Miramax/Courtesy Everett Collection
Stellan Skarsgård Remembers Robin Williams
Ah, the late Robin Williams—an enigma wrapped in a sea of jokes. Stellan Skarsgård, who shared the screen with this comedic genius in ‘Good Will Hunting,’ fondly remembers his co-star, describing him as “calm,” “nice,” and “lovely” when they were alone. We can only imagine how inviting those qualities must have been, if not slightly unsettling for anyone who wondered when the punchline would drop.
But don’t let that serene demeanor fool you. When a few more folks entered the scene, Williams would ignite like a Roman candle. “He had to be funny to survive,” Skarsgård explained, implying that social settings were essentially a comedy club for Robin—complete with a drink ticket and a spotlight to alleviate the pressure. What a masterclass in avoiding small talk!
Williams couldn’t merely sit with a joke; he had to unleash it immediately. “He had to produce it and get it out of the body,” Skarsgård mused, likely imagining Williams as some kind of comedic exorcist. Who needs therapy when you can just deliver a punchline, right?
During a recent Q&A following a screening of the film in Los Angeles, Skarsgård reminisced about the artistic chaos they all reveled in on set. He described Williams’ brilliant unpredictability as not just refreshing but downright necessary. After all, who could resist the siren call of another take—a fast one, a sad one, and who knows, perhaps even a tragic one for good measure? It was a buffet of emotions, and Williams was the chef who refused to follow the recipe.
Gus Van Sant, the film’s director, corroborated this sanity-in-absurdity theory. Williams was relentless. “One more, one more, one more,” he would plead, making every scene feel like he was auditioning for an entirely different film: ‘Good Will Hunting: Clown Edition.’ Unfortunately, that movie was never made, leaving us to ponder what comedic gold might have been lost.
Skarsgård went on to praise Williams’ methodical approach, which kept everyone on their toes. “He challenged us, and we were just trying to keep up,” he admitted. Picture it: serious actors scrambling to find their footing while one of the greatest was out there juggling existential crises and one-liners. Talk about a high wire act—without nets!
But beyond jokes and giggles, Skarsgård confessed that despite portraying a brilliant MIT professor, he couldn’t quite grasp the advanced math his character wrestled with. Thank goodness for John Mighton, the mathematician turned assistant, who essentially played the role of a cryptologist translating complex formulas into something Skarsgård could nod at with faux confidence. “You don’t have to really understand it,” he said, probably ignoring the alarming implications of that in real life.
In conclusion, as we reminisce about Robin Williams, it’s clear that the laughter he brought us was no accident. It was a survival mechanism, spiced with shades of vulnerability and incredible talent. So here’s to Williams—may we all find a way to laugh for survival, even if it requires three parallel brains working at lightning speed.
