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Matthew Lawrence reunited with several of his Mrs. Doubtfire costars at a panel in Los Angeles on May 29, 2026
During the event, the 46-year-old actor looked back on his time on set of the 1993 hit film
Lawrence also shared his favorite behind-the-scenes memory of on-screen dad, Robin Williams
Matthew Lawrence recently reflected on what it was like growing up on the set of Mrs. Doubtfire, the 1993 family comedy directed by Chris Columbus that remains one of Robin Williams’ most beloved films.
More than three decades after playing Chris Hillard, the now-46-year-old actor shared his favorite memory with the late comedian, who played Daniel Hillard — his on-screen dad who transforms into the film’s titular nanny.
“It’s hard to pick one, but if I had to, it’s probably when [Williams] would want to try out the Mrs. Doubtfire thing in public,” Lawrence told the audience at a reunion panel in Los Angeles on May 29, 2026.
Mara Wilson, Robin Williams, Matthew Lawrence, and Lisa Jakub in ‘Mrs. Doubtfire.’
Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
The film, which also starred Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan, Lisa Jakub and Mara Wilson, followed a father who disguises himself as a British nanny to stay close to his children after a divorce, blending comedy with emotional family drama that helped make it a lasting classic.
During the conversation, Lawrence explained that Williams didn’t limit the character to the set or scripted scenes.
Instead, he would often bring that energy into everyday life in unexpected ways, turning ordinary moments into improvisational comedy. On more than one occasion, Lawrence said he was also pulled into those spontaneous experiments.
“He’d grab someone, at this time, it was me, and go for a walk on the street, get into a conversation with some people and just see if he could pull it off being my nanny,” Lawrence recalled.
‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ cast.
Credit: Snap/Shutterstock
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What impressed young Lawrence most was how quickly Williams could transform those interactions into something believable and joyful for strangers who had no idea they were part of a bit. The reactions, he said, were consistently positive and often heartfelt.
“It worked every time,” Lawrence revealed. “In fact, [Williams] had them laughing and enjoying life. These people would walk away thinking, ‘Oh, what a lovely lady.’ “
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