Monica Potter and Robin Williams costarred in the 1998 comedy-drama about a medical student who uses humor to treat patients.

Patch Adams star Monica Potter says Robin Williams was ‘extremely sensitive’

Monica Potter and Robin Williams costarred in the 1998 comedy-drama about a medical student who uses humor to treat patients.

By Sharareh Drury

May 25, 2026 4:08 p.m. ET

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Robin Williams and Monica Potter in 'Patch Adams'. Credit:

Melissa Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

- Monica Potter recalled working with the late Robin Williams in the 1998 comedy-drama *Patch Adams*.

- "I saw a part of myself in him," Potter said of working with the actor who died by suicide in 2014.

- Williams portrayed medical student Hunter "Patch" Adams in the film, and Potter costarred as fellow medical student and Adams' eventual love interest, Carin Fisher.

Monica Potter fondly remembers her time working with Robin Williams in *Patch Adams*, sharing in a recent interview how closely connected the two were.

Potter and Williams starred in the 1998 comedy-drama that followed the true story of Hunter "Patch" Adams, a medical student who challenged the traditional healthcare system by using humor and compassion to treat patients. Williams, who died by suicide in 2014 at 63, portrayed Adams, and Potter costarred as a fellow medical student and Adams' eventual love interest.

While appearing on the *Still Here Hollywood** *podcast, Potter shared how, while filming together, their many conversations made her feel the late actor "understood" her.

"He was very shy, and he was extremely sensitive. He was very funny, as we know, but I saw a part of myself in him," Potter said, adding that Williams agreed, telling the actress he'd found the "female version" of himself with her.**

Robin Williams in 'Patch Adams'.

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures

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While Robin Williams' signature humor appears in *Patch Adams*, the film tackles challenging topics such as suicide and child molestation, as well. Potter's character Carin Fisher also meets a tragic end. While trying to help a disturbed patient, Fisher is killed by the patient in a murder-suicide.

Potter noted that working on such a film was "the only job I could have where you could go to work and be allowed to cry and not get fired."

"That's an emotion that we all have," Potter continued, adding that people are generally "taught to push that away."

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Interestingly, she and Williams connected over the shared belief that "laughing and crying" are the same, with the actress telling Williams, "'Thank you. I've been saying that since I was a little kid.'"

"It's the same thing. It's an expression of how you're feeling. and he was the biggest empath I've ever met besides my dad," Potter added.

Monica Potter on the 'Still Here Hollywood' podcast.

Still Here Hollywood Podcast w/ Steve Kmetko/YouTube

Another former costar of Williams who recently recounted his sensitivity was Sally Field, sharing how the actor aided her when she learned of tragic news on the set of *Mrs. Doubtfire*.

While filming the 1993 comedy, Field found out that her father, who had been sick and was in a nursing home, was dying. The *Remarkably Bright Creatures *actress ultimately had to make the difficult decision of taking her father off life support. Once she returned to set, Williams quickly recognized Field was upset.

When Williams pulled his costar aside, Field initially told him she was fine but began to cry. "My father just died, and I was the one to say, 'Go ahead. Let him die,'" she told Williams at the time.

"And Robin turned around and said, 'That's it for the day, guys. We just wrapped here. We're done for the day. Get a few shots of the kids and maybe one of Mrs. Doubtfire, but Ms. Field's going home.'"

Fields said Williams then walked her off set. "That was Robin," she concluded.

Listen to Monica Potter's full interview on the *Still Here Hollywood *podcast above.

- Dramedy Movies

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Source: “EW Dramedy”