a star like Ryder to star in the video in 1989, the same year she appeared in Heathers. 

RuPaul - "Love Shack"

If one were to guess which 1980s video to expect a RuPaul appearance, the smart money would be a B-52's video. That's exactly what happened in 1989 when RuPaul popped up very briefly in the video for "Love Shack" as a dancer and partygoer. He wasn't close to famous yet, but he was good friends with the band and he fits right into the campiness of the video. 

Benicio del Toro - "La Isla Bonita"

Benicio del Toro made his big screen debut in 1988 in Pee Wee's Big Top, but a year earlier, he was one of the extras in the video for Madonna's "La Isla Bonita." He is way in the background and can only be clearly seen in one shot, but when you watch the video, it's unmistakenly del Toro. 

Liv Tyler - "Crazy"

According to Liv Tyler, she didn't meet her biological father, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler, until she was eight, and didn't know he was her father for another few years. Still, by the time she starred in the video for "Crazy," they had developed a healthy relationship, and the video, in which she co-stars with Alicia Silverstone, launched her career.

Captain Lou Albano - "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"

Cyndi Lauper was one of the biggest breakout stars of early MTV and for good reason. The low-budget video for her debut single, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" featured a quirky cast that included her mother (playing her mother), her lawyer, and wrestling star "Captain" Lou Albano as her father. It's a video as fun as the song and it was played on repeat in those early MTV days. 

John Goodman - "Wild Wild Life"

The song "Wild Wild Life" by The Talking Heads was part of their soundtrack for the David Byrne-directed film True Stories. For the video, he recruited some of the people who appear in the film, including John Goodman, who lip-syncs along with the song in a karaoke bar. 

LeVar Burton - "Word Up"

LeVar Burton first found fame as Kunta Kinte in Roots, one of the most memorable performances by any actor, ever. About a decade later, between Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Burton popped up in the video for "Word Up" by Cameo, playing a police officer trying to arrest the band. 

One video we left off this list because it's just too big a list on its own is the video for Ghostbusters which, in addition to the stars of the film also includes Chevy Chase, Danny Devito, Peter Falk, Al Franken, John Candy, and more. It's all too much to add to his list of some of the coolest appearances of stars in music videos! 

The Sundance Film Festival recently premiered a heartwarming documentary titled Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. The documentary pays tribute to the actor best known for portraying Superman in four DC movies. It also sheds light on Christopher Reeve's timeless legacy as the Man of Steel and his profound friendship with the late comedian Robin Williams. Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, the documentary intricately weaves the narrative of Reeve's life and career, as well as the aftermath of his debilitating 1995 accident. One of the most poignant moments in the documentary is a quote by actress Glenn Close, and overall her comment and the film as a whole brought tears to the eyes of many.

Super/Man stands out for its intimate approach, blending home videos, new interviews with Reeve’s children, and insights from his contemporaries into a rich tapestry that depicts his life and legacy. The Bostonians actor narrates a significant portion of the film posthumously through excerpts from his audiobook, taking the audience on a journey through the pivotal moments of his life. 

However, the touching friendship between Christopher and the Genie voice actor is at the heart of the documentary. This bond remained strong through the highs and lows of their respective careers and personal lives. Glenn Close, a friend of Reeve, reflects on this friendship in a particularly moving manner. Speaking about the bond between the two iconic actors (via The Guardian), she says:

Close's statement reveals the strong bond between Reeve and Williams, and highlights the significant influence their friendship had on each other's lives. It's a sad realization that had Reeve lived a little longer (he died in 2004), we might have been able to enjoy Robin Williams' presence for a bit longer too (he passed in 2014). You can get a look at the relationship between the two actors by watching the video below of Robin telling Oprah how he used comedy to cheer up his friend in the hospital after being paralyzed.

Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story also explores the Somewhere in Time actor’s struggles after his accident, including the physical, emotional, and mental challenges he faced. It portrays his resilience and his advocacy for disability rights, which shaped his later years and helped shape the incredible medical advancements in spinal cord injuries. 

The film is a well-balanced mix of Reeve's career highlights and personal hardships, particularly after his accident. It doesn't shy away from the darker aspects of his journey, such as the strain on his family and the significant personal and financial costs of his condition. It also highlights how Reeve's perspective on life and his role as a father and husband changed dramatically after the accident.

The Christopher Reeve Story not only commemorates the life of the beloved actor whose embodiment of the Big Blue Boy Scout is the reason so many spend time ranking Superman movies or putting their favorite Superman suits in order, but it also celebrates the enduring legacy of his friendship with Williams. 

There is no word on whether the doc will hit the 2024 movie schedule, as it’s still waiting for broader distribution. It is currently unknown when the doc will be released to audiences, but be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for more updates.

If you want to revisit some of Robin Williams' best movies or Christopher Reeve’s incredible performances, check out some of their best work streaming with an Amazon Prime Video plan or a Max subscription. 

Whether he was making us laugh so hard our sides started to hurt in comedies like Mrs. Doubtfire and The Birdcage, excelling in more dramatic roles like in Good Will Hunting, and Dead Poets Society, or stealing the show in Aladdin, the late great Robin Williams was never short of a good line. As we continue to mourn his tragic 2014 death a decade later, we can’t help but look back at some of the best movie quotes from the standup-comedian-turned-actor.

"Carpe Diem. Seize The Day, Boys. Make Your Lives Extraordinary." - Dead Poets Society

Long considered one of Robin Williams’ best movies, Dead Poets Society features what could be best described as one of the actor’s most famous quotes, his classic “Carpe diem” speech to his new students at Welton Academy. It’s great on its own, but in the context of the story, it’s the stuff of magic.

"You Ain't Never Had A Friend Like Me!" - Aladdin

We ain’t never had a Disney character like this before Robin Williams introduced the world to his Genie in Aladdin, and we really haven’t had one as over-the-top and genuine since. This unforgettable line from one of the best Disney songs still has us jiving 30-plus years later.

"I Just Slid My Ticket Across The Table, And I Said, 'Sorry, Guys; I Gotta See About A Girl.'" - Good Will Hunting

The various therapy sessions throughout Good Will Hunting not only featured some of the best scenes and biggest revelations of the movie, they also gave us this unforgettable line when Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) tells Matt Damon’s Will Hunting about the night he skipped a Sox playoff game to meet his future wife. 

"Goooooood Morning, Vietnam! Hey, This Is Not A Test. This Is Rock And Roll. Time To Rock It From The Delta To The DMZ" - Good Morning, Vietnam 

What makes this quote, and so many others from Good Morning, Vietnam, is the fact that Robin Williams largely improvised his broadcasts by Adrian Cronauer on the  Armed Forces Radio Service each morning, per SlashFilm.

"It Took Me Twenty Years To Get Here, And I'm Not Gonna Let Some Idiot Senator Destroy That." - The Birdcage

A ‘90s movie that made way more at the box office than you’d guess, The Birdcage also features one of Robin Williams’ best characters, South Beach drag club owner Armand Goldman. A source of hilarious lines throughout the movie, this one about his son marrying the daughter of a conservative senator, is one of the best.

"Please, Don't Worry So Much. Because In The End, None Of Us Have Very Long On This Earth." - Jack

Francis Ford Coppola’s Jack isn’t the best movie, but it does have a lot of heart. This is especially true when Robin Williams’ rapidly aging character gives an emotional speech at his high school graduation, at which point he looks like an old man on the verge of death.

"Bangarang!" - Hook

Robin Williams’ Peter Banning transforming from an uptight lawyer who’s lost touch with his inner child back to Peter Pan in Hook is great, even if people try to dunk on Steven Spielberg’s fantasy film. Yelling the classic “bangarang!” line while fighting Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) and his pirates is still so much fun.

"No One Ever Takes A Photograph Of Something They Want To Forget." - One Hour Photo

One of the best horror movies of the 2000s, One Hour Photo features Robin Williams’ most disturbing role with his portrayal of Seymour "Sy" Parrish. In addition to forming an unhealthy obsession with a family, the odd photo technician also gives us some unnerving and powerful quotes like this one.

"Ten Thousand Years Will Give You Such A Crick In The Neck" - Aladdin

There’s so much great footage of Robin Williams recording his Aladdin lines; crazy improv sessions that probably led to quick yet killer lines like this one after being freed from his lamp. Like many of his quotes in the movie, this one is both simple and effective.

"Some Men Are Born Great; Others Have Greatness Thrust Upon Them" - Night At The Museum

Though Ben Stiller’s Larry Daley was the main character in Night at the Museum, Robin Williams’ Teddy Roosevelt, or at least the wax figure at the Museum of Natural History was the heart and soul of the 2006 fantasy comedy about a museum coming to life at night. Both hilarious and inspirational, this line never fails to impress.

"To Live. To Live Would Be An Awfully Big Adventure" - Hook

This classic quote from the final moments of Hook is great not only because it applies so well to Robin Williams’ character’s journey throughout the movie, but also because it also speaks to the whole audience, both the young and old.

"Twenty-Six Years Buried In The Deepest Darkest Jungle, And I Still Became My Father." - Jumanji

When Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) yells at Peter Shepheard (Bradley Pierce) in the heat of a life-or-death situation in Jumanji, he loses his cool and becomes the one thing he didn’t want to be: his own father. It’s a great moment that completely changes things for the recently returned Alan and sets the tone for the rest of the film.

"Al, No Matter What Anyone Says, You’ll Always Be A Prince To Me." - Aladdin

Yeah, Robin Williams’ Genie provides most of the comedic relief in Aladdin. But let’s not forget how the character also gives us one of the most touching and heartwarming moments when he and Aladdin are saying their goodbyes. Grab a tissue!

"You Want Your Little Booger Eater On My Show?" - Death To Smoochy

Death to Smoochy is an odd and dark Robin Williams comedy that hopefully is never forgotten by the sands of time. This hilarious and incredibly mean-spirited line comes when Williams’ children’s show host gives it to some parents, and it never gets old.

"You're A Good Man. I Know That. Even If You've Forgotten It." - Insomnia

Christopher Nolan’s Insomnia is a tense, introspective thriller that’s just as much about failure and guilt as it is about a homicide investigation. The cat-and-mouse game played by detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino) and murder suspect Walter Finch (Robin Williams) leads to some tense moments, including the one that gave us this touching yet unnerving line. 

"But If There's Love, Dear... Those Are The Ties That Bind, And You'll Have A Family In Your Heart, Forever." - Mrs. Doubtfire

Regardless of your opinions on Mrs. Doubtfire, the 1993 comedy gave us some remarkable lines from Robin Williams, including the closing moments from his character’s children’s show. This poignant response to a child’s letter about their parents’ divorce is just too good.

"You Treat A Disease, You Win, You Lose. You Treat A Person, I Guarantee You, You'll Win, No Matter What The Outcome." - Patch Adams

Patch Adams isn’t the first movie you probably think of from Robin Williams’ filmography, but this 1998 medical drama has a lot of heart and great quotes. This includes this statement from Williams’ titular character when he’s laying out his philosophy in front of an antagonistic group of doctors.

'You Know What Music Is? It's God's Little Reminder That There's Something Else In This Universe Besides Us. ' - August Rush

Though Maxwell "Wizard" Wallace (Robin Williams) ends up being a scumbag (his facial hair should give it away), his words of wisdom to Freddie Highmore’s young guitar virtuoso in August Rush are just grand.

"My First Day As A Woman And I'm Getting Hot Flashes" - Mrs. Doubtfire

Mrs. Doubtfire is full of hilarious moments that still come up 30-plus years after the film’s release. One of those is the scene in which Robin Williams’ character sets his blouse on fire while trying to cook a gourmet dinner. The “hot flashes” comment is just the icing on the face, er cake.

"A Whole Human Life Is Just A Heartbeat Here In Heaven. Then We'll All Be Together Forever." - What Dreams May Come

Though largely forgotten a quarter-century after its release, What Dreams May Come, the Robin Williams movie exploring the afterlife, has some touching and profound moments throughout. That includes this powerful moment between Williams’ character and his deceased wife.

"Why Can't We Treat Death With A Certain Amount Of Humanity And Dignity, And Decency, And God Forbid, Maybe Even Humor." - Patch Adams

Patch Adams doesn’t shy away from conversations about death, and Robin Williams’ titular character is someone who speaks freely and honestly about the subject. When speaking in front of a board of his peers, the kind-hearted unlicensed doctor speaks about accepting death and treating those in their final days with dignity and respect.

