One thing I’ve never seen mention was just how similar Peter Sellers and Robin Williams were. Look at Sellers at the beginning of the famous Parkinson’s interview. It’s exactly like Robin Williams in any of his interviews. And remember Sellers telling Kermit the Frog “There is no me. I do not exist.” I think Williams and Sellers were both lost among the characters they produced and that is what led to their unhappiness. Was it a defense mechanism or that they were victims of their own brilliant creative minds I don’t know
I love Sellers, never was a Williams fan. Not seeing the similarity. If there was any I say Williams was Sellerish at times.
Depression != unhappiness. :rolleyes:
Yeah, I can’t say I see too much resemblance. Williams never came close to losing himself in characters the way Sellers did. I first Dr. Strangelove when I was about 12 or 13 and thought that he only played Mandrake. Had no idea he was also the President & Strangelove!
And Williams knew who he was, he was married a few times and had kids. Sellers felt so identity-less he struggled to ever even maintain a relationship.
Sorry, you’ve lost me here. Williams knew who he was as evidenced by his three marriages (of 10, 11, 3 years) and three children? Sellers was identity-less as evidenced by his four marriages (of 12, 4, 4, 3 years) and three children?
I knew he played all three roles, but it wasn’t until my fourth or fifth viewing of the movie that I realized the Doctor’s big scene at the end (discussing mine shafts and such) was a conversation with himself. I mean, usually when an actor plays two roles that interact with one another, it’s painfully obvious; they’re always hiding one’s face or something. In Dr. Strangelove it’s not. I think there are multiple reasons it’s not, but Sellers’ acting is definitely a part of it.
Well yeah, but Williams was no stranger to the Hollywood press machine. If anything he deliberately over-exposed himself every time he had a movie to promote, appearing on every singe talk show, morning show etc. (and telling the exact same jokes on each of them). I can’t remember seeing a single interview of Sellers. He avoided the press spotlight, like actors Robert Deniro, Christopher Lloyd, Brad Pitt etc.
Most accounts up Williams say that he was a very nice guy in person. Most accounts of Sellers say that he was a complete and total bastard in person.