Robin Williams’ Daughter Debunks Viral Claim That Comedian Owned A Pet Monkey On 10th Anniversary Of His Death

On the 10th anniversary of comedian Robin Williams’ death, his daughter Zelda took to social media to address false claims circulating about the beloved actor. The 35-year-old refuted a viral post that erroneously stated her father owned a pet monkey in his final days.

The original post, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by an account called Time Capsule Tales, featured a photo of Robin Williams with a monkey on his shoulder. The caption claimed it was one of the last photos taken of the actor before his death by suicide on August 11, 2014, at age 63.

Zelda Williams swiftly corrected the misinformation, explaining that her father never owned a pet monkey. She urged the public to support exotic animal rescues rather than keeping such animals as pets. Williams clarified that the monkey in the photo was actually Crystal, an animal actor from the Night at the Museum film series in which her father starred.

The younger Williams also pointed out that while the photo itself was genuine, it was not taken in the days leading up to her father’s death. The image was originally shared by Robin Williams on his 63rd birthday, July 21, 2014, approximately three weeks before his passing.

Expressing frustration with the spread of inaccurate information, Zelda cautioned her followers about the prevalence of AI-generated content and poorly researched posts about her father. She encouraged people to be skeptical of viral claims, especially those appearing around the anniversary of his death.

This is not the first time Zelda has spoken out against the misuse of her father’s image and likeness. In October 2023, she voiced concerns about the use of artificial intelligence to recreate deceased actors, including her father. Williams emphasized the importance of protecting living actors’ rights to create characters and performances without competition from AI-generated content.

Zelda is the daughter of Robin Williams and his second wife, Marsha Garces Williams. The couple was married from 1989 to 2008.