‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ child star Lisa Jakub reveals Robin Williams helped her through depression

Robin Williams may have been taken from us too soon, but on-screen and off-screen his legacy continues to impact many. Case in point is former child star Lisa Jakub, who starred with Williams in the 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire as his eldest daughter Lydia.

In a recent episode of Yahoo Entertainment’s Are the Kids Alright, Jakub recalled working with Williams and how he helped her through her own battles with depression and anxiety. In fact, according to the now-retired Canadian actor, his advice shifted her entire life.

"Robin was everything that you would hope he would be, and he was very open and honest with me about his issues with anxiety and depression," Jakub said. "I was able to share with him that anxiety was something that I struggled with, and he would talk to me about mental health issues in a way that 14-year-olds aren't usually used to… adults being really open about those sorts of personal experiences with them."

Jakub reveals that Williams also warned her against substance abuse and addiction, which he openly struggled with during his own career. “He was very insistent in making sure that I knew that substances were not going to help,” she added. “That that was a route that he had gone down with addiction, and that it just made everything worse.”

Looking back, Jakub says she appreciated his advice and believes it was important to hear because, “that does tend to be a well-worn path for a lot of kid actors.” But that wasn’t the only way in which Williams helped her out on set. Jakub also revealed Williams once wrote a letter on her behalf after her high school said it was no longer able to accommodate her remote learning.

In the letter, Williams outlined Jakub’s hard work ethic and asked them to reconsider. While they ultimately upheld their decision, it meant a lot to Jakub. "What I love about that story, and what I love about Robin, it's just the fact that he would do that for someone,” she added. “That he would go out of his way. That he would take the time to realize that this would be important.”

Jakub went on to star in a few other big-screen projects like Independence Day and George Lucas in Love. Her last role was in the 2000 film Double Frame alongside Daniel Baldwin, James Remar and Leslie Hope, and then she retired from the craft. These days she helps others who are dealing with depression and anxiety through mental health and wellness workshops.

“I feel like that is one of the ways I'm kind of paying forward some of the things that Robin taught me by being so open," she added.

Williams died by suicide in August 2014, at the age of 63.

Following his death, fans learned the actor had been suffering from Lewy Body Dementia, the second most common type of progressive dementia following Alzheimer’s. The brain disease impacts thinking, memory and motor control. At the time of Williams’ death, he was unaware of the diagnosis, having been misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease instead.

“Even though I had not spoken with Robin in a very long time, I always assumed there would be some future opportunity to tell him that his letter changed my life. It taught me that you stand up for the things that matter. And even if your attempts fail, you tried. You told the truth. You took care of your friends. You fought back,” Jakub previously wrote following the actor’s death.

“None of us really know what fights Robin was battling, but I know his struggles were not uncommon. It's estimated that 16 million people in the U.S. have struggled with depression—and I include myself in that statistic. It's real and it's not shameful and there is help available.”

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