Robin McLaurin Williams was born on July 21, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, to Robert Fitzgerald Williams and Laurie McLaurin. Williams was an American actor and comedian known for his portrayal of quirky characters and top-notch improvisational skills. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors and greatest comedians of all time. He has received multiple accolades and awards, including several Academy Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes, and Grammys. Robin Williams’ legacy remains as one of the most respected and revered in the industry.
Williams had his career start in San Francisco and Los Angeles working as a stand-up comedian. He would go on to release several comedy albums before landing an acting role in the late 70s. He quickly climbed up the ranks with his charm, wit, and charisma, giving a unique twist to the characters he portrays. He became extremely well-known thanks to his role in “Dead Poets Society,” “Jumanji,” and “Aladdin.”
At the height of his career, Robin Williams became a household name. He starred in dozens of movies and received acclaim for many of his roles. WIlliams loved making people laugh and bringing joy to audiences around the world. Wherever he went, smiles and laughter would follow. News of his death surprised Hollywood and lots of fans and supporters. He was found at his home in California in August 2024. His death was ruled out as suicide.
Throughout his career, Williams took up dozens of roles. Some roles required him to behave in a flamboyant manner. A few roles had even required him to cross-dress. For this reason, many began wondering about Robin Williams’ sexuality. Was Robin Williams gay? Let’s take a closer look at the comedian’s personal relationships to determine the plausibility of him being gay.
VOTE: What was Robin Williams’ Sexuality?
Robin Williams’ Relationships
Robin Williams had his fair share of relationships with women. The actor would end up being married to three different women. Here are a few of the women Williams had been linked with.
Robin Williams and Elayne Boosler (1977-1978)
Elayne Boosler is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She and Williams lived together for a short while. The pair eventually broke up but remained friends until Williams’ death in 2014. Williams had this to say when asked about Boosler:
It was amazing to see a woman stand-up, girl stand-up, and a beautiful one at the time—just gorgeous, sexy and yet still pretty gutsy. And her jokes were sort of veiled–it seemed kind of ‘Oh gosh, oh golly’—but at the same time, her jokes were really tough. As Letterman would say, she’s funny like a guy. Being tough, but yet at the same time being beautiful and sexy, and at the same time not using that as a ploy. She would be up there just performing, telling jokes. Like she talked about the right to life and two fisherman who’ll throw the fish back, but they’re for the death penalty. Tough stuff but said really sweetly.”
Robin Williams, “The Rise of Women in American Comedy,” 2012
Robin Williams and Valerie Velardi (1978-1988)
Williams met Valerie Velardi in 1976, and two years later, they were married. They had their first child, Zachary, in 1983. Their marriage reached a rough patch due to Williams’ infidelity issues. Velardi claimed that she was aware and more or less allowed Williams as long as he would “go home to her.” The infidelity got worse, and the couple eventually divorced in 1988.
He loved women. Absolutely loved women… And I got it, I understood and I wanted him to have that, but I also wanted him to come home.”
Valerie Velardi, “Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind,” 2018
Robin Williams and Marsha Graces (1988-2010)
Marsha Graces and Williams met while Graces was nannying for Zachary. Their relationship had reportedly started when Williams was still married. Velardi denied this claim, stating Williams and Graces’ relationship began after Williams’ divorce with Velardi. By the time Grace and Williams married in 1988, Graces was already pregnant with their first child. She gave birth to Zelda Rae later that year and to Cody in 1991. The couple would unfortunately separate after their divorce was finalized in 2010. The two remained close as Williams co-parented their kids.
My heart is split wide open and scattered over the planet with all of you. Please remember the gentle, loving, generous – and yes, brilliant and funny – man that was Robin Williams.”
Marsha Graces, a statement following Robin Williams’ death, 2014
Robin Williams and Susan Schneider (2011-2014)
Williams then married graphic designer Susan Schneider in 2011. Schneider and Williams had met in 2007 but wouldn’t be in a relationship until a few years later. Schneider became Williams’ widow after the actor’s suicide in 2014.
Robin’s suicide was really a consequence of brain disease; his brain was so compromised. I look at it like, Robin wanted to end the disease – he just didn’t realize that meant he would end, too. [The incorrect social media reports about Williams’ suicide] was pretty devastating… I just blocked it out as best I could because I had to deal with things that were far more important in the moment. And that was getting to the bottom of what Robin and I had just gone through.”
Susan Schneider, “Robin’s Wish,” 2020
Was Robin Williams Gay?
No, Robin Williams was not gay. Though Robin Williams was an expert at portraying gay characters, he himself was not gay. Williams had never addressed nor has he entertained the speculations regarding his homosexuality. He was reportedly heard saying he didn’t want to address comments about his sexuality, telling the media that discussing it would be incredibly boring and nobody would be interested.
Featured Image: “Robin Williams”, by Eva Rinaldi, licensed under CC-BY-SA-2.0