Matthew Lawrence, who was just a pre-teen when he starred opposite Robin Williams in the 1993 blockbuster comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire,” told Entertainment Weekly at Comic-Con that he is interested in resurrecting the late Williams’ voice using artificial intelligence. Williams died in August 2014 at 63 years old.
“I would love — now, obviously, with the respect and with the OK 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 said. “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.”
More from Variety
Lawrence said that he recently came across an old television commercial that featured voiceover from Williams, which sparked the idea of finding a way to bring the iconic comedian’s voice back to life.
“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,” Lawrence said. “And it always stuck with me. And then, during his passing, with the AI coming out, I’m like, ‘Man, he’s gotta be the voice of AI, He’s gotta be the voice in something.’ So yeah, I would love to do that.”
Lawrence added the possibilities are endless when it comes bringing Williams’ voice back with AI, including having Williams giving you driving directions on your phone. The actor said: “It would be Robin! It would be so cool. I’m telling you.”
With just over $440 million at the worldwide box office, “Mrs. Doubtfire” was one of Williams’ biggest comedy films. Lawrence told People magazine last year that Williams gave him a “gift” on set by advising him never to do drugs. Williams battled substance abuse throughout his career. Lawrence cited Williams’ advice as the reason he stayed away from drugs as he grew up in Hollywood.
“He was the first adult who really let me in on his condition. Like, full-on let me in,” Lawrence said. “I mean, as bright as he was on camera — I would go visit him in his trailer to talk to him — it was painful for him. It’s really painful for him. He didn’t hide it. He talked to me about it.”
Lawrence recalled Williams telling him, “Don’t ever do drugs. Especially cocaine.”
“He was very serious,” Lawrence added. “He was like, ‘You know when you come to my trailer and you see me like that?’ He’s like, ‘That’s the reason why. And now I’m fighting for the rest of my life because I spent 10 years doing something very stupid every day. Do not do it.’ I stayed away from it because of him.”
Lawrence might not have been cast in “Mrs. Doubtfire” if it wasn’t for Williams in the first place. The actor said that casting for the role of Chris Hillard came down to him and another child star. The studio allegedly preferred the other actor, but that changed after Williams pulled a prank on Lawrence during an audition.
“[Robin] very secretly reached behind my back and pinched me so hard,” Lawrence said, adding the pinch made him shout out in pain. “The studio started bawling and wept. I got the role because of that little moment over the other boy. It was all Robin Williams. ‘I know what I’m going to do to get this kid this job.’ Thank you, Rob.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The post ‘He’s Gotta Be the Voice of AI’ appeared first on Variety.
