Robin Williams Bankrupt: Late Actor’s Rep Slams Report Of Financial Woes
Robin Williams was not bankrupt and not driven to suicide from growing financial difficulties, the late actor and comedian’s rep said just days after his death.
Not long after Williams was found dead on Monday, reports circulated that the actor had sunk into deep financial problems. Part of this was fueled by Williams himself, who had alluded to difficulty with money when he returned to television in The Crazy Ones.
At the time, Williams told Parade that the idea of returning to television was appealing, and he had two other choices; “go on the road doing stand-up, or do small, independent movies working almost for scale [minimum union pay].”
“There are bills to pay. My life has downsized, in a good way,” Williams said.” I’m selling the ranch up in Napa. I just can’t afford it anymore.”
Robin Williams also joked that his two divorces were the reason for his financial difficulties. But on Wednesday Robin’s rep said the statement was just that — a joke.
“Robin often said things in jest, and sometimes it just doesn’t translate in print,” Williams’s publicist explained told The Wrap. “There were plenty of times over the years that Robin was offered to do TV,” she continued, saying he did not need the job for the money. “Robin wanted to do The Crazy Ones because of [show creator] David Kelley and the material. That’s why he took the show… not because he needed the money.”
The rep added that reports Robin Williams was near bankruptcy couldn’t be further from the truth.
“We should be blessed to have Robin’s financial status,” she said.
The rep added: “I understand the desire to understand the ‘Why’… It’s not going to happen. The better thing to do is to try to understand severe depression. That isn’t going to be answered, and you can speculate all you want.”
The Robin Williams bankrupt rumor was one of many false reports in the wake of his death. Many Twitter users also shared what was claimed to be a suicide picture, but was later identified as another individual who committed suicide by hanging some time before.
