Robin Williams, a legendary actor renowned for his extraordinary career and memorable performances, passed away at the age of 63 on August 11, 2014. As the anniversary of his death approached, social media was abuzz with a viral post featuring a photograph of Williams with a monkey. The post claimed that the monkey was his pet and made distressing statements about his final days.
The viral image showed Williams with a monkey perched on his shoulder, accompanied by a caption suggesting it was one of his last photos before his tragic death by suicide. The post inaccurately implied that the monkey was a personal pet of Williams and linked the monkey to his demise in a sensationalized manner.
Robin Williams’ daughter, Zelda Williams, responded to this misinformation on social media. She criticized the misleading post, clarifying that her father did not own a pet monkey. Zelda revealed that the monkey in the photo was Crystal the Monkey, a well-known animal actor who appeared alongside her father in the film Night at the Museum. Crystal portrayed Dexter the monkey in the movie, and the photo had been misrepresented by the misleading caption.
In her response, Zelda advised against spreading or believing in such false narratives. She emphasized the importance of supporting local exotic animal rescues if people are interested in caring for animals, rather than perpetuating misinformation. Zelda also encouraged fans to disregard misleading or poorly researched posts about her father and suggested they focus on positive actions or self-care instead.
The viral post, fueled by inaccurate claims, highlights the challenges of misinformation on social media, especially around sensitive topics like the death of beloved public figures. Zelda Williams’ response aimed to correct the false narrative and honor her father’s memory by promoting truth and encouraging kindness.
