MANY of our kababayans have loved Robin Williams for his genius as an actor, but there are more who just found out that this great legend was married for 19 years to a woman of Filipino descent, Marcia Garces.
In a report by Balitang America Correspondent Rommel Conclara, I found out that Williams invented the word married “Finnipino,” because Garces is half Finnish and half Filipino. Robin Williams met Garces in 1989, while she was working as a nanny for his first child, Zachary. The actor was reportedly said to be very fond of his former father-in-law Leon Pantaleon Garces.
Marcia Garces also played an important role in the actor’s professional life. She became a Hollywood producer and helped Williams with his career and was even nominated for Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special for Robin Williams: Live on Broadway along with others in 2003.
Citing irreconcilable differences, Garces filed for divorce from Williams in 2008. Their union was blessed with two children — Zelda and Cody. Their relationship, which lasted almost two decades, was the longest of Williams’ three marriages.
Williams’ Fil-Am daughter Zelda, who is also an actress, released a tweet shortly after the news of her father’s apparent suicide, quoting the book “The Little Prince” by Antoine De Saint-Exupery.
“You — you alone will have the stars as no one else has them. In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night. You — only you — will have stars that can laugh.”
Underneath. Zelda adds: “I love you. I miss you. I’ll try to keep looking up. Z.”
Zelda, however, was bullied by some trolls on social media following her post, which prompted the young actress to disable her accounts indefinitely.
Meanwhile, Marcia Garces finally broke her silence in a statement through publicist Rachel Karten.
“My heart is split wide open and scattered over the planet with all of you. Please remember the gentle, loving, generous — and yes, brilliant and funny — man that was Robin Williams. My arms are wrapped around our children as we attempt to grapple with celebrating the man we love, while dealing with this immeasurable loss.”
Williams’ third wife Susan Schneider issued this statement immediately following her husband’s death: “This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings.”
“As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin’s death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions,” Schneider adds.
Last Thursday, Schneider revealed that that the actor was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease shortly before his passing, and that he was not yet ready to share it publicly.
Schneider said in a statement: “It is our hope that in the wake of Robin’s tragic passing that others will find the strength to seek the care and support they need to treat whatever battles they are facing so they may feel less afraid.”
Fil-Ams who had the privilege of working with Robin Williams also speak fondly of the actor. Among them was Dante Basco, who spoke to Balitang America Showbiz Correspondent Yong Chavez about how the Oscar-winning actor took him under his wing when they shot the film “Hook”.
I also interviewed Fil-Am stand-up comedian Ron Murriera on Balitang America, who said he began his career in the late 1970s at the same San Francisco comedy club where Robin Williams got his start — The Holy City Zoo.
In the 1980s, Murriera was a member of San Francisco’s longest-running comedy improv group The National Theatre of the Deranged, which gave him the opportunity to actually work with Williams on stage. He described Williams as brilliant, yet down to earth and really caring for all the people he worked with.
Kababayans in the San Francisco Bay Area are mourning not just over the passing of a great actor, but for losing a beloved neighbor.
Here is how Balitang America reporter Rommel Conclara quoted a few of them:
Fans have also gathered at the corner of Steiner and Broadway which was the location for Williams’ 1993 film “Mrs. Doubtfire” to pay their respects to the late actor.
20-year-old James Lacanlale from San Francisco said, “I think it’s amazing that one death can bring a whole community together, and it shows which fans are loyal.”
19-year-old Florence Mejia from Daly City said, “I just felt like part of Genie died, and it’s just sad because Aladdin is my favorite Disney movie, and it’s just heartbreaking.”
28-year-old Fil-Am Leo Mariveles looks on at the memorial and still cannot believe that Williams is gone.
“I grew up with Robin Williams movies: Mrs. Doubtfire, I’m a big fan of Flubber, Jumanji,” said Mariveles. “This is probably the first celebrity death that hits home because he’s from San Francisco.”
Mariveles never thought that a man who could bring so much joy, could be full of so much pain.
“At first I was kind of shocked because I didn’t really believe it, and then to find out he was severely depressed, and the way he died,” said Mariveles. “It’s really sad because he brought joy to millions of fans, millions of people, and he couldn’t even find his own happiness because he was that depressed, and it makes it even sadder.”
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, fans also paid tribute to the late actor comedian Robin Williams by visiting his star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Balitang America LA Correspondent Steve Angeles said an Oscar statue, flowers, fan art and messages were left there by grieving and shocked fans.
“We were stunned. I’m actually working for a company where were supposed to sell one of his films and then we heard he passed away, so it’s kind of a shock to us. Not only that, but we grew up watching him,” tourist Mary Cliffe said onBalitang America.
Angeles also reported how with over a hundred movie and television appearances in his credit, fans recalled their favorite Robin Williams character.
“Yung number one nya yung Mrs. Doubtfire,” said kababayan Max Dela Cruz.
“Mrs. Doubtfire, Hook, Good Will Hunting, and one of his latest films Boulevard which has been out only in festivals, and it’s pretty sad he’s gotta go so soon because we were hoping somehow we can promote him,” added Cliffe.
My personal favorite is “What Dreams May Come” — a drama that talks about Suicide, Death, and Life. I also love “Hook” and ”Mrs. Doubtfire.”
What are your favorite Robin Williams movies/characters?
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
