Sally Field Reveals She Never Laughed at Robin Williams on the Set of Mrs. Doubtfire

Robin Williams was widely regarded as one of the most naturally hilarious performers in Hollywood history — a man whose improvisational genius could dissolve even the stoniest co-star into helpless laughter. But it turns out there was one actress on the set of the beloved 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire who was completely immune: his own co-star, Sally Field.

In a candid appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Remarkably Bright Creatures Star Field — who played Williams’ on-screen ex-wife, Miranda Hillard — recalled that she never once cracked up during filming, even as the rest of the cast and crew dissolved into laughter around her.

“I would never laugh, ever. And everybody else was laughing and carrying on. It drove him mad, actually. It wasn’t funny. It just wasn’t funny.”

According to Field, Williams — who prided himself on pushing his scene partners to the breaking point with his off-the-cuff improvisation — grew increasingly frustrated that she simply wouldn’t budge. He reportedly kept trying new material, new voices, new bits — all to no avail. “Robin was always trying something different to make me laugh,” she said. “It was so unfunny. I can’t begin to tell you.”

The punchline, however, came from an unexpected direction. Field revealed that it was her other co-star — Pierce Brosnan, who played Miranda’s romantic interest Stu in the film — who finally broke her resolve. The method? Not wit. Not timing. Not a perfectly crafted punchline. Just a simple fart noise on his arm while the two were seated at a table on set. “I was gone,” Field said with a laugh. “That was it.”

The revelation offers a charming behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the most celebrated comedies of the early 1990s. Mrs. Doubtfire followed Williams as Daniel Hillard, a struggling actor and divorced father who disguises himself as a prim British nanny — Mrs. Euphegenia Doubtfire — to spend more time with his children after his wife, played by Field, gains primary custody. The film was a massive commercial and cultural hit, cementing Williams’ status as one of his generation’s defining comedic talents.

Williams’ career spanned decades of unforgettable performances, from Good Morning, Vietnam and Dead Poets Society to Aladdin, Hook, The Birdcage, and Good Will Hunting, for which he earned the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997. He passed away in August 2014 at the age of 63.

Field’s anecdote is a testament not just to the chemistry — and competitive spirit — that simmered between her and Williams on set, but also to the utterly unpredictable nature of what makes people laugh. Sometimes the funniest man in the room isn’t the one working hardest for it.