NEED TO KNOW
Robin Williams was the father to three children: sons Zak and Cody and daughter Zelda Williams
The award-winning actor and comedian died on Aug. 11, 2014, at age 63
All three of his children have honored their father in the years since his death
While Robin Williams was an award-winning actor and comedian, he was also a doting parent to his three children.
The legendary comedian, who died by suicide on Aug. 11, 2014, was a father to three children: sons Zachary “Zak” Williams and Cody Alan Williams and daughter Zelda Williams. He became a father when his first wife, Valerie Velardi, had Zak in 1983.
After Williams and Velardi’s divorce in 1988, he married Marsha Garces the following year. Williams and Garces welcomed daughter Zelda later that same year and son Cody in 1991. Williams and Garces divorced in 2010.
Five years before his death, Williams reflected on how “proud” he was of his kids.
“I’m so proud of them in different ways, but have they always been cherubs? No, but that’s been part of the process,” Williams said on the Today show in 2009. “And am I the ‘world’s greatest dad?’ Not at all, I’m a work-in-progress, but I love them.”
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Zachary Williams and Zelda Williams at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Robin Williams Center on October 5, 2016 in New York City.
Ever since his death in 2014, his children have continued to honor the actor.
On what would have been Robin’s 74th birthday in July 2025, his older son Zak remembered his dad by writing in an emotional Instagram post, “My father lived to make people feel seen. He gave permission to feel deeply and to laugh through the pain. In his absence, that mission continues. So today, I hold close the idea that the best way to honor those we love is to live the values they stood for. To lead with service and compassion. To lift others when they’re down. And to find paths of light, even in the dark corners.”
Here’s everything to know about Robin Williams’ kids: Zak, Zelda and Cody.
Zachary “Zak” Williams, 42
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Zachary Pym Williams attends The Grand Opening Of SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Robin Williams Center.
Robin and his first wife, Velardi, welcomed son Zak on April 11, 1983, before splitting in 1988.
“I loved playing with him in our garden or going on walks and popping into the local Japanese toy shop to watch him get so excited over different things,” Zak said of his childhood while speaking to PEOPLE in 2020.
A mental health advocate, Zak also shared he was left “traumatized” and “feeling extremely isolated and broken” following his dad’s shocking death in 2014. He began struggling with depression and anxiety and sought relief from alcohol, which he later learned to manage and combat in therapy and recovery group meetings.
“Ultimately, I found that if I continued living that way, it wasn’t a life that was worth living. Something had to give,” he told PEOPLE.
Zak went on to launch his company PYM (Prepare Your Mind), which promotes mental health support. “I’ve learned I’m not broken. Despite experiencing traumatic events, I can recover. And I am now on a path of healing and being the person I always wanted to be,” he said.
On Oct. 10, 2020 — World Mental Health Day — Zak wed his wife Olivia, whom he dated for four years.
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Robin Williams and Zak Williams attend the Timo Pre Fall 2009 Launch with Interview Magazine.
“I was going through a challenging time in my life and she was supportive and there when I needed someone,” Zak told PEOPLE following their intimate wedding ceremony. “I’m looking forward to building this life I’ve always wanted to have and growing together.”
In 2019, they welcomed son McLaurin “Mickey” Clement — whose first name was Robin’s middle name — followed by daughter Zola June in 2021.
While speaking to PEOPLE in 2020, Zak said fatherhood “completely changes you,” adding, “To be a present and engaged parent requires focus and commitment to time and an effort that … it’s a lot. But the rewards are unlike anything I’ve experienced before.”
Zak continues to find ways to keep his father’s legacy alive. In addition to his mental health-focused company, he also works with organizations like Glenn Close’s nonprofit, Bring Change to Mind, and the national policy and advocacy group Inseparable.
On the 10th anniversary of his dad’s death in 2024, Zak shared a photo of his dad from Mork & Mindy on Instagram, writing a sweet tribute to Williams.
“Today, I’m reflecting on the immense love you shared with all of us—your family, your friends, and everyone you met,” he penned. “You continue to inspire me every single day to do whatever I can to help create a more connected and loving world for our family. Love you forever. ❤️.”
Zelda Williams, 36
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Zelda Williams arrives at the Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso” Season Three FYC Red Carpet.
Zelda Williams was born on July 31, 1989, the same year Robin wed Garces.
The actress and filmmaker began pursuing a career in Hollywood at the tender age of 5 when she landed a role as her dad’s on-screen daughter in 1994’s In Search of Dr. Seuss.
Zelda has also made TV appearances in The Legend of Korra, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Jane the Virgin, among others. The actress also made her directorial debut with the zombie rom-com Lisa Frankenstein.
In 2017, Zelda told PEOPLE she wasn’t looking to be “the next big thing” in TV and film. “I didn’t go into acting with any ideas of where I’d wind up. Maybe this is pessimistic, but I knew I was never going to be my father, so I went into it because I love it.”
Zelda, who was 24 when Williams died, has shared that she steps back from social media to take some time for herself during her father’s poignant anniversaries.
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Zelda Williams and Robin Williams arrive at the “Old Dogs” Premiere.
“Everyone who has dealt with loss knows the pain of certain anniversaries, moments full of memory that come round like clockwork and usurp all others, no matter how hard you may try to prepare for or avoid them,” she wrote.
While speaking to PEOPLE in December 2023, Zelda said that since her father’s busy schedule made it hard for their family to keep holiday traditions, they bonded in the kitchen all year round instead.
“We didn’t really have much in the way of that, but cooking together was a big part of our family,” she said. “We would eat together every Tuesday, however many family members were in town.”
Zelda admitted that even though both Robin and her brothers were “not good cooks,” the real point of their gatherings was spending time together. “Being together was the important thing, because otherwise, especially with people scattered to the wind with work, it became even more special to do that,” she said.
Cody Alan Williams, 33
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Cody Williams and actor Robin Williams attend “A Magical Evening.”
On Nov. 25, 1991, Robin and Garces welcomed their son Cody.
Cody lives a rather private life with his wife, Maria Flores, whom he wed on July 21, 2019, on what would have been his father’s 68th birthday. The couple exchanged vows at Cody’s childhood home.
Cody and Maria honored their late family members with a touching tribute. Guests were invited to hold up yellow roses during a recorded performance of Maria singing “Never Enough.” The pair also lit a three-wick candle as an emblem of their undying love for their lost loved ones.
“To @mariaaafloresssswilliams and Cody, you are a light in all of our lives. I’m so grateful to have paid witness to your love over the years, to have watched you grow and care for each other in ways we should all be so lucky to experience,” Zelda wrote in a since-deleted Instagram post.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Read the original article on People
