Nathan Lane recalls ‘generous’ Robin Williams helping him get cast in The Birdcage: ‘He didn’t know who the hell I was’

https://ew.com/nathan-lane-robin-williams-helping-cast-the-birdcage-8781727

15 comments

  1. >”He was a movie star. You know, he could have said, ‘I want Billy Crystal,’ or another big movie name to do the film,” said Lane of Williams, who died in August 2014 at the age of 63. “I know they showed him [my] screen test, and he didn’t know who the hell I was. And he was like, ‘Yeah, absolutely.’ He was just, as you heard, incredibly generous and sensitive and kind.”

    >”We were sort of kindred spirits in a way,” added Lane. “He was just so wildly funny and brilliant and a wonderful actor and, and you know, we always had that bond from that film.” The actor cites the palimony agreement scene as his favorite. “I did a thing for the New Yorker Festival and they showed a scene from it, and I hadn’t seen it in a while . . . since he had died, and I just started crying. You know that scene at the bus stop, where he gives the palimony. It’s my favorite scene in the film.”

    >During that time, Lane had yet to publicly come out as gay. The actor has previously spoken about how Williams helped protect him from being outed during the press tour — namely, during a forthcoming appearance on Oprah Winfrey’s show. “I finally got a big part in a movie, and I didn’t want to make it about my sexuality — although it was sort of unavoidable because of the nature of the film and the character,” said Lane during an appearance on Sunday Today in 2023.

    >“I don’t think Oprah was trying to out me, but I said to Robin beforehand, ‘I’m not prepared. I’m so scared of going out there and talking to Oprah. I’m not prepared to discuss that I’m gay on national television. I’m not ready,'” added Lane. “He said, ‘Oh, it’s alright, don’t worry about it. We don’t have to talk about it. We won’t talk about it.’”

  2. that film is brilliant, the original French one is equally brilliant, and both would get accused of a plethora of -isms if made today because media literacy has fallen underground

  3. Nathan Lane killed it too. Robin Williams didn’t seem like the type to let ego get in the way of making something as funny as possible

  4. Matt Baume on YouTube has a great video about the production of The Birdcage, the original French film, and which also covers Oprah trying to out Lane for a scoop for her show and Robins being a saint by distracting her near the end. It’s worth the length if you enjoy the topic.

    https://youtu.be/ozTjoeHy7mI?si=mjGpQySRmUGTrNeL

    He covers it around 47:45

    Edit:

    Oprah: “…a film who co-stars Nathan Lane, who kind of plays… isn’t he wonderful?”

    Nathan was out to his friends but was not ready to be so publicly. Oprah knew, and wanted to try and force him to acknowledge it on HER show. Gross.

    Edit 2: 38:45-ish for the casting decision relating to Nathan Lane as well

  5. They have amazing chemistry in that movie. They play off each other with such ease, it’s like dancing almost

  6. I can’t believe it’s already been almost 10 years since we lost Robin Williams…

  7. I can talk about this now that Robin is sadly no longer with us- one of my relatives worked for him, and a guy I met at a bar met Robin in the mid-1980s. (Robin accidentally locked himself out of his apartment building and asked the guy, at the time a SFPD police officer, if he could get him back in. Robin was very polite and thankful.)

    Instead of reflecting on the unfairness of not having Robin with us, let’s enjoy his legacy of comedy and energy. We were blessed to know him.

  8. When I was 10 I won tickets to this movie from our local radio show Hoosier Hot 96.3 by being the right caller. I had to repeat the top 8 at 8 songs that played starting at 8 in order. The dj was Jeff Page. My mom did not let me go see it. LoL

  9. This is one of my comfort movies, I adore everyone in it, especially Nathan Lane.

  10. I can hear that in Nathan Lane’s voice. 🙂 and I can picture Robin Williams being embarrassed to hear it. I’m keeping this fantasy.

  11. Nathan Lane is a gift to us all. He and Robin Williams were brilliant together. Comparable to Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, in another masterpiece.

  12. “I pierced the toast!” is one of my all time fav movie lines.

  14. I love The Birdcage. It’s one of my comfort movies. The part I really laugh over is the toast and Nathan trying to be “manly.” Brilliant cast, and this is wonderful to read. R.I.P. Robin ❤️

  15. Fucking love this movie. Perfectly cast throughout.

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