A master of comedy and acting – but at what cost.

I was truly stunned when I heard about Robin Williams passing 10 years ago.

So sad, shocking and such a waste of a life – something felt by millions.

Like many I’d grown up watching Mork, Good Morning Vietnam and love the characters he played in The Dead Poets Society, Patch Adams, Jack, Good Will Hunting, Jumanji, Aladdin and obviously Mrs Doubtfire.

Robins ability to crack jokes, spot the funnies others overlooked and do impressions were amazing, but it was his ability to act that was truly, truly epic.

Did anyone know the real Robin Williams?

It’s easy to love the characters we play, but how isolating must it be to always play someone else.

Imagine wearing a mask all day.

A full-time pretender.

Pretending you’re happy.

Pretending to be someone else.

Being recognised for someone you are not.

Clearly we all act on one level or another.

We all try to fit in, but wearing the mask of another can weigh heavy after a while, and we could all work harder to love the actor, not just the characters we play.

Some of us act for survival.

Take the friendly sales person, the happy hair dresser, the coach, the confident parent at the park – we all act.

Virtually everything you see on Linkedin and social media is an act, or a presentation of the person we want people to love.…. and that’s fine, but in life when the actor finds love there is no longer a need for them to pretend or act.

Robins best scene? So vulnerable, so honest, so deep – it gets me every time. Just try watching this and not feeling it – I dare you.