Aurora Starchild
Robin Williams’ legacy spans far beyond his humor. The actor and comedian was known for leaving millions of people in stitches with his impressions and unforgettable characters. But he was also a man of deep connections and empathy. He’d worked tirelessly for USO troops up until his death. He’d formed a unique friendship with Koko the Gorilla. And now his Jumanji co-star Bradley Pierce says the late icon protected him and Kirsten Dunst when they were filming together as children.
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Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce Were 13 When They Filmed Jumanji
Bradley Pierce and Kirsten Dunst played siblings Peter and Judy Shepherd in the first Jumanji film. Based on Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s book of the same name, the Shepherd kids discover a magical, perhaps haunted game that brings the jungle into their world in a terrifying way. They somehow release Robin Williams’ character, Alan Parrish, once a boy who became trapped in the game but is now a Tarzanesque survivor. The film was a box office hit and led to three more sequels including Zathura.
At the time Jumanji was being filmed, both Bradley Pierce and Kirsten Dunst were 13 years old. Speaking with CBC Listen (via Independent), Pierce recalled the long, grueling hours he and Dunst were asked to work through. For the scene where Pierce’s character transforms into a monkey, the makeup department required him to sit for hours at a time. For 8 days, 13-year-old Pierce struggled to drink water and breathe.
“I couldn’t breathe through my nose,” he said. “[It] was really draining for everybody.” He added that he and Dunst were “tired.”
Jumanji Producers Tried to Make Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce Work Overtime, Which Was Illegal
“Children can only be on set for a number of hours,” Pierce continued. “The producers had approached our parents and said, ‘Is there any way we can do a bit of overtime to get it done.’ That’s not uncommon at all in the industry because it literally saves $100,000 plus to do that extra half hour rather than a whole day.”
However, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), established in 1938 and revised over time, children may not work overtime. They are not allowed to work more than 8 hours per day of 40 hours per week. This extends to child actors and the film industry is not exempt from these federal regulations.
Robin Williams Stood Up for Dunst and Pierce
According to Bradley Pierce, it was Robin Williams who put his foot down on the overtime.
He “caught wind of these conversations” and “pulled the director [Joe Johnston] and producers aside,” said Pierce. “He said, ‘No, we are not doing any extra time. You’re going to let everybody out now and we’re going to come back next week.’”
“For all the dollars that would have cost, nobody would have stood up the way he did,” Pierce added. “In addition to being warm, generous and kind, he was also very protective.”
Robin Williams had a track record of standing up to Hollywood by then. A few years earlier, he cut ties with Disney for something as simple as using his voice for merchandising — a violation of his contract as the voice of the Genie in Aladdin. But it’s a different story when it comes to minors standing up for themselves. And he not only stood up for the law, but for two children who otherwise may have been unwittingly forced to overwork themselves.
Robin Williams Was the Hero All Child Actors Need
Not every child actor has been as lucky as Bradley Pierce or Kirsten Dunst. Brooke Shields’ time filming The Blue Lagoon sounded like a nightmare. Only 14 at the time, she was toted out to a remote tropical location infested with rodents, insects, and disease. She and 18-year-old co-star Christopher Atkins were then asked to run around almost entirely naked and suffered from numerous infections whenever bits of coral reef entered into cuts on their body. They worked long hours and were asked to sunbathe nude (while next to each other) to make their tans look authentic. While child nudity laws in film didn’t come around until a few years later, it certainly sounds like producers were pushing the limits of the FLSA rules.
“Never again will a movie be made like that,” Shields said on her Now What? iHeartRadio podcast. “It wouldn’t be allowed.”
If only Robin Williams had been there to save the day!
Robin Williams passed away on August 11, 2014, from suicide. He had been suffering from depression and anxiety and an autopsy diagnosed him with diffuse Lewy body dementia. His death left the world reeling. How could a man who spread so much love and joy be suffering from so much darkness in secret? Rest in Peace Robin Williams, you will always be the G.O.A.T. and a light to the planet.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