"Such A Thing Would Be Greater Than All The Magic And All The Treasure In The World." - Aladdin

Genie's desire to be free from his lamp and eternity of servitude throughout Aladdin creates some truly profound moments, which is a lot for an animated kids' movie. To not celebrate this unforgettable line from Robin Williams would be an injustice to the character and the late actor who spoke these words.

"As A Robot, I Could Have Lived Forever. But I Tell You All Today, I Would Rather Die A Man, Than Live For All Eternity A Machine." - Bicentennial Man

Chris Columbus’ adaptation of Bicentennial Man, despite being an OK film, features a tremendous performance by Robin Williams, which saw his character, Andrew Martin, go from a robot to a human by the time the credits rolled. In his final moments, Andrew gives us an emotional plea for his humanity.

"Shouldn't You Be Holding The Crucifx? It Is The Prop For Martyrs!" - The Birdcage

The back-and-forth between Armand (Robin Williams) and Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane) in The Birdcage makes a good movie into a great movie. This line from Armand to his life partner is just so catty and perfectly illustrates their differing philosophies and personalities.

"I'm Made Of Wax, Larry. What Are You Made Of?" - Night At The Museum

Robin Williams’ Teddy Roosevelt is the MVP of the Night at the Museum franchise and a character that’s always going to provide a good laugh, even when at the expense of someone else. This is especially true whenever the wax figure comments on Larry Daley’s (Ben Stiller) confidence, or lack thereof.

"People Call These Things 'Imperfections,' But They're Not. That's The Good Stuff." - Good Will Hunting

Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) talking about his late wife and how she continues to impact him after her passing in Good Will Hunting adds so much to the Oscar-winning film. This is even true when he’s talking about her little habits, like her foul farts.

'I Used To Think The Worst Thing In Life Was To End Up All Alone. It's Not. The Worst Thing In Life Is To End Up With People That Make You Feel All Alone.' - World's Greatest Dad

The 2009 dark comedy, World’s Greatest Dad, sees Robin Williams play a high school teacher who hides the true details of his son’s death by writing a fake suicide note. The grieving father, who had a role in his deceased son becoming a posthumous icon, says these fitting words after it all comes crashing down.

"We'll Take The House. Honey, The Chances Of Another Plane Hitting This House Are Astronomical. It's Been Pre-Disastered. We're Going To Be Safe Here." - The World According To Garp

The World According to Garp is a Robin Williams movie everyone should check out at least once. And no, it’s not just because of great lines like this. However, this hilarious and somewhat morbid line doesn’t hurt the movie.

'We Don't Read And Write Poetry Because It's Cute. We Read And Write Poetry Because We Are Members Of The Human Race' - Dead Poets Society

This wonderfully written (and delivered) line from Dead Poets Society is one that idealistic English teachers around the country jotted down and hung up in their classrooms after the film’s 1989 release. And who could blame them?

"This Is A Free Country, Welcome To Almost Anyone. Yes, In America Almost Anything Is Possible." - Moscow On The Hudson

Moscow on the Hudson, the Robin Williams movie about a soviet circus musician who defects to America during a trip to NYC, is full of hilarious and sardonic lines like this one. Playing on the “Land of the Free” trope of American exceptionalism, this great quote speaks a great deal of truth.

"There's Three Things In This World That You Need: Respect For All Kinds Of Life, A Nice Bowel Movement On A Regular Basis, And A Navy Blazer." - The Fisher King

Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King includes one of the most outrageous yet sincere performances of Robin Williams’ career with his portrayal of Parry, an unhinged homeless man who helps out Jeff Bridges’ shock jock radio DJ. There are a lot of great lines, but this bonkers yet helpful quote takes the cake.

"Carpe Dentum. Seize The Teeth." - Mrs. Doubtfire

Everyone loves a good reference, and Mrs. Doubtfire does just that during the movie’s absurd fancy restaurant sequence. After Mrs. Doubtfire’s (Robin Williams) fake teeth fall out, we are treated to an homage to the Dead Poets Society’s “Carpe diem speech,” and it’s wonderful.

There’s not a day that goes by when we don’t miss Robin Williams and his larger-than-life personality. However, we can take solace in knowing that he left us with a massive body of work and beloved characters who will always be there when we need them the most.

Nearly a decade after the world bid farewell to the comedic genius Robin Williams, millions of fans, friends, and family still feel the void left by his absence. In a moving tribute during the 46th annual Kennedy Center Honors, Whoopi Goldberg emotionally honored her longtime friend and fellow comedian/actor, Billy Crystal. The poignant moment saw both Goldberg and the City Slickers actor holding back tears as she paid homage to the late great actor, funny man, and their mutual friend.

In the video shared on CBS's official TikTok (embedded below), the 68-year-old co-host of The View takes center stage to honor the star of one of the greatest 80s movies, When Harry Meets Sally, as he was one of the night's distinguished honorees. Emotions soared as the Oscar-winning actress, visibly moved, started reflecting on the trio's shared history, poignantly acknowledging the absence of their dear friend:

In this heartfelt video, the star of Sister Act gestures towards the space beside her, which serves as a poignant reminder of where the Genie voice actor should have stood. Delivering a heartfelt speech directed at the 75-year-old Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, while holding back tears, draws the crowd's attention to the trio's incompleteness, stating:

Turning her focus back to the honoree, the Ghost star takes a moment to regain her composure. With sincerity in her voice, she continues:

Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, and Robin Williams share a distinctive and rich history. Beyond their individual talents as comedians who’ve been great in dramatic roles, Crystal and Williams worked together on various projects over the years. Notable among these collaborations are their roles in Father's Day (1997) and Deconstructing Harry (1997), along with an iconic guest appearance in a Friends episode. Goldberg rounded out the comedic trio who annually cohosted the Comic Relief charity specials in the 1980s and ‘90s and a one-off in 2006 benefitting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, when Goldberg received the Mark Twain Prize in 2001, the funny men were present to honor their fellow comedian.

Ahead of the Kennedy Center Honors unfolding, Billy Crystal took a moment to reflect on the absence of his dear friend. The star of Throw Momma From The Train (one of Crystal's most underrated and best movies) expressed a profound sense of loss, acknowledging the void left by the Mrs. Doubtfire star's passing. He said:

The Analyze This actor's sentiments before the ceremony echoed the heartfelt tribute he paid to Robin Williams at the Emmy Awards shortly after the comedian's passing in August 2014. At that time, he praised Williams for his comedic brilliance and for being an extraordinary friend, describing him as the "brightest star in the comedy galaxy" and highlighting his enduring impact on the lives of those who knew him.

It's apparent that even a decade after his untimely death, the World’s Best Dad star’s absence is still felt by those who knew him best. What remains comforting though, is that Whoopi Goldberg and others continue to honor his memory in sweet ways. If you want to revisit some of the best Robin Williams movies, I suggest some of his dark comedies most don’t talk about, including Death to Smoochy. Of course, you can’t go wrong revisiting his work as everyone's favorite wise-cracking Genie in Aladdin, which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

A lot of great speeches come from sports movies, but that's not the only genre that can make us want to run through walls. Some speeches are so good it has us rooting for the bad guys. Most are by the good guys though, and we'll follow those good guys anywhere. Here is our list of the most inspiring speeches in film history. 

Independence Day - President Witmore

President Thomas J. Whitmore's (Bill Pullman) speech in Independence Day has become one of the most iconic film moments of the last 50 years. While the movie can be polarizing, some people can't get enough of it, others hope to never see it again. Still, it's hard to find anyone who truly hates the speech and that moment in the film. If you ever find yourself fighting against annihilation by a bunch of E.T.s, this is the speech for you. 

The Hunt For Red October - Captain Ramius

If you thought you could never get fired up about the Soviet Union picking a fight on the United States during the Cold War, check it out. When Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) tells his crew that the salad days of the Cold War are not behind them, and the United States will "tremble again - at the sound of our silence," it makes you want to stand up and fight for communism. At least for a brief moment. 

Any Given Sunday (Coach D'Amato)

It's used at almost every professional football game in America, almost every Sunday, because in Any Given Sunday, Coach D'Amato implores his team and the rest of us to claw for every inch we can. It might not be Pacino's most award-winning role, but that scene... that scene is some of his finest and most enduring work. 

Gladiator (Maximus)

"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius." If those words don't immediately fire you up, it's time to check for a pulse. Audiences spend most of Gladiator waiting for Maximus (Russell Crowe) to finally get his revenge on that conniving Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and finally we get it. Maximus will have his vengeance, in this life or the next.

Friday Night Lights (Coach Gaines)

In Friday Night Lights, Coach Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) tells us how to be perfect. It has nothing to do with the final score, or winning. It's about how we treat each other and ourselves. It's about telling the truth and not letting anyone down. Live in the moment, "with joy in your heart." That's what makes us perfect. The swelling music by Explosions in the Sky only adds to the drama of the moment. 

While he doesn't say "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose," (that comes from the TV show), he does mention his clear eyes and his full heart and afterward, none of us lose. 

Henry V (Henry V)

It's not just one of the most inspiring speeches in film history, it's one of the most famous speeches in human history. When William Shakespeare wrote the words to the famous St. Crispin's Day Speech in Henry V, he could not have known that it would be used for centuries afterward to inspire men. For we few, we lucky few, we can watch the speech brilliantly delivered by Kenneth Branagh in one of his finest roles, in his film version from 1989. 

Animal House (Bluto)

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Of course it wasn't! Bluto (John Belushi) does a lot to inspire the brothers of the Delta house in Animal House but nothing more so than his speech after "Wormer dropped the big one" and suspended the fraternity. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the men of Delta are inspired to have the best time of their lives, and Wormer? He's a dead man! Marmalard? Dead! Niedermeyer...

Gone With The Wind (Scarlett O'Hara)

Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) is not the most sympathetic movie character of all time. In fact, she ranks close to the bottom in that category, but you can't deny the power of her speech just before the end of the first part of the movie. Her family's plantation, Tara, is in shambles, her mother is dead, and her father has lost his mind. When all hope is lost, she promises herself she will fix it, and she will "never be hungry again."

Barbie (Gloria)

It's truly a show-stopping moment in Barbie when Gloria (America Ferrera) lays out what it's like to be a woman in today's world. The entire essence of the movie's message is summed up in that brilliant speech. It makes everyone want to jump up on their feet and applaud. It's a moment that will forever live in cinema history. 

Good Will Hunting (Sean Maguire)

It's not just the words that matter. It takes a special actor to deliver a speech like Sean Maguire's in Good Will Hunting. Thankfully there was the great Robin Williams. In a speech that is meant to devastate and inspire Will (Matt Damon), Williams tells him everything he is doing wrong but manages to show him how he can fix it, and open up an entirely new world for himself. It's cutting and loving. And brilliant. "Your move, chief."

Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King (Aragorn)

Like so many other battle scenes in movies, Aragorn's (Viggo Mortensen) speech at the Black Gates in Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King has us willing to fight to the death with our fellow soldiers. There is nothing like a leader riding back and forth on horse inspiring his troops. 

Braveheart (William Wallace)

Always remember, that no matter how badly you are treated by a tyrannical English king, he can never take your freedom! William Wallace (Mel Gibson) brilliantly reminds us of that in Braveheart. While it's easy to mock the poor history telling in the movie (and we argue if it was really one of the best movies of 1995), you can never say that the speech Wallace gives before the biggest battle in the movie won't have you ready to take on the entire British Empire. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Elizabeth)

Speeches made by leaders to inspire men in battle aren't unique in movies. What makes the speech unique in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is that the speech is made by a woman. Elizabeth's (Keira Knightly) speech isn't a lot different than a lot of its ilk, but it's more inspiring to hear it from a woman because we've never heard that before. So hoist the colors! 

Stripes (John Winger)

John Winger (Bill Murray) is the biggest misfit in a platoon filled with them in Stripes. He's the least likely to inspire the rest with a razzle-dazzle speech firing them up, yet that's exactly what he does before their graduation from boot camp. Bill Murray has some of the best lines in movie history, and this speech is near the top of them. 

Miracle (Herb Brooks)

"Great moments are born from great opportunity." That is something we can all stand to remember. In Miracle, Herb Brooks inspires his rag-tag team of college kids to defeat maybe the greatest hockey team ever assembled in the Soviet National Team at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The movie is based on a true story and while it's impossible to know exactly with the real Brooks said, if it was anywhere close to what Russell delivers, it's no surprise we all believe in miracles today. 

Rocky IV (Rocky Balboa)

The Cold War inspired a lot of movies, even sports movies like Rocky IV. Early in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) wasn't a man of many words, but at the end of Rocky IV, he finds some of the most inspiring words of the whole series, imploring all of us to get along, despite our differences. 

