Zelda Williams joins brother Zachary Pym for grand opening of Robin Williams Center… marking first time actor’s name has been lent

October 5, 2016

Zelda and Zak Williams were the guests of honour at the grand opening of a new acting center named after their late father on Wednesday night. The siblings lead a host of stars who came out for the ceremony at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Robin Williams Center in New York. The 27-year-old actress looked gorgeous in a simple strapless black dress, which she paired with a petite pair of pink heels. The late comedy legend’s eldest two were joined by many of his peers, including Whoopi Goldberg, Hank Azaria and Billy Crystal who arrived with wife Janice. The center will serve as education space for actors, as well as boasting a 154-seat, 4,000-square-foot screening room and theater. It promises to host ‘intimate Q&As and career retrospectives with the world’s greatest actors, casts, and industry leaders’. ‘It’s a tremendous milestone, and really cements us in the heart of the city, letting actors know that they now have a home,’ SAG Awards Committee Chair JoBeth Williams told Backstage.

Legacy: ‘He is a touchstone for every member of our community and someone whose legacy will live on through the years,’ JoBeth said

‘No one really gets actors except other actors and people in the business, and it can be very lonely and isolating,’ she said. ‘This Center will help change that.’ Williams said that when it came to choosing a name, Williams’ (no relation) ‘kept surfacing again and again’. ‘He is a touchstone for every member of our community and someone whose legacy will live on through the years,’ she said. ‘What was especially touching about this process was the response we received from his family,’ she continued. ‘This is the first time they’ve agreed to lend his name and we were so incredibly honored that they granted us this privilege without hesitation. ‘It really pushes the bar higher to ensure the Center lives up to Robin’s amazing legacy.’ Robin Williams committed suicide on August 11, 2014; and autopsy revealed he had been suffering from the early onset of Lewy body dementia.

Remembered: Zelda Williams joined brother Zachary Pym for the grand opening of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Robin Williams Center in New York on Wednesday night