# In 1990, Robin Williams landed his favourite role of his career. It changed his view on human behaviour

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1990-robin-williams-landed-his-favourite-role-of-his-career-it-changed-his-view-on-human-behaviour/
- Published: 2026-10-26T20:15:54+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T21:40:29+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/robin-williams-favourite-role-1990/
- Topics: Music

## Key points

- Williams named *Awakenings* his favourite role.
- He played a character based on neurologist Oliver Sacks.
- The film sparked a lasting interest in human behaviour.

## Summary

Robin Williams said his favourite role was Dr Malcolm Sayers in Penny Marshall’s 1990 film *Awakenings*, a choice that surprised fans who expected one of his better-known comic or dramatic performances. The role mattered to him because it deepened his interest in human behaviour and the workings of the brain.

Sayers was based on British neurologist Oliver Sacks, who treated survivors of sleeping sickness. Williams praised Sacks’s ability to explore the brain and said the experience sparked a lasting fascination; Marshall recalled that Williams closely imitated the doctor’s mannerisms when they met. Williams discussed the role in a Reddit Ask Me Anything session shortly before his death in 2014, calling it a “gift”.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.