Swingers (Trent)

What's a good friend if not someone to pep you up when you're feeling low? That's exactly who Trent (Vince Vaughn) is to Mike (Jon Favreau) in Swingers. Not only does he take him to Vegas for a night of fun, on the way home, after the trip doesn't pep Mike up as much as it should, Trent explains exactly why Mike is so money, and he doesn't even know it. 

Network (Howard Beale)

It's scary just how much a movie like Network, released almost 50 years ago is still so relevant. We don't need Howard Beale (Peter Finch) to tell us just how bad things are, we just need to him to inspire us to go to the window, open the window and yell to the world that we're not going to take it anymore! 

The Goonies (Mikey)

"The Goonies never say die!" When all seems lost in the Goonies quest to rescue their neighborhood from developers, Mikey (Sean Astin) reminds them all exactly how far they've come in the quest for One-Eyed Willie's gold. We don't get a lot of inspirational speeches from kids, but when we do, we love them. 

Clueless (Cher)

When Cher (Alicia Silverstone) compares her garden party to a refugee crisis, your inclination is to think she's an airhead. But like so many before and after her, there is kind of a subtle brilliance to her thought process. She takes what she knows and uses that to find the emotion we should all feel for her side of the argument. 

Milk (Harvey Milk)

Milk, based on the true story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), is inspiring in and of itself, but Milk's speech on the steps of San Fransisco City Hall at the Gay Pride Rally is a masterpiece. 

Troy (Achilles)

In another classic example of a military leader inspiring his troops, Achilles' (Brad Pitt) speech reminding his men that they are lions, is enough to get anyone to storm the beaches of Troy. There's a reason the story has been told for thousands of years. 

Norma Rae (Norma Rae)

The best thing about Norma Rae's (Sally Field, in one of her best roles) speech in Norma Rae is that the most important word isn't spoken at all. She simply holds up a sign that says "Union" in the middle of her sweatshop. That's all she needs to "say" to get everyone in the textile mill to agree. It's brilliant. 

We Are Marshall (Jack Lengyel)

We Are Marshall tells the tragic and heroic story of the 1971 Marshall University football team. At the end of the 1970 season, a plane carrying most of the team and its coaches crashed in North Carolina. Before the start of the next season, the new coach, Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) makes a speech at a memorial for some of the lost players and what he says about never forgetting the past but looking to the future will bring a tear to anyone's eyes.

Legally Blonde (Elle Woods)

More than 20 years after the first Legally Blonde movie was released Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) continues to inspire us. With an address like the one she makes at the end of the movie, as she's graduating, it's easy to see why. "You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself."

Avengers: Endgame (Captain America)

In a room full of superheroes, leave it to Captain America to make the hype speech. In Avengers: Endgame, that's exactly when Cap (Chris Evans) psyches the cadre up for their mission to reverse the Snap. "Whatever it takes."

Hoosiers (Norman Dale)

When tiny Hickman High School makes it to the Indiana State Basketball Finals, they are facing a huge school, in a huge arena. Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) takes only a minute or so to lay out what will make them successful, and a minute is all he needs. It's why Hoosiers one of the best sports movies ever made. 

Rudy (Rudy)

The speech in Rudy is a little different. Rudy really has no audience, save for one person, but that doesn't stop him from delivering a first-rate speech that any Notre Dame alum gets goosebumps when they hear it, including the parts he lifted from the great Knute Rockne.

Juno (Mac MacGuff)

When Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) is wondering what her future holds, her father Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) explains simply and succinctly, "The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are." We couldn't have said it better ourselves. 

Stand And Deliver (Jaime Escalante) 

Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) is a no-nonsense math teacher who is determined to get the most from his students. He decides he needs to raise the level of expectations inside and outside of the classroom and he starts by breaking down when he is going to be so hard on his students, to get the most out of them. All they need is ganas – motivation. 

Rocky Balboa (Rocky)

Leave it to Rocky to make a speech in 2006's Rocky Balboa meant to inspire his son to inspire all of us together. It's pure Rocky, leave it all out, don't accept things you don't like, and never make excuses, no matter how hard it is. And it seems like this was advice he took to heart when it became a struggle to make the film. 

300 (Dilios)

Dilios (David Wenham) fires up the Spartans like no other person could. It's truly one of the great hype speeches in film history. It's exactly what you would expect from a civilization of warriors. Whether it really happened or not is irrelevant. The message is the same, "Remember us."

From sports to war, love to education, and beyond, a great speech raises goosebumps like nothing else in film can. These examples are some of the best speeches we've used to inspire us. 

Some movie teachers genuinely change not only the characters' lives but our lives as well. Today, we'll be talking about a specific kind of movie character – the teachers from movies that have made a real impact. Here are thirty-two fictional teachers who left their mark, whether on the character or the world. 

John Keating (Dead Poets Society)

When I think of the best fictional teachers out there, there is no one better to bring up than John Keating from Dead Poets Society. In one of his best roles, Robin Williams delivered the performance of a lifetime as John Keating and made us all want to have a teacher like him who taught us lessons and inspired us to do more in our lives. To go after what we believed in. 

Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus)

As someone who grew up watching The Magic School Bus, there were many days when I wished that Ms. Frizzle was my science teacher or that science was nearly as cool as she made it out to be. With her school bus that seemed to morph into anything for her lessons, Ms. Frizzle was the teacher we all wanted, making teaching look like the adventure of a lifetime. 

Ms. Rain (Precious)

Precious is an Academy Award-winning movie about a young woman from a troubled background hoping to reroute her life, and the first person who helps Precious is Ms. Rain. Played by the incredible Paul Patton, Ms. Rain teaches Precious the essentials she needs to know. She has been an encouraging source from day one and helps her through everything. She was sweet, kind, and all Precious needed when it felt like the world had given up on her. 

Professor Stromwell (Legally Blonde)

As someone who could spend years watching the best Reese Witherspoon movies, Legally Blonde is most certainly one of them. And the best teacher in that was, hands down, Professor Stromwell. While strict at first, Elle comes to care for Professor Stromwell, as the teacher pushes her to her limits so she can be at her best. 

Mr. George Feeny (Boy Meets World)

Out of everyone, we all know Mr. George Feeney in Boy Meets World. While Feeny was a strict man, he had a heart of gold underneath his grumpy exterior and became one of the best mentors. Everyone still tears up when he says in the finale, "I love you all. Class dismissed." Jeez, I'm still getting emotional. 

Mr. Miyagi (The Karate Kid)

While not the kind of teacher you would meet in a school, Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid franchise is as much of a teacher as anyone else here. Because of his patience, diligence, and skill, he taught Daniel LaRusso the art of karate and truly made him into the man we know all these years later in Cobra Kai. His teachings live on, even if the actor who played him, Pat Morita, passed on in 2005. 

Pete Dixon (Room 222)

Room 222 was an ABC series about the life of students and teachers at a Los Angeles high school and focused on Pete Dixon's history class most of the time. Lloyd Hanes played Pete Dixon, the kind, innovative, and educational teacher who always seemed to have the best lessons for his students and viewers, especially on relevant topics at the time. The series lasted five seasons, and Pete Dixon cemented his name in history. 

Gabe Kotter (Welcome Back, Kotter)

Sitcoms were some of the biggest television shows in the 1970s and Welcome Back, Kotter was one of them, telling the story of Gabe Kotter (played by Gabe Kaplan). He's a teacher who returns to his alma mater to teach a remedial class of troubled students, but his attitude and teaching methods win him favor with the students. In the end, many of these kids end up doing so well because of him. 

Erin Gruwell (Freedom Writers)

I recall watching Freedom Writers as a kid and respecting Erin Gruwell, played by Hilary Swank. As someone who has had a lot of trouble with patience and perseverance, I admired Gruwell's persistence and tenacity to never give up on her students despite them hating her initially and making her feel unwelcome. Ultimately, because of her diligence, everyone was given the chance to graduate and live successful lives. 

Mr. Hand (Fast Times At Ridgemont High)

There's something about history and English teachers in movies and T.V. because Mr. Hand, the history teacher from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, is one of the most memorable. While he usually had a frown on his face, he was a softer person underneath that gruff exterior. He will do anything to help his students succeed, even spending time after school to help his kids understand lessons, which I'm sure they appreciate. 

Severus Snape (Harry Potter)

As someone who loves the Harry Potter franchise, I couldn't make this list without including Severus Snape, played by Alan Rickman in one of his best roles. While Snape was a bit of a jerk to everyone, there's no denying that underneath that, he was an older man with a lot of trauma and someone who did everything in his power to protect the students and those he cared about. Even in the end, he could give Harry his tears to show him that he always loved Lily, Harry's mother. 

Dr. Frank Bryant (Educating Rita)

Michael Caine has delivered some incredible performances over his time in Hollywood, and personally, Dr. Frank Bryant in Educating Rita, is one of my favorites. The story is about a woman going back to university years later, and the movie shows that sometimes, all a teacher needs to rekindle their love for their subject is that one student, and watching how both Bryant leaves his impact on Rita (Susan) and vice versa is lovely to see. 

Mr. Collins (The Wonder Years)

The Wonder Years is one of the most iconic sitcoms of the '80s and '90s, and of course, I must mention Mr. Collins. Steven Gilborn played the teacher and worked with the main character, Kevin Arnold, to push him to be the best he could be, never quitting for a single moment. Gilborn was a professor before becoming an actor, making this role more special. 

Minerva McGonagall (Harry Potter)

Minerva McGonagall was one of the most impactful teachers in Harry Potter's life in the Harry Potter movies. I mean, not only did she teach him several lessons in magic, but it was because of her that he could do so many things – join the Quidditch team, get him a broomstick, etc. Plus, she did everything she could to protect the students of Hogwarts during the war, consistently putting her life on the line as one of the best witches there. 

Coach Fredericks (Freaks And Geeks)

Are there teachers in Freaks and Geeks? Of course, there are, but I have to give this spot to Coach Fredericks, played by Tom Wilson. He starts as a pretty stereotypical bad guy P.E. teacher, but throughout the show's one season, we get to know the teacher and understand who he is as a person. 

Mark Thackeray (To Sir, With Love)

Starring Sidney Poitier, To Sir, With Love is a British drama film about Mark Thackeray, an immigrant who takes a teaching position despite never teaching before, to find some income where he is told to teach delinquents who have been rejected from other schools. And through his teaching ability, he wins over the class, treating them more like adults than children, trying to reach them on a different level. 

Miss Honey (Matilda)

Whether you watch the 1990s version of Matilda or you check out the underrated Netflix musical version, Miss Honey in both is the kind of teacher that we hear about in fairytales. Not only is she sweet as honey and teaches her children so many things, but she takes it upon herself to raise Matilda at the end of both films because she cares that much about the girl, giving her the life she always wanted. 

Lydia Grant (Fame)

I'm one of the biggest fans of the best dance movies, but watching dance on television is also a great pastime, and Fame gave me that and more. In Fame, a show about high school students at a performing arts school in NYC, we meet Lydia Grant, a dance teacher. Indeed, her moves and teaching style are memorable, keeping her kids in a tight line and making sure they were the best they could be. 

LouAnne Johnson (Dangerous Minds)

Michelle Pfeiffer is LouAnne Johnson in Dangerous Minds, the story of a former marine who takes on a teaching position where she must handle a classroom of low-income, challenging teenagers involved in gangs and drugs. I think what makes Johnson such a great teacher is that she goes out of her way to teach with unconventional methods, such as giving everyone an A that they must maintain or using the lyrics of Bob Marley to get into poetry. That's what makes her extraordinary. 

Mr Chips (Goodbye, Mr. Chips)

Goodbye, Mr. Chips is a movie from the classic period of Hollywood and stars Robert Donat as Mr. Chips, an aging teacher who reflects on his life through the decades. There's too much here to say how Mr. Chips was a great teacher, as he impacted not only one student's life but many over several years. 

Remus Lupin (Harry Potter)

Harry Potter had some great teachers, and one that most certainly comes to mind is Remus Lupin, one of the best Defense Against the Dark Arts Teachers in the series. While his time as the teacher only lasted for a year (as is tradition with most teachers there), Lupin left his mark on Harry as the kindest DADA teacher he had and taught him one of the most valuable charms there is – the Patronus charm. 

Jaime Escalante (Stand And Deliver)

Starring Edward James Olmos, Stand and Deliver is all about Jaime Escalante, who becomes the math teacher at a high school in East Los Angeles and has a class full of Latino students. Through his teaching methods, he can make them achieve great things in calculus and stand up for them when no one else will. 

