You may know Nathan Lane from the cast of “Modern Family,” since he played the eccentric and ever-so-sassy Pepper, but the actor’s credits expand far beyond the screen. His career has included a plethora of blockbusters and smash hits, from voicing Timon in the original “The Lion King,” to his Tony-Award-winning performance as Max Bialystock in “The Producers.” Lane is a legend in his own right, and that doesn’t come without meeting a few of the greats along the way. The late Robin Williams will live on in infamy as one of the most genuine, kind-hearted, and hilarious actors of all time, and Lane knew Williams as the Armand to his Albert.

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The two starred alongside each other in the 1996 film “The Birdcage,” where they played a married couple who pretend to be straight for the sake of their son’s future in-laws. At the 2024 Drama Desk Awards, Lane opened up about filming the comedy alongside fellow legends. “When [director] Mike Nichols asked me to do it, I remember him saying, ‘Nathan, I want only nice people on this movie.’ And I said, ‘Okay, I’m sure there are some nice people in show business who would be willing to do this.’ And he did” (per People).

Lane and Williams starred alongside Gene Hackman, Christine Baranski, Hank Azaria, and several other comedic geniuses, but more so than the star power, the positivity of the cast is what made the heart of the film. “He put together an extremely nice group of people who were also very, very talented and led by Robin, who was the dearest and sweetest guy in the world, and so talented,” Lane said. Williams’ kindness extended far beyond the set, as he would serve as a beacon of comfort throughout a troubling time in Lane’s life.

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Robin Williams will be remembered for many things, one of which is his unrelenting support of the LGBTQ+ community and refusing to shy away from roles that many straight male actors would shelter themselves from — from his legendary role as the titular “Mrs. Doubtfire” to his last film ever, “Boulevard,” which was released in 2015, a year after his untimely death by suicide. In that movie, he played a man in his 60s coming to terms with his sexuality. Needless to say, Williams was a lifelong advocate of the community, extending far beyond the big screen.

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Nathan Lane, on the other hand, did identify as a gay man behind the scenes, but wasn’t quite ready to address it when the questions began pouring in during the press tour of “The Birdcage.” “​​I had expressed my fears beforehand to the late, great Robin Williams, who kindly said to me, ‘Don’t worry, Nathan. You don’t have to discuss it if you’re not ready,'” Lane said in his speech at the Critics Choice Association’s first-ever Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television (via People). “And he went on to protect me whenever he could, throughout the awkward moments.”

It wasn’t long before Lane was willing to open up about his sexuality to the world. In 1998, a gay college student, Matthew Shepard, was murdered. Later in his speech, Lane said, “I’d already come out on a personal level, why not come out publicly now that I was the so-called public figure if it might be meaningful to others in the struggle. So I did, and I’m glad I did.”

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