How ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ Star Matthew Lawrence Hopes To Resurrect Robin Williams’ Legacy

More than three decades after "Mrs. Doubtfire" first hit theaters, one of its stars is dreaming up a bold way to honor the film’s late and legendary lead Robin Williams.

Matthew Lawrence, who played one of the Hillard children in the beloved 1993 comedy, revealed during a recent Comic-Con appearance that he’d love to see Robin Williams’ iconic voice brought back to life through artificial intelligence, with full support from the late actor’s family, of course.

"I would love, now, obviously, with the respect and with the okay from his family, but I would love to do something really special with his voice because I know for a generation, that voice is just so iconic," Lawrence shared in an interview with Entertainment Weekly while promoting his new graphic novel project, "The Lawrence Brothers Detective Agency."

Lawrence was just 12 years old when he starred alongside Robin Williams in "Mrs. Doubtfire," the heartwarming hit about a devoted dad who transforms into a Scottish nanny to stay close to his kids following a divorce. Now 45, the actor says those memories, and Williams’ voice, have stuck with him ever since.

Williams died by suicide in 2014 at age 63, leaving behind a legacy filled with laughter, heart, and unforgettable characters. For Lawrence, the loss still resonates deeply.

“It's not just the fact that I knew him and worked with him and so it's in my head. It's in everybody's head. And it would be so cool,” Lawrence said.

The idea to revive Robin Williams' voice through A.I. came to Lawrence after rewatching an old commercial the Oscar-winning actor had starred in years ago.

"It's kinda like this very contemporary, modern, almost sort of foreshadowing of what's going on commercial that he did, where he did this computerized voiceover, and it always stuck with me," he explained.

“And then, during his passing, with the AI coming out, I'm like, 'Man, he's gotta be the voice of A.I. He's gotta be the voice in something.' So yeah, I would love to do that."

However, not everyone in Williams’ family shares the same sentiment.

In 2023, the comedian’s daughter, Zelda Williams, publicly opposed the use of artificial intelligence to recreate her father’s voice, expressing deep concerns over consent and ethics.

"I am not an impartial voice in SAG’s fight against AI. I’ve witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/re-create actors who cannot consent, like Dad," she wrote on her Instagram Stories at the time. "This isn’t theoretical, it is very very real. I’ve already heard AI used to get his 'voice' to say whatever people want and while I find it personally disturbing, the ramifications go far beyond my own feelings."

These new comments about using artificial intelligence to revive Robin Williams come just days after the late actor’s son, Zak Williams, shared a moving tribute on what would have been his father’s 74th birthday.

In a heartfelt Instagram post on July 21, Zak reflected on the emotional toll this time of year brings.

“Today would have been my dad’s 74th birthday,” he wrote. “Every year, this season arrives with gravity. In just sixty days, we pass through Father’s Day, his birthday, and the anniversary of his death. It’s a tender and complicated stretch of time. One that asks a lot of the heart.”

He continued, “For me, grief isn’t linear. It loops and echoes. It softens, then crescendos. But alongside it lives a legacy, the kind built not from fame or recognition, but from generosity and relentless kindness.”

Robin Williams tragically died by suicide in August 2014 at the age of 63, leaving behind an enduring legacy of laughter, heart, and unforgettable characters.

His passing shocked fans around the world and sparked conversations about mental health, as it was later revealed the beloved actor had been battling a rare brain disease called Lewy body dementia, misdiagnosed at the time as Parkinson’s.

In the years since his death, tributes have poured in from colleagues, fans, and family members alike, all seeking to preserve the spirit of a man who brought joy to millions. But for those closest to him, preserving his memory also means protecting his identity, especially in a digital age where technology is blurring the lines between legacy and replication.