Joe Clark (Lean On Me)

Joe Clark in Lean On Me, played by Morgan Freeman, is a teacher who does not mess around with his students. The movie is based on a true story about a teacher named Joe Clark, who becomes the principal and uses his past and much more to bring his school up to standards. While radical at first, the students grow to care for him in all that he does, both in the school and outside. 

Ms. Norbury (Mean Girls)

Mean Girls is more of a comedy than anything else, but Ms. Norbury, played by Tina Fey, is a great teacher. She's one of the few who stands up for Cady, and in the end, she still stands by her side despite what Cady wrote about her in the Burn Book, leading to Norbury being investigated as a drug dealer. 

Mr. Medina (Gilmore Girls)

Gilmore Girls had plenty of grown-up characters, but Mr. Medina, played by Scott Cohen, was one of the most prominent. He was Rory's beloved English teacher, who taught her many valuable lessons and ended up getting romantically involved with Lorelai. 

Dr. Larabee (Akeelah And The Bee)

Akeelah and the Bee stars Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne, and this film focuses on the relationship between Akeelah and her mentor, Dr. Joshua Larabee. And while their partnership at first is tenuous, they grow because of each other and truly leave an impact. 

Manish Kulkarni (Never Have I Ever)

Never Have I Ever is a hilarious Netflix teen romance series; Devi's English teacher is a great part of that. He is the definition of an excellent and honest teacher who sugarcoats nothing – and what's even better is that he winds up dating Devi's cousin later anyway. 

Dewey Finn (School Of Rock)

While he initially faked his way into the role, having no teaching experience, Dewey Finn left his impact on his students in School of Rock, so much so that a new program was created for students for music. It's undoubtedly one of Jack Black's best films. 

Annalise Keating (How To Get Away With Murder)

Played by the talented Viola Davis, How To Get Away With Murder introduced audiences to Annalise Keating, a law professor and criminal defense attorney, who not only leaves her mark on her students but works with them to solve a murder case together. And through it all, she aims to keep them safe and sound despite everything turning upside down. 

Sister Mary Clarence (Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit)

Sister Act 2 saw Whoopi Goldberg return as Sister Mary Clarence, now serving as a choir teacher who takes a group of students from a failing school and turns them into a choir that could knock the socks off of anyone out there. 

Miss Bliss (Good Morning, Miss Bliss)

Many people know Saved By The Bell, which was a spinoff of Good Morning, Miss Bliss. The one-season Disney Channel series is all about Miss Bliss, a junior high teacher who is a great educator and a source of calmness and delight to her students, who often turn to her for the problems they face. 

Glenn Holland (Mr. Holland's Opus)

Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Mr. Holland's Opus is the definition of a movie teacher that left an impact. The movie follows a high school music teacher who makes his music, but throughout the film, we see how much his dedication to his craft has impacted his students. Guaranteed, you will cry. 

We could talk about many excellent teachers in movies and on TV, but these truly stand out as some of the best. Now, I need a movie and a T.V. marathon to appreciate them again—time to grab a box of tissues. 

As a profession, acting is something that somebody can do at virtually any age, as such few actors ever bother to retire, and simply continue to make films until the day comes that they can't anymore. As such, it's basically impossible to know when a given film will be the last performance of one of the greats. From those who tragically die young to those who continued to work for decades, This is a look at the sometimes surprising final movies by some of the world's biggest movie stars.

A couple of caveats to the forthcoming list. As the title states, we're looking at the final movies that certain actors and actresses worked on, which is not necessarily the last movie that was ever released, as sometimes movies that had been in development earlier get completed years and even decades later. We're also only considering theatrically released films, and not television movies or series. 

Heath Ledger - The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus 

Ledger's legacy is most closely tied to The Dark Knight for which he won a posthumous Oscar, but he had already moved on to filming Terry Gilliam's The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus before he died. The script was modified and saw Ledger's character "transformed" at various points, allowing three of Ledger's friends, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, and Colin Firth to all step in to collectively help complete the movie. 

Marilyn Monroe - The Misfits

Marilyn Monroe's role in the drama The Misfits was not the sort of performance that made her famous, yet her final performance, given more than a year before her death, is considered one of her best by critics today.  Monroe had been involved in another movie, Something's Gotta Give at the time of her death, but so little of the movie had been completed that production was simply halted.

 James Dean - Giant 

James Dean was an up-and-coming star when he died in a single-car accident in 1955. He only made three big screen movies before his death with East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and his final film, Giant which was released the year after his death.

John Candy - Wagons East 

Wagons East sees John Candy as a wagon master who has agreed to take a group of settlers who have decided the West isn't for them back to the East. Candy died of a heart attack during production, and stand-ins were used to finish the film so it could be released a few months later. 

Paul Walker - Furious 7

The death of Paul Walker in a tragic car accident took place during the filming of Furious 7. The movie's ending was modified to give his character a proper sendoff and his brother, along with CGI, was used to recreate Walker's likeness for a final farewell.

Bruce Lee - Enter The Dragon 

Bruce Lee's Game of Death uses a combination of the actor and a double as the martial arts expert passed away before he could finish it. However, all of Lee's scenes were shot prior to the film going on hiatus so he could film Enter the Dragon, making this the final film he shot before passing away. 

Katharine Hepburn - Love Affair

Katharine Hepburn was a four-time Oscar winner when she passed away in 2003. She was largely done with the big screen by the 1980s, but she did appear in a small role in Warren Beatty's Love Affair in 1994, the last year she worked before retiring for good. 

 Brandon Lee - The Crow 

The son of Bruce Lee was well on his way to following in his father's footsteps when his life was tragically cut short. A prop gun on the set of The Crow malfunctioned firing a projectile into Lee, which caused his death. His final scenes were filmed with stand-ins so that the movie could be completed. 

Robin Williams - Absolutely Anything

Robin Williams' death in 2014 broke the hearts of millions of fans. There would be two more chances to see (and hear) him at the movies, however. Williams' final appearance was in A Night at the Museum: Secrets of The Tomb which was released just months after his passing. His final project, however, would be as the voice of Dennis the dog in the Simon Pegg-led comedy Absolutely Anything.

Brittany Murphy - Something Wicked

Actress Brittany Murphy died unexpectedly in 2009 and her death has remained a subject of controversy to this day. Her final performance, in the psychological horror movie Something Wicked would not be seen for years as the film was not officially released until 2014.

Phillip Seymour Hoffman The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 

Phillip Seymour Hoffman was not an actor who often appeared in major franchise movies but two of his final performances would come in the two-part finale of The Hunger Games. Mockingjay - Part 1 would be released shortly after his death in 2014. By that point the majority of his role in Mockingjay - Part 2 had been completed, making his final on-screen performance a year later.

Judy Garland - I Could Go On Singing

While Judy Garland would continue to perform right up until she died in 1969, her last years were spent on stage rather than screen. Her final film role would be in 1963's I Could Go on Singing, where she played a successful singer who attempts to bond with her estranged son.  

 John Wayne - The Shootist 

John Wayne's final film role in 1976's The Shootist was in many ways the culmination of his entire career. In the film, he plays a former Western lawman who is dying of cancer, the same disease that would take Wayne's own life three years after the film was completed. 

 Angela Lansbury - Glass Onion 

Angela Lansbury had the sort of career that many actors can only dream of. She was a beloved star of both the big and small screen. Her final appearance in a movie was on an even smaller screen, as she appears on Benoit Blanc's laptop in Glass Onion, as one of four celebrities that Daniel Craig's detective is playing video games with. 

Chadwick Boseman - Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom 

Few people knew of Chadwick Boseman's colon cancer diagnosis, which made his death in 2020 a surprise to many. His final movie, An adaptation of the August Wilson play Ma Rainey's Black Bottom for Netflix would earn the actor a posthumous Oscar nomination. 

Audrey Hepburn - Always

The iconic star of Breakfast at Tiffany's and My Fair Lady made only a handful of films once the 1960s were over. In her final film, she was directed by Steven Spielberg in one of his largely overlooked dramas, Always, in which she plays a spirit named Hap who sets recently departed Richard Dreyfuss on the right path. 

Marlon Brando - The Score 

Marlon Brando was famously difficult to work with, something that remained true up to his final performance. 2001's The Score reportedly required co-star Robert De Niro to direct his old friend, as Brando refused to be directed by Frank Oz. Brando would pass away in 2004.

Ingrid Bergman - Autumn Sonata

Most famous for the role of Ilsa in Casablanca, Ingrid Bergman starred in Autumn Sonata, written and directed by Ingmar Bergman (while the two get famously confused, there is no relation). She was nominated for her seventh Academy Award for the role. 

Dennis Hopper - The Last Film Festival

Dennis Hopper passed away during during the production of The Last Film Festival, an indie comedy in which he plays a producer who has been blackballed from every other film festival, and thus attends one in a small American town. The movie turned to Kickstarter to raise the funding needed to complete the project, which they did. 

River Phoenix - Dark Blood

For years it seemed River Phoenix's final film would be the country music drama The Thing Called Love. Phoenix was in the middle of filming the movie Dark Blood when he died in 1993, but his death seemingly ended the production. In 2011 the director picked up the unused footage and reedited it into a complete film. Dark Blood was released in 2014, after making a film festival run in 2012. 

Bette Davis - Wicked Stepmother

Bette Davis was one of the all-time greats of the silver screen, but her final appearance was maybe not up to her previous standards, which is why she reportedly left in the middle of filming. 1989's Wicked Stepmother sees Davis as a witch who marries into an unsuspecting family. The plot shifts part way through to focus on the daughter of Davis' character after the All About Eve star left the film.

Vincent Price - Edward Scissorhands

Vincent Price was one of the fathers of the modern horror movie, so it's fitting that his final big screen outing was as the father of Edward Scissorhands, a movie that blended the horror with the heartwarming in a way that only Tim Burton could. 

Sidney Poitier - The Jackal

Sydney Poitier made history as the first Black actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor in 1964. More than 30 years later he would make his final silver screen performance, as the head of the FBI in 1997's The Jackal with Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. He did do one last television movie, released in 2001 called The Last Brickmaker in America before retiring from acting. 

Humphrey Bogart - The Harder They Fall 

Humphrey Bogart created iconic screen characters from The Maltese Falcon Sam Spade to Casablanca's Rick. His character in 1956's The Harder They Fall, Bogie's last role, isn't nearly as well remembered, but Eddie Willis, the down-on-his-luck sportswriter who gets involved in a boxing scheme to throw fights is just the sort of character that Bogart did so well.

Natasha Richardson - The Wildest Dream

Natasha Richardson's death from injuries sustained in a skiing accident in 2009 shocked the entertainment world. Her final screen performance where she would be seen was 2008's Wild Child but her final work came as a voice in the documentary film The Wildest Dream which followed the story of the first man who attempted to scale Mount Everest, and the climber decades later who found his body.

Elizabeth Taylor - The Flintstones  

The live-action Flintstones movie does not exist in particularly high regard among fans, but if it is remembered at all it will likely be because it contains the final theatrical appearance of Elizabeth Taylor. She played Pearl Slaghoople, Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law.

Charlie Chaplin  - A Countess From Hong Kong 

Charlie Chaplin was one of the first movie stars the world had ever seen. When he started movies didn't even have sound. By the end they had gained, voice, color, and so much more. 1967's A Countess From Hong Kong is a work of Chaplin's primarily behind the camera, as he wrote and directed the film which stars Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren. However, he does appear briefly on screen, for one final time, in a cameo as a ship's porter.

Alan Rickman - Alice Through the Looking Glass 

Alan Rickman will be forever linked to his role of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter franchise for a generation of movie fans. He made several more movies in the five years after that story ended. The final one, a sequel to Disney's live-action Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, where he reprised his role as Absolem, the caterpillar.

Paul Newman - The Meercats 

Paul Newman received his ninth Oscar nomination the last time he appeared on screen in 2002's Road to Perdition. His voice would remain in movies, however. In 2006 he would voice Doc Hudson in Pixar's Cars. Two years later he would narrate the documentary film The Meerkats, which would be his final performance.

Natalie Wood - Brainstorm

Natalie Wood spent her life acting. She appeared as a child in the original Miracle on the 34th Street and as an adult she wowed audiences, becoming the youngest actress ever (at the time) to be nominated for three Oscars. She died tragically by drowning in 1981 during a break in filming the sci-fi thriller Brainstorm. The movie was almost canceled, but as Wood had completed most of her major scenes, it was finished and released.

