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Credit: DisneyIt’s been over nine years since the legendary Robin Williams sadly passed away. His daughter, Zelda Williams, has come forward with upsetting comments on the Hollywood icon getting replaced.
Actor and comedian Robin Williams, known for his genre-bending acting talents, appeared in many critically acclaimed and audience-beloved movies. From the likes of Good Will Hunting (1997), in which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, to family-friendly favorites such as Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Flubber (1997), and Night at the Museum (2006), Williams was a unique comedic talent, and his loss caused widespread sadness across the world.
In Disney circles, Williams is perhaps most famous for voicing the role of the Genie in 1992’s Aladdin. Joining Scott Weinger as Aladdin, Linda Larkin as Jasmine, and Jonathan Freeman as Jafar, Williams’ role as the eccentric yet warm-hearted Genie in the animated film has charmed generations for 30 years.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing behind the scenes of the animated movie, though.
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Aladdin was a massive success for The Walt Disney Company. Opening in November 1992, the adventure animation — produced by Jeffrey Katzenberg — became the highest-grossing film of the year at the box office. With music by Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and directed by John Musker and Ron Clements (who also collaborated on The Princess and the Frog (2009)), the Disney film went on to win two Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for “A Whole New World.”
Aladdin survived the testament of time with a number of sequels, a Broadway musical, and a live-action movie directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Mena Massoud (Aladdin), Naomi Scott (Princess Jasmine), and Will Smith (Genie).
However, for Williams, his work on Aladdin would be marred by a supposed breach of contract by Disney. In the 90s, Williams went on the record to say that Disney had hurt his feelings, indicating that he wouldn’t work for the company again. The dispute came from Disney allegedly breaching an agreement between the two parties that meant Disney could not use Williams or his voice to merchandise and market products for Aladdin.
While on The Today Show promoting Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams said (via the Los Angeles Times):
“We had a deal,” […] “The one thing I said was I will do the voice. I’m doing it basically because I want to be part of this animation tradition. I want something for my children. One deal is, I just don’t want to sell anything–as in Burger King, as in toys, as in stuff.”
“Not only did they use my voice, they took a character I did and overdubbed it to sell stuff. That was the one thing I said: ‘I don’t do that.’ That was the one thing where they crossed the line.”
A Disney insider went on record, saying it was not so much a breach of agreement but a case of “sour grapes” on Williams’ side due to the massive gross takings Aladdin did at the box office vs. the actor’s salary.
So, while Williams feared the use of his voice being replicated 30 years ago, it has now come to fruition from even more unsettling means. Zelda Williams, daughter of Robin Williams, has spoken about her fears over Artificial Intelligence and how she has heard her father’s voice created by machines.
“I am not an impartial voice in [Screen Actor’s Guild’s] fight against AI,” Zelda said in an Instagram Story (via Deadline). “I’ve witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/recreate actors who cannot consent, like Dad. This isn’t theoretical; it is very, very real.”
“I’ve already heard AI used to get his ‘voice’ to say whatever people want, and while I find it personally disturbing, the ramifications go far beyond my own feelings,” Zelda added. “Living actors deserve a chance to create characters with their choices, to voice cartoons, to put their HUMAN effort and time into the pursuit of performance.”
AI is just one component that SAG-AFTRA members are striking against, with streaming services and residuals also playing a huge part in the walkout. The Writers Guild of America strikes ended last week after almost 150 days of picketing.
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