After viewing a screen test in which actor Jamie Costa impersonated the late Robin Williams, fans are ready for a biography.
“ROBIN Test Footage Scene”
The actor posted the uncanny mimicry, dubbed “ROBIN Test Footage Scene,” to YouTube on Oct. 12 and it instantly gained notice from Williams fans, receiving over 3 million views in only three days. Costa-as-Williams hears about the death of his buddy and fellow actor/comedian John Belushi on the set of Mork and Mindy in 1982 in the test scene.
https://twitter.com/PardonMeImBlunt/status/1448349285142126592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1448349285142126592%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbr.com%2Frobin-williams-impression-fans-want-biopic%2F
I hope Jamie Costa and his team get backing, studio support, whatever they need to make this b/c holy flashbacks, Batman, I swear he's CHANNELLING Robin Williams. š https://t.co/vgb0Yxhgnq
— smithbrainz (@smithbrainz) October 12, 2021
This isnāt just a great impression. He embodies and transforms into Robin Williams. Fucking amazing! https://t.co/qKHFPd2c4z
— Bobby Lee (@bobbyleelive) October 13, 2021
Jake Lewis directed and edited the video, which also stars Sarah Murphree as Williams’ costar Pam Dawber. In 1982, Belushi died of a drug overdose at the age of 33, and Wiliams was with him just hours before his death, as the clip shows. Costa’s emotional performance drew a good response from fans, with many requesting a biopic featuring the YouTuber and former Vine star.
While many fans are ecstatic at the potential of a biopic of Williams’ life, others are less enthusiastic by the clip, with numerous followers claiming it was made in bad taste.
really disturbed by the narrative around the robin williams biopic test footage being WE MUST HAVE THIS MOVIE IT MUST BE MADE
when I can't find anything about how robins family feels about this, and his daughter has publicly said the footage makes her feel awful
people's lives
— Calvin Wong Tze Loon é»åå« š²š¾ (@ithayla) October 14, 2021
Zelda Williams, the late actor’s daughter, also tweeted about the test film, asking followers not to send it to her.
“Guys, I’m only saying this because I don’t think it’ll stop until I acknowledge it… please, stop sending me the ‘test footage”. “I’ve seen it. Jamie is SUPER talented, this isn’t against him, but ya’ll spamming me an impression of my late dad on one of his saddest days is weird.”
This isn’t the first time she’s expressed dissatisfaction with fan reactions to her father’s death on social media. Zelda Williams indicated that she will be taking a break from social media on the anniversary of her father’s death in 2020. There has been no formal announcement about a Robin Williams biopic.
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