Ray Liotta - Dangerous Waters 

When Ray Liotta died in May of 2023 he was in the middle of filming the thriller Dangerous Waters. The movie would be released that October. Liotta plays the movie's villain, a man known simply as The Captain.

Ginger Rogers - Harlow

Ginger Rogers would become famous as a dancer and the frequent screen partner of Fred Astaire. Her final performance, however, would put her in a very different place. In the 1965 biopic of another great actress, Jean Harlow, Rogers plays the star's mother, who takes advantage of her daughter's fame to benefit herself.

Some final performances of great actors rank among their best. Others are clearly forgotten movies for a reason. Either way, anybody interested in the complete career of some of Hollywood's greatest will want to seek these out, if only to see how the story ends. 

There is no genre more near and dear to my heart than comedy. The skills necessary to make others laugh -- whether live and in-person or through a screen -- are a unique and beautiful combination that should be protected at all costs. Some artists are able to do so without leaning in to touchy subjects or cursing, while others go all the way to really earn that R rating. The tactics may differ, but the end goal is the same, to bring others joy through jokes. 

Many comedians see movies as the apex of a potential career, but most don't start out their careers in Hollywood. Many grow first through either stand-up comedy or sketch comedy. This list honors them. Here's a look back at famous actors who started in either the stand-up or sketch comedy world and went on to bigger screens.

Rainn Wilson

Known as arguably one of the best characters on the hit show The Office, Rainn Wilson got his start in the arts in New York City where he studied acting at NYU. He went on to do theater both off and on Broadway as well as sketch comedy. He even did a post-modern clown show before getting his big break on the show Six Feet Under in 2001. 

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg got her start by studying drama in New York, where she landed a few stage performances before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. Like many others on this list, her comedy routine -- "The Spook Show" -- caught the attention of Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, who helped get the young comedian to Broadway. She eventually landed her first film in Steven Spielberg's film The Color Purple, for which she earned an Oscar nomination in 1986. 

Steve Buscemi

The veteran character actor made his acting debut in 1985, but also tried his hand at stand-up comedy. Eventually, Busemi decided he "wasn't funny enough," and switched to acting instead. Buscemi has since starred in popular movies including Fargo, Resevoir Dogs, and the hit HBO Max show Boardwalk Empire.

Emma Thompson

If you're looking for a stand-up with some serious credentials, look no further than Emma Thompson. Winner of two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, a British Academy Television Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, the talented actor got her start in stand-up while in Cambridge. 

John Candy

Arguably one of the greatest comedy legends to ever live, John Candy led a fascinating life, getting his big break after joining the ensemble of SCTV — which is, essentially, the Canadian equivalent to SNL. In 1989, the star even added radio personality to his resume. The LA Times did a whole write-up of his syndicated, two-hour program, Radio Kandy, which sounds wild and apparently included rock music and comedy sketches featuring some of his former SCTV co-stars.

Mo'Nique

Mo'Nique started her comedy career with stand-up, heading to It's Showtime at the Apollo and Def Comedy Jam before eventually landing a leading role on TV's The Parkers. The comedian took her acting to the next level in 2009's Precious, for which she won an Academy Award.

Steve Carell

A versatile actor with numerous groundbreaking performances in both television and film, Steve Carrell was once a legend at Second City in Chicago who went on to land his dream job working on the ill-fated Dana Carvey Show, which you can learn about in Too Funny To Fail, one of the best comedy documentaries to date. Known best for his role as Michael Scott in the U.S. adaptation of The Office, Carell eventually went on to become a leading man in both comedies and dramas. 

Michael Keaton

To put himself through college where he studied acting, Michael Keaton worked as a cab and ice cream truck driver, and it wasn't until 1975 that he officially debuted on television. He did some stand-up comedy in his early 20s, which he recounted in an interview with Ellen, but he eventually found the right calling with movies.

Tina Fey

Known for her work on the smash hit show 30 Rock, Tina Fey got her start in acting at Second City which quickly led to a job at Saturday Night Live as notably one of the only female writers at the time. She got her break co-hosting Weekend Update and later went on to be a huge star in Hollywood. 

Jamie Foxx

It all started with a dare from a girlfriend to try his hand at an open mic. Flash forward some years and that performance led Jamie Foxx to multiple awards, including two Academy Awards, double digit Grammys, and three Golden Globe Awards, all while showing a versatile ability to crush performances across multiple genres and artistic art forms.

John Cleese

Coming from the United Kingdom, John Cleese is a British comic actor best known for his television work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers. Cleese began writing and performing in comedy revues at Clifton College in Bristol, England, and was a member of the renowned Footlights Club while a law student at the University of Cambridge. He is best known for his work with Monty Pythion, namely Monty Python And The Holy Grail. 

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais went to school at Ashmead Comprehensive School before going on to study at University College, London, where he gained a degree in Philosophy. After university, Gervais attempted to pursue a pop career with Seona Dancing, a synth-pop duo he formed with a fellow student. After forming a writing partnership with Stephen Merchant, he would go on to land his breakout role on The Office, premiering in 2001. In between all his acting gigs, he's performed plenty of stand-up and has multiple Netflix specials. 

Eddie Murphy

Growing up in Brooklyn, New York, SNL star Eddie Murphy began performing his own comedy routines at 15. In 1980, the work of the soon-to-be comedy legend caught the attention of Saturday Night Live producers. In 1982, Murphy landed his first leading role in the film, 48 Hrs, which led to multiple leads in classics such as Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America. He went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls and truly set the bar by playing six characters in the 1996 smash hit, The Nutty Professor. His '80s comedy specials are still discussed today. 

Amy Schumer

Amy Schumer is certainly better known these days for her work in numerous films including the fantastic Trainwreck, but most of those career opportunity doors opened through her stand-up comedy. She built a name for herself through her work on the live mic before mostly switching to movies.

Chris Rock

An SNL vet, Chris Rock's comedy career began in 1984 at 19 when he took the stage in the New York City club Catch a Rising Star. His performance ended up catching the eye of future comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who had been watching his act. Murphy would become a huge presence in Rock's life and served as a mentor, giving him his first break with a role in Beverly Hills Cop II.

Ron Perlman

Known for very courageous roles such as Clay Morrow on the FX show Sons Of Anarchy, Ron Perlman said his ventures as a stand-up comedian ended after a heckling exchange in the Bronx escalated and he retreated out of the venue through the back door, which seems like a strange move for such an intimidating man. 

Robin Williams

Arguably one of the best comedians of all-time, Robin Williams studied acting at the Juilliard School, which he later dropped out of to devote himself entirely to stand-up comedy before making the leap to television and movies. Known for his high energy and skillful impressions, he himself has inspired other actors to reenact some of his most dramatic real-life moments in honor of the late comedian. 

Patton Oswalt

The Prince of Queens, Patton Oswalt went from struggling in the comedy world to writing for the sketch comedy show MADtv and earning his own comedy special on HBO. He continued to impress critics and fans alike, with roles such as the voice of the lead character Remy the Rat in the Pixar film, Ratatouille. 

Richard Pryor

Unfortunately, tragedy and comedy often go hand-in-hand. Such is the case with arguably one of the genre's biggest icons, the late, great, Richard Pryor. The legend had a tough life growing up and eventually joined the military before playing nightclubs as both a musician and comedian at age 23. His comedy career was populated with milestones and achievements, as well as struggles and substance abuse before passing away in 2005 due to complications from M.S..  

Bette Midler

Bette Midler landed her first Broadway role in Fiddler on the Roof by 1966, four years before trying her hand at stand-up comedy. In 1972, she released the album The Divine Miss M, which earned her a Grammy Award, and she started making frequent appearances on late-night television shows and eventually a huge acting career. Along the way, she performed live comedy and even released an album.

Norm Macdonald

Norm Macdonald's first job was writing for The Dennis Miller Show and then Roseanne. While writing on the show, he was noticed by Lorne Michaels, who liked Norm's stand up so much that he offered the young comedian a job on Saturday Night Live in 1993.

Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey, who is easily considered one of the greats, was himself taken under the wing of another comedy legend, Rodney Dangerfield, who spotted the young comic in a Toronto nightclub. Carrey eventually made it to The Tonight Show which led to his role on In Living Color and parts in many comedy classics that we know and love today, such as Dumb and Dumber, The Mask, and Ace Ventura. 

Tim Allen

Tim Allen started his career as a comedian in 1975 in a pretty peculiar way. On a dare from one of his friends, he participated in a comedy night at Mark Ridley's Comedy Castle in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit. Following his release from prison in 1981 for a drug-related crime, he returned to comedy and went on to lead the hit show Home Improvement on ABC. 

Steve Martin

From community theater, to Disneyland, to the big screen, Steve Martin began his showbiz career as a teenager. After writing his own comedy routines, plays, and music, he went on to study philosophy and poetry before winning his first Emmy Award for comedy writing on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour at the young age of 23.

Lily Tomlin

Initially studying biology at Wayne State University, Lily Tomlin decided to audition for a play which led to her changing her major to theatre and diving into stand-up comedy. Her stand-up was so impressive that it attracted the attention of the producers of Laugh-In, the notorious 1960s sketch comedy show. Tomlin went on to snag an Oscar nomination for her acting work.

Dana Carvey

One of SNL's most talented and beloved alumni, Dana Carvey absolutely dominated during his six seasons on Saturday Night Live, creating some of the show's most memorable characters. He never drifted far from stand-up though and has continued to take the stage and release specials.

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks took the weirdest route to stand-up of anyone on this list. He was already in Hollywood and establishing a nice career when he decided to audition for a movie about stand-up comedy called Punchline. As part of that process, he developed his own stand-up routine and performed in clubs. There's even footage of it that trends every now and again.

Bob Odenkirk

Starting out as a D.J. in Illinois, Bob Odenkirk got his start in local improv workshops in Chicago, where he also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live.

Larry David

Starting out in stand-up comedy, Larry David befriended Jerry Seinfeld and later went on to co-create Seinfeld. He also wrote for Friday's and Saturday Night Live and famously went on to create the all-time ridiculous show Curb Your Enthusiasm. 

Ed Helms

Ed Helms was studying improv with the Upright Citizens Brigade when he got his big break as a correspondent on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He later moved on to the hit NBC show The Office where he played Andy Bernard. From there, Helms went on to star in The Hangover trilogy. More importantly, he also acted in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie.

Mel Brooks

There aren't many names in the world of comedy that stand larger than Mel Brooks. The legend started his career in stand-up before working as a writer for Sid Caesar's variety show Your Show of Shows from 1950 to 1954. After that, he, of course, took over Hollywood, winning an EGOT and directing classics like Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Robin Hood: Men In Tights.

Simon Pegg

A comedic force to be reckoned with in the U.K. before dropping smash hits like Sean of the Dead in the U.S., Pegg once told The Hollywood Reporter “I went into stand-up because comedy was something I enjoyed but also because it offered me a certain autonomy that I wouldn’t have if I was sitting and waiting for the phone to ring as an actor.”

Dan Aykroyd

Dan Aykroyd started performing comedy at 17 and later joined the main casts of Second City in Toronto and Chicago. Later, it was his work in the sketch comedy powerhouse Saturday Night Live that turned him into a huge name and opened the door for him to start in classics like The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters.

And those are some of the actors who also took the stage to perform stand-up or sketch comedy at some point during their careers!

We see it quite often – comedians and comedic actors cut their teeth performing stand-up or appearing on beloved sketch comedy shows before knocking everyone’s socks off with a remarkable and remarkably emotional dramatic role. Sometimes, these earn the actors and actresses Academy Awards or at least their first Oscar nomination for unforgettable performances that make us cry as much as they once made us laugh.

That being said, here are 32 examples of people known for their comedy being great in dramatic roles…

Robin Williams

Even before Robin Williams earned a much-deserved Oscar for his performance in Good Will Hunting, the comedian proved time and time again that he was more than capable when it came to dramatic roles. In fact some of Williams’ best movies like Dead Poets Society and Awakenings showed early on what he could achieve in a less comedic capacity. And let’s not forget his frightening turns in One Hour Photo and Insomnia.

Jim Carrey

After being an almost guaranteed box office draw in the mid 1990s, Jim Carrey showed he was more than just an over-the-top slapstick comedian with roles in The Truman Show and Man on the Moon. However, Carrey’s most notable dramatic turn, and probably his best overall performance can be found in 2004’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Eddie Murphy

For years, Eddie Murphy was well-known for beloved comedic roles in classics like Coming to America, 48 Hrs., and Beverly Hills Cop, but he’s also displayed a more dramatic side over the years. At the top of this list is Dreamgirls, the 2006 musical drama that saw him take on the role of James “Thunder” Early, a performance that should have earned him an Oscar.

