14 DAY TRIAL // Robin Williams’ depression wasn’t made worse because of ongoing money troubles. Contrary to reports online saying that the Oscar winner killed himself because he couldn’t stand to watch his entire life crumble to pieces because of financial problems, his rep says that “we should be blessed to have Robin’s financial status.”
Robin’s publicist Mara Buxbaum has issued a statement to The Wrap to put an end to a series of rumors that claim to offer an explanation for his drastic gesture of taking his own life.
“Robin had no financial problems,” Buxbaum says. “I understand the desire to understand the ‘Why.’ It's not going to happen. The better thing to do is to try to understand severe depression. That isn't going to be answered, and you can speculate all you want.”
In the ‘80s, Williams became addicted to drugs and alcohol, a topic he was always very honest about. He was just as open about his long and difficult struggle with depression, brought on by internalizing his demons.
At the time he killed himself in his home on August 11, Robin had been severely depressed for months, and even though he was receiving professional help, there were no signs he was improving.
In their desire to better understand how a man who made millions laugh could be in such a dark place, many media outlets looked to his career for answers. What they saw was a TV show that was canceled after one season (“The Crazy Ones”), plans for various sequels, which seemed like the kind of project Williams would never do, and films that didn’t make a splash at the box office.
They also found statements from Williams about how he needed a steady job in television because he had bills to pay and how divorce had brought him on the verge of ruin. Putting two and two together, the media and various insiders concluded that Williams must have struggled financially, and at the same time, could not cope with the reality of no longer being the star he once was.
According to his publicist, Williams was a prankster when it came to topics he did not wish to be candid on.
“Robin often said things in jest, and sometimes it just doesn't translate in print. There were plenty of times over the years that Robin was offered to do TV. Robin wanted to do ‘The Crazy Ones’ because of (show creator) David Kelley and the material. That's why he took the show… not because he needed the money,” Buxbaum says.
The same goes for his comments on how divorce ruined him and forced him to “downsize” his lifestyle.
Robin Williams was 63 years old and is survived by his wife and 3 children from a previous marriage. Forbes most recently estimated his net worth at $50 million (€37.4 million), of which real estate with equity of around $25 million (€18.64 million). He was not in any financial trouble at all.