Robin Williams Interview

Emmanuel Itier: It seems, lately, that you enjoy being part of films, even when they are animation, that have some layers of political comments.

Robin Williams: Well, I want to believe that from the beginning of my career, I have done several movies that are meaningful as well. But yes, this is refreshing to be part of something that is not only a great popcorn ride, but that can also, to some degree, open the eyes of the audience on such-or-such problems. Life is very fragile; our planet is very fragile. In the case of the environment, for example, and with this film, “Happy Feet”, we tried to show that if the natural habitats of Antarctica are gone, so are we next! We fished out most of the sea, and so all the creatures over there are dying at the speed of the light. It’s disgusting, the way fishermen hunt these day–it’s like they fish with a bulldozer!

EI: Do you think, in a way, the impact of cartoons is more political and socially conscious than before?

RW: Well, yes–being part of animation is great for me because it’s very freeing. But I have always loved cartoons, especially the ones from Warner Brothers, with characters like Elmer, who sounded like Dick Cheney! They were very political beyond their appearance. Tex Avery also was a great political voice. He did so many anti-war cartoons. I think, as grown-ups, we want more from cartoons.

EI: The cartoon “Happy Feet” is about a penguin looking for his inner voice. Here it’s in his feet. What about you? When did you find your inner voice that made you stand out of the crowd?

RW: Well, this would have to be in college! I noticed that, with my sense of humor, I was able to get “les femmes”! The women! It was a driving force and a great surprise. It opened a whole new world to me!

EI: What is the secret to being a good penguin for “Happy Feet”? Did you have to hang out with a some Latino penguin gangs?

RW: No, you just need to find your inner machismo! You need to find where your balls are and go for it with a deep voice and be courageous, and just let it loose…just go for it.

EI: In the movie “A Night in the Museum”, the character Ben Stiller plays is faced with people and creatures from the museum coming to life. In your life, what is the strangest thing that ever happened to you in a museum?

RW: Well, once in a very tiny room of a museum, I farted super loud and it was stinking really badly. So I rushed out of the room as some man was entering it. And you should have seen his face coming out, like if he was crying almost!

EI: In this film, you’re a character–the president Theodore Roosevelt–coming back to life. What would be the character, the creature, that you’d like to see come to life?

RW: Probably Einstein! So this way I can sit him with that madman in Korea and have him have a little talk about the danger of nuclear power!

EI: The core of the movie is also a metaphor enticing people to go for their dreams and fight for their dreams. Do you think today, with the world being so unstable, it’s hard to keep dreaming, to keep fighting for your dreams?

RW: Yes, you need so much courage…more than ever. Like my character in the film, Roosevelt, who challenged the establishment and revolutionized his times; I think indeed it’s hard and it takes lots of guts to keep fighting for your dreams. We need change, and even though change is not easy, I think we need courage and a change today in our world.