Whoopi Goldberg

Whoopi Goldberg is an all-time great comedian who has made audiences laugh with her stand-up specials and various film and TV projects for the better part of the past 40 years. During that time, Goldberg has also given us some of the richest and most nuanced dramatic performances like her take on Celie Harris Johnson in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, which earned her a Golden Globe and numerous other accolades.

Adam Sandler

When he wants, Adam Sandler can stand toe-to-toe with just about any living actor. Though he’s mostly known for his various comedies like Happy Gilmore, The Waterboy, and the Grown Ups movies, let’s not forget his outstanding dramatic performances in Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, and Uncut Gems. Watching Sandler in the Safdie Brothers’ 2019 crime thriller is like watching a completely different actor.

Steve Carell

Around the same time Steve Carell was making us fall over with laughter with his portrayal as Michael Scott on The Office, he was also giving audiences some of the best dramatic performances in movies like Little Miss Sunshine and Foxcatcher. Even since then, Carell has continued to steal the show with heart-wrenching turns in Beautiful Boy and Last Flag Flying.

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx made a name for himself as one of the funniest comedians on the planet in the early ‘90s thanks to shows like In Living Color and The Jamie Foxx Show, which he followed up with some truly great movies in the final decade of the 20th century. But in 2004, Foxx showed off his dramatic chops in Michael Mann’s thrilling Collateral and the must-watch music biopic, Ray, a performance that earned him an Oscar.

Aubrey Plaza 

To some, Aubrey Plaza will always be remembered for her hilarious portrayal of April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation, but the comedian has given some commanding dramatic performances over the years as well. Movies like Emily the Criminal and Black Bear, as well as the second season of The White Lotus, have shown she’s a force to be reckoned with.

Melissa McCarthy

Okay, Melissa McCarthy may be one of the funniest comedic actors on the planet right now, but let’s not overlook her gripping portrayal of literary fraudster Lee Israel in 2018’s Can You Ever Forgive Me, a movie that saw her hold her own with Richard E. Grant. That’s not nothing.

Will Ferrell

Though Will Ferrell’s dramatic roles still have the comedian's unique style of humor, his performances in Everything Must Go and Stranger Than Fiction are still worth bringing up. He’s less manic and a tad bit quieter in these two movies, but that charm is still there, which really messes with your head.

Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller has shown over the years that he can do more than play the lovable loser in movies like Meet the Parents, detestable villains in Dodgeball, or caricatures of models in Zoolander. In fact, he’s given quite a few outstanding dramatic performances in everything from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty to the gutting Permanent Midnight.

Mo'Nique

In addition to being a prolific comedian with multiple stand-up specials including The Queens of Comedy, as well as having a lead role on the long-running sitcom, The Parkers, Mo’Nique is also an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and BAFTA winner thanks to her lights out performance in the 2009 drama film, Precious. 

Bette Midler

Bette Midler has made us laugh ourselves out of our seats countless times over the years, but her performance as Cecilia Bloom in Beaches has been making everyone cry for decades now. It’s impossible to listen to “Wind Beneath My Wings” without thinking of that masterful dramatic turn.

Richard Pryor

Legendary stand-up comedian Richard Pryor had a series of comedies with frequent collaborator Gene Wilder at the height of his career, but the comic also gave a dynamic dramatic performance in Paul Schrader’s 1978 crime film, Blue Collar. The movie, which showed the actor’s range, also featured Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto. Talk about a cast.

Lily Tomlin

Lily Tomlin, an actress who continues to thrive decades into her career, is best known for performances in comedies like 9 to 5, shows like Grace and Frankie, and various stand-up specials and Broadway productions. But Tomlin can also pull off dramatic roles like her Academy Award-nominated performance in Nashville, her feature film debut.

Albert Brooks

Albert Brooks is wonderfully hilarious in movies like Finding Nemo, Broadcast News, and so many others, but his trademark happy-go-lucky and funny sensibility and charm went out the window with his bone-chilling portrayal of Bernie Rose in Drive. Ice cold.

Marlon Wayans

Here’s something wild to think about: Marlon Wayans played the stereotypical stoner Shorty in the parody horror flick Scary Movie and Tyrone in Darren Aronofsky’s devastating drama Requiem for a Dream in the same year. During the latter film’s development, the star of The Wayan Bros., the comedian had to go through five auditions.

Kristen Wiig

Some of Kristen Wiig’s best movies are those that lean more towards the dramatic side of the spectrum, with Mother, The Skeleton Twins, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty all coming to mind. This isn’t to say her comedic work isn’t great, as Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is legitimately one of the funniest movies of the 2020s.

Jason Segel

Jason Segel, through shows like Freaks & Geeks and How I Met Your Mother, has shown time after time that he’s undeniably hilarious. However, through work in movies like The End of the Tour and the 1999 dramedy SLC Punk, the actor has proven he can handle more dramatic performances as good as the rest.

Steve Martin

On top of being the all-time best SNL host, Steve Martin is also one of the most prolific actors of our time. But in addition to all of that, the actor, writer, musician, and what we can assume is a generally good hang, Martin can also pull off more dramatic roles. This can best be seen in the 2005 romantic drama, Shopgirl, which was based on one of his novellas.

Maya Rudolph

Two years after her Saturday Night Live tenure came to an end, Maya Rudolph gave a passionate and beautiful performance in Sam Mendes’ 2009 dramedy, Away We Go. The role, which saw her play the pregnant wife trying to find a place to settle down, allowed the comedic actress to play a more grounded, and sincere character.

Goldie Hawn

In 1991, Goldie Hawn took on the role of Adrienne Saunders in Damian Harris’ psychological thriller, Deceived, which saw her play the wife of the manipulative Frank Sullivan (John Heard in a devilish role). Though the movie wasn’t all that well-received, Hawn was still masterful in it, showing a great deal of range in the process.

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen has given one wonderfully funny performance after another for nearly the past quarter-century, but the actor and writer behind movies like Superbad and Pineapple Express can handle his own when it comes to drama. Danny Boyle’s 2015 biopic, Steve Jobs, saw the comedian portray Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, which required him to go head-to-head with Michael Fassbender’s tech CEO in some extremely intense scenes.

Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart made the jump to serious drama in The Upside in 2019, an English remake of the french film, The Intouchables. However, this wouldn’t be a one and done type situation for the comedian. He would give another emotional performance in the 2021 Netflix drama, Fatherhood, in which he played a widower trying to raise his daughter in the wake of his wife’s sudden passing.

Jack Black

After dipping his toes in the drama waters with his charming performance in The Holiday, Jack Black played his darkest role yet in the 2011 crime biopic, Bernie. In Richard Linklater’s movie, Black took on the role of mortician Bernhardt “Bernie” Tiede, who was later convicted of murdering his friend and millionaire Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLane). 

Anna Kendrick

Anna Kendrick is best known for her starring roles in musical comedies like the Pitch Perfect franchise and the Trolls animated movies, but the comedic actress has also given commanding dramatic performances. This includes the likes of Up in the Air, 50/50, Alice Darling, and A Simple Favor, all of which show her dynamic range.

Awkwafina

If you look at Awkwafina’s best movies, you’ll see a lot of great comedies like Crazy Rich Asians, Ocean’s Eight, and Quiz Lady. However, you’ll also find Lulu Wang’s 2019 drama, The Farewell, which saw the comedian pull off a whole range of emotions throughout its story. In fact, she even won a Golden Globe for her performance.

John Lithgow

John Lithgow has had a remarkable career full of great comedies, including 3rd Rock from the Sun and Shrek, but he’s also given some impressive dramatic performances throughout his career. Be it shows like Dexter and The Crown or a list of movies that includes Killers of the Flower Moon, Terms of Endearment, and Interstellar, the decorated actor has always been able to pull off some impressive feats.

Jerry Lewis

One-half of Martin and Lewis with Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis was one of the funniest names in show business throughout his career, be it with his Vegas shows or various movies like The Nutty Professor and The Ladies Man. But Lewis also gave a terrific dramatic performance in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, which saw the legendary comedian play a late night TV host kidnapped by an obsessed fan (played by Robert De Niro).

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston will always be remembered for her take on Rachel Green in the landmark sitcom, Friends, but the actress has since taken on some rather dramatic roles that worked quite well. One of the most notable is the 2014 drama, Cake, which saw Aniston take on the role of a woman coming to terms with the death of her son.

Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill spent the better part of the 2000s appearing in comedies like Superbad, Grandma’s Boy, and Accepted, but he started to take more dramatic roles in the 2010s. One of the most promising was his part in 2011’s Moneyball, which saw him play Billy Beane’s (Brad Pitt) incredibly intelligent (and sometimes awkward) assistant to great effect.

Steve Coogan

Steve Coogan is lights out in comedies like the Night at the Museum movies and Tropic Thunder, but he was equally as good in the 2013 drama film, Philomena, which saw him take on the role of a journalist helping a woman (played by Judi Dench) track down the son she was force to give up for adoption decades earlier.

Each of these comedians found a way to turn audience expectations on their head and give us some all-time great dramatic performances. It’s safe to say we’ll never forget some of these beloved, and wonderfully emotional roles and the people who brought them to life.

Though Hollywood A-listers make more money for one movie that some of us will see in a lifetime, there are times where even some of the highest grossing actors of all time didn’t make as much as you'd think. Over the years, stars like Robert Downey Jr., Julia Roberts, and Brad Pitt have brought in massive paydays for acting and producing, but those same stars have also seen incredibly small paychecks for one reason or another.

If you’ve ever wanted to know about 33 actors who made way less than you’d think for a beloved movie, look no further…

Robert Downey Jr. Made $500,000 For Iron Man

Robert Downey Jr. was the first major star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and would be a staple of the Infinity Saga for more than a decade. During this time, he made a ton of money for his superhero performances. However, he only took home a comparatively small payday of $500,000 for 2008’s Iron Man, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Bill Murray Made $9,000 For Rushmore

Bill Murray is one of the most beloved actors of all time and a frequent collaborator of Wes Anderson’s ever since the release of Rushmore back in 1998. That fruitful partnership started out modestly for the SNL alum, as he was paid $9,000 for his take on Herman Blume, per Vulture.

Gal Gadot Made $300,000 For Wonder Woman

When Gal Gadot first signed on to portray Diana Prince in the DCEU back in 2014, Variety reported that the Fast & Furious star would take on a salary of $300,000 per movie, including Wonder Woman, which was released three years later.

Julia Roberts Made $300,000 For Pretty Woman

Though she had some success at the box office prior to its release, Julia Roberts turned into a massive star thanks to 1990’s Pretty Woman and one of the most well-known A-listers on the planet. However, Roberts, who would go on to earn a ton of cash for movies like Erin Brockovich years later, reportedly received a modest sum of $300,000 for her role in the all-time great romantic comedy, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Hilary Swank Made $3,000 For Boys Don’t Cry

Hilary Swank won her first Oscar and became one of the most talked about actresses thanks to her transformative portrayal of Brandon Teena in Kimberly Peirce’s Boys Don’t Cry. When appearing on Women’s Dinner Party years later, Swank revealed she was paid $3,000 for the role, which wasn’t enough to qualify for health insurance.

Tom Hanks Made $50,000 For Toy Story

Tom Hanks, who won two Academy Awards prior to the 1995 release of Toy Story, was reportedly paid $50,000 to provide the voice of Woody in the landmark Pixar film, according to the Los Angeles Times. In the same article, the publication reported that Hanks made $5 million upfront for its 1999 sequel.

Oprah Winfrey Made $35,000 For The Color Purple

Oprah Winfrey received an Oscar nomination for her performance in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple back in 1985. The media mogul, who is worth billions today, later told Essence she was paid $35,000 for portrayal of Sofia.

Robin Williams Made $75,000 For Aladdin

Aladdin will forever be remembered as one of the best Robin Williams movies, and rightfully so. And while the late actor provided countless hours of incredible lines for his co-starring performance, he only made $75,000 for his troubles, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Jamie Lee Curtis Made $8,000 For Halloween

John Carpenter’s Halloween, one of the best horror movies, turned Jamie Lee Curtis into a scream queen almost overnight. However, the Academy Award winner later told People Magazine that she only made $8,000 for her portrayal of Laurie Strode.

Nick Castle Made $25/Day For Halloween

Nick Castle has played Michael Myers a total of five times over the years, with the most recent being 2022’s Halloween Ends. Though the role made him a horror icon, Castle told Vanity Fair he was only paid $25 for each day of shooting in the original back in 1978.

