Robin Williams’ 3 Kids: All About Zak, Zelda and Cody

Robin Williams’ three children find meaningful ways to honor their late father in everything they do — whether it’s partnering with mental health organizations or marking the star’s birthday with a joyous occasion.

The beloved actor became a father in 1983 when his first wife, Valerie Velardi, gave birth to their son Zak. In 1989, Robin and second wife Marsha Garces welcomed a daughter named Zelda, who became a big sister in 1991 when their son Cody Alan, Robin’s youngest, was born.

Robin Williams’ Kids Honor Late Actor With Posts Celebrating His 72nd Birthday: ‘Miss You and Love You Forever!’

Zak, Zelda, and Cody were Robin’s pride and joy, with the actor saying on the Today Show in 2009 he was “so proud of them in different ways.” He added, “Have they always been cherubs? No, but that’s been part of the process.”

In 2006, he said of his children: “If I had a choice to erase from my life something, I would leave all the memories of my children … even the memories when they misbehave because it is still extraordinary.”

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Robin died by suicide on Aug. 11, 2014, at age 63. In the years since his death, his children have continued to honor the actor. On what would have been Robin’s 72nd birthday in July 2023, his older son Zak and daughter Zelda celebrated their father on Instagram, with Zak writing, “Happy 72nd Dad! Was remembering how much I used to love that look you’d give. That look with a mischievous, loving grin that your friends and loved ones knew so well. Joyous and curious and wondrous.”

Here’s everything to know about Robin Williams’ three children.

Zachary “Zak” Williams, 40

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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.

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On Oct. 10, 2020 — World Mental Health Day — Zak wed his wife Olivia, whom he dated for four years. “I was going through a challenging time in my life and she was supportive and there when I needed someone,” Williams 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.”

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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 ninth anniversary of Robin’s death in 2023, Zak honored his late father on Instagram, writing, “Dad, on the 9th anniversary of your passing, I’m remembering you for your most excellent fashion choices,” alongside a photo of Robin holding a tennis racket dressed in a printed T-shirt and baggy cargo shorts.

“These days are always hard and I love remembering you for being so very, very YOU. Love you so much,” he continued.

Zelda Williams, 34

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Zelda 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 is also set to make her directorial debut with the upcoming 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.”

John Shearer/WireImage

Zelda Williams Shares Emotional Post Ahead of Anniversary of Dad Robin’s Death: ‘Keep Fighting’

Zelda, who was 24 when Robin died, has shared that she steps back from social media to take some time for herself during her father’s poignant anniversaries.

“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.

On Robin’s posthumous birthday in 2023, Zelda shared a sweet tribute to her father on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying how she believed the late actor would have supported the current writers and actors’ strike.

“Happy birthday to Poppo, who definitely would’ve been out there fighting the good fight for art and artists today and always,” she tweeted alongside a photo of Robin joining a New York picket line in the 2007 strike.

Cody Alan Williams, 31

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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.

Robin Williams’ Youngest Son Gets Married on His Late Father’s Birthday

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 couple 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.

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Source: HIS Education