He’ll always be our Peter Pan.
Like millions of fans around the world, Allison Williams is mourning the loss of comedian and acting legend Robin Williams. The Girls star — who will be taking on the role of Peter Pan like the late Williams before her — honored the Oscar winner while taking lessons for the upcoming NBC live musical on Tuesday, Aug. 12.
“First day of flying lessons for Pan,” the 26-year-old actress wrote via Instagram, along with a video of herself practicing. “Thinking about and missing a hero of mine who once did this and left big shoes to fill.” (Though they share the same fairly common surname, Allison and Robin are not related.)
Robin played the adult Peter Pan (Peter Banning) in Steven Spielberg’s Hook opposite Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook in 1991. As news spread of Robin’s passing at the age of 63 on Aug. 11, fans fled to social media to pay their respects — citing quotes from his huge body of work in movies and TV.
“Thank you for believing,” some wrote about Hook. “Oh, no. To live… to live would be an awfully big adventure.” His Hook costar Dante Basco (Rufio) also posted a heartfelt letter via Twitter. “Rest in peace, Robin. See you in Neverland.”
Other admirers honored the late actor with several site-specific tributes across the country. One included decorating a bench that Robin and costar Matt Damon sat on during a scene for Good Will Hunting. (Robin won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the 1997 drama.) “Bangarang,” a term from Hook, was written in chalk on the pavement.
Allison was cast as the lead in NBC’s live musical (based on the broadway smash from 1954) one month before Robin’s tragic death. “I have wanted to play Peter Pan since I was about 3 years old, so this is a dream come true,” she said in a statement on June 30. At the time, she also shared a throwback picture of herself dressed as the one who claimed he “won’t grow up” in her first Instagram post.
Peter Pan Live! will air on NBC on Thursday, Dec. 4.