Matthew McConaughey Made Less Than $200,000 For Dallas Buyers Club

Matthew McConaughey won an Oscar for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, a role that ushered in a new era of his career. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he was paid less than $200,000 upfront for the movie9 but did receive an undisclosed amount on the backend.

Chris Evans Made $300,000 For Captain America: The First Avenger

Chris Evans was a driving force for the first few phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was paid handsomely for his efforts later on. However, when he was cast to play Steve Rogers in 2011’s Captain America: The First Avenger, he reportedly only made $300,000, per The Guardian.

Jeff Daniels Made $50,000 For Dumb And Dumber

Jeff Daniels, who was mostly known for his dramatic roles at the time, was cast to appear alongside Jim Carrey in the Farrelly Brothers’ 1994 comedy Dumb and Dumber despite New Line Cinema wanting someone else. Years later, the directors told The Hollywood Reporter that the studio low-balled him with an offer of $50,000, thinking he’d say no. You know the rest.

Taraji P. Henson Made $150,000 For The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button

Taraji P. Henson received an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Queenie in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a performance that netted her a great deal of screen time. However, as she later told Variety, she was only paid $150,000 for the gig, which was several hundred thousand dollars less than her initial request of $500,000.

Jonah Hill Made $60,000 For The Wolf Of Wall Street 

Jonah Hill was paid $60,000 for his portrayal of Donnie Azoff in Martin Scorsese’s 2013 epic comedy The Wolf of Wall Street. While that may seem small considering the size of his role, Hill later told Howard Stern (via BBC) that he immediately took the offer, adding that he would have sold his house and given all his money to work with the acclaimed director. 

Orlando Bloom Made $175,000 For The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy 

Orlando Bloom was an instrumental part of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, with his character, Legolas, being featured heavily throughout all three movies. During a 2023 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the actor revealed he was paid a total of $175,000 for the entire project.

Jon Heder Initially Made $1,000 For Napoleon Dynamite 

Napoleon Dynamite pretty much came out of nowhere and took the world by storm in 2004, partly because its star, Jon Heder. A few years after the film’s release, Heder told Stuff Magazine that he initially made $1,000 from the movie but was later able to negotiate his deal after MTV picked up distribution.

Daisy Ridley Made Between $100,000 And $300,000 For Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

Daisy Ridley was a relatively unknown actress when she was cast in one of the lead roles in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which might explain her low salary for the 2015 blockbuster. According to Variety, that number was reportedly between $100,000 and $300,000.

John Boyega Made Between $100,000 And $300,000 For Star Wars: The Force Awakens 

John Boyega’s Finn was one of the most heavily featured characters in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but the young actor reportedly only received a payday somewhere between $100,000 and $300,000, per Variety.

James Earl Jones Made $7,000 For Star Wars

James Earl Jones’ dynamic voice gave Darth Vader a menacing edge in George Lucas' 1977 film Star Wars (and the rest of the franchise), but did you know that he was only paid $7,000 for the first movie? When speaking with the American Film Institute, the legendary actor admitted that he thought that was good money at the time.

Mel Gibson Made $9,000 For Mad Max 

After appearing in Mad Max, Mel Gibson would go on to lead some of the best action movies of all time, but back when he was cast in the late ‘70s, he was a broke college student. That’s why, as he told ExperienceWith.com, his $9,000 salary for George Miller’s dystopian thriller seemed like a fortune.

Seann William Scott Made $8,000 For American Pie 

American Pie was one of the biggest movies of the ‘90s, and Seann William Scott’s Stifler was its breakout character. So, how much did the young actor make for his career-defining role? Well, as he told The Rich Eisen Show in 2023, he was paid $8,000, most of which he spent on a used Thunderbird.

Christian Bale Made The Minimum Salary For American Psycho 

Christian Bale’s take on the unhinged Patrick Bateman in 2000’s American Psycho is one of the actor’s most unforgettable performances, but it could very well be one of his smallest paydays. Though he didn’t reveal the exact number in a 2022 GQ profile, the actor did say it was the “absolute minimum they were illegally allowed” to pay him.

Michelle Williams Made $625,000 For All The Money In The World 

Michelle Williams was reportedly only paid $625,000 for her portrayal of Gail Harris in Ridley Scott’s 2017 biographical crime thriller All the Money in the World, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Though this is a hefty fee, her co-star, Mark Wahlberg, was reported to have taken home $5 million for his role.

Barkhad Abdi Made $65,000 For Captain Phillips 

Barkhad Abdi became an overnight sensation following the release of Captain Phillips, in which he plays lead pirate Abduwali Muse. According to the New Yorker, Abdi’s acting debut and Oscar-nominated performance earned him $65,000.

Jennifer Lopez Made $0 For Hustlers 

Jennifer Lopez received a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Hustlers, a movie she made for free. During a GQ breakdown of her biggest career moments, the multi-talented star said she starred in and produced the movie for no upfront money, as she was investing in herself. However, it wasn’t disclosed as to how much she made on the backend of the film’s release, which was $157.6 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

Gunnar Hansen Made $800 For Texas Chain Saw Massacre 

Gunnar Hansen’s Leatherface is an instantly recognizable horror villain thanks to his mask made of human flesh and signature chainsaw. But did you know that the actor was only paid a three-digit sum for his performance in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre? In 2013, the actor told Fast Company that he made $800 for his part in the iconic ‘70s horror movie.

Dustin Hoffman Made $20,000 For The Graduate 

The Graduate was the movie that turned Dustin Hoffman into a young Hollywood star, but it was also one that didn’t earn him a whole lot of money. According to a 1968 New York Times article, Hoffman reportedly made $20,000 for his career-defining role, but he only ended up keeping $4,000 of that after expenses and taxes were taken out.

John Candy Made $414 For His Home Alone Cameo 

The late John Candy appears in Home Alone for only a few minutes, but it’s still wild to think that his cameo only netted the actor $414. In the Home Alone episode of Netflix’s The Movies That Made Us, it is revealed that Candy’s unforgettable portrayal of Gus Polinski, the Polka King of the Midwest, didn’t necessarily break the bank.

Jessica Chastain Made $1.75 Million For The Martian 

Jessica Chastain’s paycheck for The Martian was shockingly low. Around the time of the film’s 2015 release, there was a report that the actress made $7 million from her part, but she told The Huffington Post that she actually made around a quarter of that, which would be around $1.75 million. The film’s star, Matt Damon, reportedly made between $15 and 25 million for his part.

Brad Pitt Made $6,000 For Thelma And Louise 

Brad Pitt is one of the biggest and highest paid actors around today and has been that way for the better part of the past 30 years. However, that wasn’t always the case. According to the Daily Mail, the actor was paid just $6,000 for his breakout performance as JD in Ridley Scott’s Thelma and Louise.

Jon Voight Made The ‘Minimum’ Salary For Midnight Cowboy 

Jon Voight received all kinds of nominations for his performance in Midnight Cowboy, but the actor was paid the “minimum” for his portrayal of Joe Buck. When disclosing this to The Guardian decades later, Voight also revealed he received a $14.73 charge for meals on the final day of the shoot.

Adam Levine Made $0 For Begin Again 

Maroon 5 frontman and former coach on The Voice Adam Levine appeared in John Carney’s 2014 musical dramedy, Begin Again for free. When speaking with USA Today around the time of the film’s release, Levine explained that he did the movie “for no money,” stating that he had made enough through his other ventures and wanted the experience.

It’s safe to say that all of these actors have done okay for themselves over the years after making relatively small salaries throughout their career. But it’s still wild to think about Robert Downey Jr. only making half-a-million to play Tony Stark. What a steal.

Disney's new Once Upon a Studio animated short is full of just about every conceivable Disney easter egg and reference you could imagine, but beyond a doubt, the biggest piece of news coming off the cartoon is that it sees Robin Williams voice Aladdin’s Genie again for the first time in more than 25 years. This was done by using unused audio from Williams's original turn as Genie, which needed permission from the Williams estate. Still, the fact that Disney got that permission is worthy of note because Williams's relationship with the company became strained almost as soon as he finished his work on the original movie. 

Aladdin was such a hit that it spawned a franchise in its own right, with the original film being followed by a pair of direct-to-video sequels and an animated TV series. However, Williams only appeared in the final entry, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, because following the first movie, there was a major breakdown between him and the House of Mouse. So exactly what happened to cause him to leave, and why did he come back?

What Robin Williams Wanted In order To Voice The Genie In Aladdin 

Robin Williams already had a strong relationship with The Walt DIsney Company prior to Aladdin. The studio had produced both Good Morning Vietnam and Dead Poets Society through its Touchstone label, and Willams had garnered his first Oscar nominations for the roles. 

Robin Williams wasn’t the first celebrity name to voice a character in an animated movie, or even a Disney animated movie. Without question though, he was the biggest star to voice a major character in an animated film up to that point, and getting him on board was a big deal for the studio. 

The Genie was designed based on Williams’ comedic style, and animator Eric Goldberg is the one given credit for convincing Williams to take the gig after having created a rough sample animation of the Genie set to some of Williams’ stand-up. Robin reportedly laughed so hard at the animation that he agreed to the role. Goldberg has said…

What’s more, Disney got Robin William at the SAG scale rate, the lowest amount of money the union would allow a voice actor to be paid for a role. However, in exchange for that, Williams had some requirements. He asked that he not be the major selling point of the film, requesting his name be used in 25% or less of marketing materials. He also asked that his voice not be used to sell merchandise. According to him, Disney agreed to these stipulations... until it didn't.

Disney Didn’t Live Up To Its End Of The Bargain 

When it came to the marketing stipulation, Disney abided by the agreement, at least in the strictest sense. As long as Genie didn't take up more than 25% of a poster, he wasn't in more than 25% of the marketing, right? On the merchandising front, all bets were off fairly quickly. While Disney claims that the studio did abide by its agreement, and that Williams and his wife approved everything, Williams later told Today (via LA Times)  that Disney had gone back on its word. He explained…

Exactly why Disney wouldn’t follow Williams' wishes isn’t entirely clear, but a feud developed between Williams and Disney Studios chief Jeffrey Katzenberg. One of the big issues at hand was another animated feature Robin Williams was part of, Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. That film wouldn’t debut until after Aladdin, but Williams had signed on to voice the character Batty prior to Aladdin. Ferngully screenwriter Jim Cox told Vanity Fair… 

Williams was furious at the attempt to get him to pull out of Ferngully. It's possible that this was a catalyst for Disney going back on its agreement regarding merchandising. 

Battles like this often take place behind closed doors, but Willians started to bad-mouth Disney publicly. So needless to say that when The Return of Jafar, the direct-to-video sequel to Aladdin and one of the first sequels of any kind to a Walt Disney Animation Studios film, was produced, Williams was not interested in returning. Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, was cast to replace Williams in the film, as well as the follow-up TV series. 

How Disney Smoothed Things Over And Got Robin Williams Back 

In the end, all it took to bring Robin Williams back to Disney was an apology. Jeffrey Katzenberg, the studio head whom Robin blamed for going back on the original deal, was fired from his position in August 1994, and it was only a couple of months later that his replacement, Joe Roth, told the LA Times that Disney was at fault and apologized to Robin, saying… 

With that, Robin Williams returned and voiced Genie once again for Aladdin and the King of Thieves, as well as in a few animated PSAs for Disney. Williams was paid significantly more for the role this time around.

Now we have what will likely be the last Williams as Genie performance in the emotional Once Upon a Studio short. Had Disney’s ultimate apology not come, not only would we not have seen Williams return for those final projects, but it’s unlikely his family would have given their ok to use the original audio to bring the Genie back this time around. 

Aladdin is one of the best Robin Williams movies and one of the best animated Disney movies. Without question, it's an absolute classic, and a lot of that is thanks to Robin Williams. He will be missed, so it's a good thing that his ultimate relationship with Disney gave fans this final chance to say goodbye. 

The Walt Disney Company celebrated its 100th anniversary this week, and it did so in style with the release of Once Upon A Studio both on TV and on Disney+. The animated short brings together so many characters from the last 100 years that it’s almost impossible to count them all. Some of them take center stage, while others appear in a “blink and you’ll miss it” fashion, but either way, you’ll need to watch the short more than once to catch everything.

But there’s so much more going on in Once Upon A Studio. From obscure animated characters to the human beings who helped bring them all to life, here are 10 of our favorite moments from the new Disney short that made us smile.

