Hollywood reacts to the death of Robin Williams


The death of Robin Williams on Monday hit his fellow actors and comedians hard, with several releasing statements to the media. Steven Spielberg, a friend who worked with Williams on Hook, said, "Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him." Jay Leno shared that he "saw him on stage the very first time he auditioned at the improv in Los Angeles, and we have been friends ever since." Danny DeVito directed Williams in Death to Smoochy, and found the news of his death "sad to think about. ... Hard to speak. Hard to say. Hard to take. All I can think about is what a joy he was to be with. I'm devastated. I'm sending my love to his family and everyone who loved him. My heart is broken by this news."
Other stars turned to Twitter to share their shock and grief. --Catherine Garcia
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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