Nathan Lane details Robin Williams being star-struck by Clint Eastwood on the set of “The Birdcage”
Nathan Lane details Robin Williams being star-struck by Clint Eastwood on the set of “The Birdcage”
Wesley StenzelSat, October 24, 2026 at 12:55 AM UTC
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Nathan Lane and Robin Williams in ‘The Birdcage’; Clint EastwoodCredit: Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty;Frank Trapper/Corbis via GettyKey points -
Clint Eastwood visited the set of The Birdcage.
Nathan Lane said that Robin Williams was star-struck by the Unforgiven actor: “Let’s go look at him.”
Lane also shared Eastwood’s hilarious quip after meeting him in drag.
Nathan Lane is sharing a sweet memory of his time meeting a Hollywood icon alongside Robin Williams.
The Mouse Hunt star recalled hanging out with Williams on the set of The Birdcage at a SAG-AFTRA Foundation event on Oct. 19 in New York City.
“One day [Williams] came running up to me and he said, ‘Clint Eastwood is here!’” Lane said, noting that he was dressed in drag on the day of the Unforgiven star’s visit. “And I was dressed like Barbara Bush at the time. And I said, ‘Yeah? Oh, wow.’”
Nathan Lane in ‘The Birdcage’Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
Lane said that Eastwood had personal business to attend to on set. “Apparently Clint was going to an event that night and one of our hair people was his hair person on movies, and he was coming for a haircut,” he explained. “Even cinematic legends can’t resist a free haircut!”
The Lion King star said that Williams communicated his awe toward Eastwood in an unusual way. “Robin says, ‘Clint Eastwood is here. Let’s go look at him!’” he recalled. “I remember that’s how he put it. ‘Let’s go look at him.’”
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At first, Lane resisted the opportunity given his wardrobe status. “I said, ‘Well, I’d like to meet Clint Eastwood as much as any man, but I don’t know if I wanna meet him dressed like this,’” Lane said. “And [Williams] said, ‘Oh, c’mon. He’s an actor, he understands. Let’s go see him.’ So we go over to the trailer, and Clint Eastwood is coming out with his fresh haircut. And we chatted, and he was very gracious.”
Lane joked with Eastwood as his time on set drew to a close. “As he was leaving, I said, ‘It was nice to meet you, Mr. Eastwood. If you’re ever doing another Western, I hope you’ll consider me,’” the actor recalled. “And Clint looked at me and said, ‘Yeah. Maybe for the school marm.’”
Robin Williams and Nathan Lane in ‘The Birdcage’Credit: Getty
Lane also discussed his on-set dynamic with Williams, who played his romantic partner in the film. “I felt very free and protected with him, and we were very, very supportive of one another,” he said. “He was so smart, when you just sat and talked to him about anything.”
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He continued, “He was just so incredibly smart and sensitive to what was going on. And could be easily hurt himself. Very sensitive himself. Just very loving and funny and just the dearest man. It was the greatest situation you could’ve asked for.”
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
