Getting kicked out of school at 14 could have become one of the most painful memories of Lisa Jakub‘s childhood. Instead, the former ‘Mrs. Doubtfire‘ star remembers that difficult time because of the unexpected support she received from Robin Williams.
More than three decades later, Jakub has looked back on the kindness her on-screen father showed when she needed it most. Although his effort could not change what happened, the thoughtful gesture left a lasting impression on the actress.
Robin Williams Went Out Of His Way To Help Lisa Jakub During ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’
Balancing school and work became difficult for Lisa Jakub because her high school in Canada struggled to support a student who was also a child actor. “At a certain point, it became too much work for the teachers at my high school,” Jakub shared. “They were not used to child actors.”
The situation became even more upsetting when the school sent her classwork back with a message telling her not to return. “They sent a letter back with my schoolwork saying, ‘This was fun, but don’t come back to school. This is too much work for our teachers,’” Jakub recalled. “I was very upset about this. Being kicked out of school when you’re 14 years old is a little bit upsetting.”
Jakub said Robin Williams noticed she was upset and immediately checked on her. “Robin was the kind of person that if he saw that any one of us was upset or not okay, he would check on us,” she told the audience.
After learning what had happened, Williams wrote a letter to her school principal asking them to support her education while she continued acting. “He wrote a letter to my principal, which I still have,” she revealed. “It was an incredibly kind, lovely letter saying, ‘Lisa is just trying to pursue her career and get her education at the same time, so can you please support her in that?’”
In case you missed it: ‘Patch Adams’ Star Monica Potter Reveals The “Extremely Sensitive” Side Of Robin Williams Fans Never Really Saw
Lisa Jakub Still Cherishes Robin Williams’ Kindness
The letter did not convince the school to take her back. Still, Jakub said the outcome was never what mattered most. “That story is not about the fact that it didn’t work. It’s a story about how kind Robin was,” she emphasized.
Jakub shared the story during a reunion with her ‘Mrs. Doubtfire‘ co-stars Mara Wilson and Matthew Lawrence. The 1993 film starred Robin Williams alongside Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Mara Wilson, Matthew Lawrence, and Jakub. The movie remains one of Williams’ most loved performances.
Looking back, Jakub said the letter perfectly showed the kind of person Williams was behind the scenes. She said he always cared for the young cast members and never hesitated to help them whenever they needed support.
You might also like to read: “He Would Talk To Me About His Struggles”: ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Actress Lisa Jakub Reveals Robin Williams Helped Her By Speaking Honestly About Mental Health