Burny Mattinson 

The closing credits of Once Upon A Studio dedicate the film to Burny Mattinson. Mattinson worked for The Walt Disney Company for 70 years, longer than any person before him. Unfortunately, Mattinson passed away earlier this year. He directed Mickey’s Christmas Carol and The Great Mouse Detective, among other great achievements in his career.

But before he said goodbye, he had one other job: appearing as himself at the beginning of Once Upon a Studio. He’s the man who wonders “If these walls could talk,” just what would they say? It made sense to include the longest-serving employee in such a historic film, but it's unfortunate that he is no longer here to see the film’s release.

Alan Tudyk 

Alan Tudyk is something of a perpetual easter egg in Walt Disney Animation Studios films. Tudyk has voiced many Disney characters in recent years. While he’s performed the likes of Wrck-It Ralph’s villain King Candy and Zootopia Duke Weaselton, he’s just as likely to appear as the voice of a chicken or some other animal.

It’s only fitting that Alan Tudyk appears in Once Upon a Studio, but he doesn’t voice any of the characters that he has brought to life in any Disney films. Instead, he takes on the voice of the Mad Hatter. While most of the Disney characters who speak in the film are either given new lines voiced by their original artist, or dialogue from the original films is recycled, Tudyk takes over the character from Ed Wynne who, originally performed the Hatter in 1951’s Alice in Wonderland, and he does a fantastic job. 

Ub Iwerks

Without question, the most touching moment in Once Upon a Studio is when Mickey Mouse takes a moment to thank Walt Disney. It’s a beautiful sequence. Of course, Mickey actually has a second father, and while he doesn’t get quite the same treatment, he’s also not forgotten.

Some of the coolest stuff to look at during the film is the collection of pictures hanging on the wall of the Roy E. Disney Building. Some of the Disney greats can be spotted if you look closely and know your Disney history. One portrait that features prominently is that of Ub Iwerks, the animator who, along with Walt, designed the original look of Mickey Mouse. He can be seen near the elevator as Donald and the company are waiting for Flash.

Robin Williams' Other Character 

A lot has already been said about the fact that Robin Williams’ Genie makes an appearance in Once Upon a Studio using unused audio that Williams recorded for the original Aladdin. However, Genie isn’t the only Robin Williams character who appears in the short film.

In the same scene, just before the Genie appears, an unnamed Lost Boy appears behind Olaf. This is actually Robin Williams himself, transformed into an animated character as part of a short film called Back To Neverland that ran as part of the Magic of Disney Animation Attraction at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Feed The Birds 

When Mickey has his heart-to-heart with Walt Disney, the emotion comes from the music as much as the moment. The song being played in the background is the classic “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins. It’s a beautiful song, but it’s especially poignant in this moment.

“Feed the Birds” is known to be Walt's favorite song ever written by the Sherman Brothers, the songwriting duo behind too many Disney classics to mention. Walt would occasionally walk into their office and simply say "Play it," and the boys would play the song for him. What’s more, this particular rendition of “Feed the Birds” is performed by Richard Sherman himself on the piano that still sits in Walt Disney’s office at the studio.

“After You” 

When the animated crowd gets together outside the building, there are so many Disney characters to see you’ll need to go frame-by-frame to recognize them all, but one classic character makes himself known when the iconic Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, whose rights were lost to Disney for decades, walks into the frame.

Mickey, ever the polite host, says “After you,” which is the perfect thing for him to say because literally all of this came after Oswald. With the possible exception of Pete the Cat, a version of whom appeared in the early Alice Comedies, Oswald is the oldest character in the history of Disney animation seen in the film.

 Flowers & Trees And The Skeleton Dance 

As the camera pans back to reveal the entire assembled crowd, we see all 100 years of Disney animation in front of us. Many of these characters we’ve seen elsewhere in the film, if only briefly, but there are a couple of newcomers who deserve special recognition.

On the left-hand side, you’ll see three skeletons standing together. These are the starting players from The Skeleton Dance, the first of the Silly Symphonies cartoons. Standing in the back, because they’re so tall, are a pair of trees from another Silly Symphonies cartoon, Flowers & Trees, which is notable because this was the first animated short ever to win an Academy Award. 

Summing up 100 years of Disney animation in nine minutes seems like an impossible task, but Once Upon a Studio did it probably about as well as it could have been done. From the well-known to the obscure, the film is packed full of almost everything you could have wanted if you’re a Disney fan, and more than a few things we never would have expected.  

While the Walt Disney Company has been celebrating the movies it's released over the past 100 years since the beginning of 2023, it officially reached the milestone on Monday, October 16. To commemorate the occasion, ABC held a Disney 100 special on Sunday that culminated in the premiere of the Once Upon A Studio animated short film. Like any major House of Mouse fan, I had high hopes for the production, and it did not disappoint. In fact, not only was it great, but key scenes -- like the return of Robin Williams' Genie -- made me especially emotional.

Once Upon A Studio follows Mickey Mouse and a plethora of other animated characters, as they gather outside the historic studio building to take a photo to mark a century of the company's existence. Of course, shenanigans ensue, because getting everyone outside and ready is a lot harder than it looks. Seeing all the characters was not only fun, but it also made me miss the Disney animated series House of Mouse (which is still missing from streaming). As a whole, the Dan Abraham and Trent Correy-directed short is remarkable, but here are the five scenes were really need to discuss: 

Robin Williams' Genie Returned

In the lead up to the short's release, one of the most anticipated aspects for Disney super fans was getting to hear Robin Williams voice Aladdin’s Genie one more time. The news originally garnered criticism from some people, who feared Williams' likeness was being used without proper consent. However, Josh Gad -- who reprised Frozen's Olaf for the production -- confirmed that Williams' estate worked with the producers. Trent Correy also explained to CinemaBlend that archival footage was used and that Williams’ family reacted positively to the way in which his character appeared.

I’m so happy the two sides reached the agreement, because seeing Genie jump out from the sketch page to interact with Olaf was a tearjerker for sure. His voice gave me chills, and the Roman Empire joke felt oddly topical, given the TikTok trend of asking men how often they think about the Roman Empire. Robin Williams' passing was a tremendous loss to the world, but it’s heartwarming to see his legacy live on.

There's A Cameo From A Legendary Disney Animator 

One thing that seemed to be very important for the shorts' directors was the notion of having legendary animators return to help craft the film. For some -- like Eric Goldberg (lead animator for the Genie), James Baxter (lead animator for Belle), and Ruben Aquino (lead animator for Ursula) -- that meant getting to draw their beloved animated characters again in traditional 2D animation form. 

Legendary animator Burny Mattinson had a different role to play, though. He appeared as himself at the beginning of the short. For those who aren’t Disney animation superfans, Mattinson worked for the studio from 1953 until his passing earlier this year. The first Disney movie he worked on was Lady and the Tramp, while his final was Strange World. Seeing him immortalized in such a way brought tears to my eyes. And of course, the heartfelt memorial at the end was a bittersweet bookend to his legacy. 

Disney’s First Princesses Welcomed The Newest Princess

In my eyes, Snow White gets overlooked when it comes to celebrating Disney’s history. That's a point that irks me to no end, given that Snow is a major reason the studio exists today. During my first watch-through of Once Upon A Studio, I was on pins and needles while waiting for her to show up (and was prepared to write a strongly worded article had she been neglected). Thankfully, her appearance did not disappoint. In fact, it was everything it should've been and more. 

Once outside the studio, Snow White appeared alongside Mulan, as they sang “When You Wish Upon A Star.” It was a beautiful moment that became even more iconic when Snow White extended her hand to Asha, the newest Princess from the upcoming movie Wish, joined the group. I was a sobbing mess watching the heroines of the Disney Princess movies, and I can't wait to see who gets added to their ranks in the years to come.

Everyone Came Together To Sing “When You Wish Upon A Star” 

Disney animated movies have featured a lot of iconic songs over the years. In fact, those tunes have been nominated a whopping 42 times for the Oscar for Best Original Song, winning 14 times. The first of these wins was “When You Wish Upon A Star” from Pinocchio.

“When You Wish Upon A Star” always makes me emotional, but getting to hear 543 Disney characters sing it sparked an out-of-body experience. The characters all brought their own flair to the beloved song, but there was something magical about seeing Jiminy Cricket get raised into the frame on Mickey’s hand while singing it. It was the perfect ending song for this masterpiece of a short film.

Mickey Mouse’s Emotional Moment With Walt’s Picture 

Obviously, I was an emotional wreck for most of the short, but the moment that really broke me occurred halfway through when Mickey Mouse stops to talk to Walt Disney. Mickey’s look of admiration and affection is caught in the reflection of the photo before the camera turns to face him, and he removes his hat in a sign of respect. As Minnie calls for him off-screen, Mickey takes on moment to say thanks to his creator.

Though Mickey Mouse wasn’t Walt Disney's original creation (that honor is bestowed on classic character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit), he is the one who helped launch the company into prominence. The mouse has become synonymous with the company in the same way Disney's legacy looms over every move the studio has made in the last 100 years. Seeing the character get to say thank you for what the late producer started gave me chills. 

What really got me, though, was when Mickey said, “On with the show.” It felt like a passing of the baton sort of moment. Even though Mickey has been the official mascot since the beginning, that moment felt like the character was accepting the fact that it’s up to him to lead the studio into the future. Or maybe I’m just an overemotional Disney adult reading too much into it. Either way, that scene and the others we've discussed make this short more than worth a watch.

If you didn’t get a chance to tune into the broadcast premiere of Once Upon A Studio last night, you can stream it using a Disney+ subscription. Or you can wait until next month to see it on the big screen, as it'll air ahead of Disney’s Wish when it hit theaters on November 22. And keep an eye out for all the upcoming Disney Movies that will be released as the company enters a new century. 

Walt Disney Studios has officially been bringing magic to the world for an entire century so, of course, the House of Mouse is ready to celebrate that incredible milestone. One big way the company is marking its 100th anniversary is with a nostalgic short film called Once Upon A Studio, which brings together characters from just about every movie from Walt Disney Animation Studios over the years. That includes the Genie from Aladdin, which is one of Robin Williams' best movies and roles. And the creative team talked about reviving the beloved character and how the Williams family reacted. 

Ahead of Once Upon A Studio premiering on ABC as a part of Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration special, CinemaBlend spoke to the filmmakers about assembling Disney characters from throughout the studio’s history -- like Mickey Mouse, Peter Pan and the Frozen sisters -- and having them all interact. The short’s co-writer/director, Trent Correy, shared some particularly warm thoughts about incorporating Genie, and it sounds like a lot of time and effort went into making his appearance happen. In his words: 

In the short, fans will get to hear an unused piece of dialogue from the Genie that was pulled from the recording sessions Robin Williams did with the Aladdin filmmakers. Trent Correy’s co-writer and co-director, Dan Abraham, had the honor of going through all 16 hours of material from the sessions to find the right pieces to fit in with their production. In regard to the process of looking through audio, Abraham said:

When the short was first announced, some fans criticized the posthumous use of Robin Williams' voice. Williams’ scene partner in the short, Josh Gad -- who reprises his role as Olaf in the short -- then provided clarity. Gad shared that the character would've never would have never been without the consent of the Williams estate. Trent Correy went on to share with CinemaBlend how Williams’ family reacted to his character's role, saying this: 

Robin Williams famously had some incredible sessions with Disney while voicing Genie, with the character’s lead animator once recalling to us that he storyboarded a “zillion” impressions based on his performance in the voice booth. The short allows the animators to pay tribute to the beloved Aladdin character by giving him a fresh moment. The project had its directors calling up tons of original voice actors from Disney movies too, including Disney legends like Jodi Benson and Paige O’Hara. 

The filmmakers shared that every single person they called said yes and, when it came to handling characters played by other stars who've passed on, they used a mix of archival recordings and sound-alike stars. For example, Dan Abraham was insistent on utilizing the vocals of Cliff Edwards, who was the original voice behind Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio, for a special moment in the short. Check out the trailer for Once Upon a Studio below: 

In addition to interviewing the filmmakers of Once Upon A Studio, CinemaBlend had the chance to view the short itself, and I can say it’s an absolutely sweet and emotional tribute to Walt Disney Animation 100 years worth of storytelling. Each character moment is done with absolute care, and it’s so much fun to see familiar faces from different eras of the company's history interacting, such as Flounder and Moana or Baymax and Donald Duck. It's a great salute to the various characters, including the beloved Genie.

In addition to Once Upon A Studio airing tonight during ABC’s Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration special, the short will also play on big screens ahead of an upcoming Disney movie, -- Wish, which is an animated musical also inspired by the studio’s incredible hundred-year milestone. The movie opens in theaters on November 22.