Kaylah Walton
Popeye is a prominent figure in popular culture. This sailor gains extraordinary strength from consuming spinach, enabling him to tackle seemingly insurmountable challenges.
In the 1980s, actor Robin Williams portrayed this animated hero, but it appears that the movie’s production led to a shift from the character’s usual diet to substance use. Former Paramount Pictures CEO Barry Diller explained this in statements cited by Page Six.
“Everyone was on substances”
The film’s childlike nature starkly contrasted with the reality on set, as detailed by Diller. “Everyone was on substances. It was inescapable,” he stated. The former Paramount Pictures head revealed a shocking detail about how drugs were transported to the filming location in Malta. “Cans were sent to Los Angeles daily to work on the film, and we discovered they were actually used for smuggling cocaine,” he disclosed.
Van Dyke Parks, the film’s composer, stumbled upon drugs while trying to replace a battery in a walkie-talkie. “I felt uneasy, aware of how it might affect people’s actions,” he remarked. Parks does not recall to whom he passed the drugs.
Robin Williams admitted in the documentary ‘Dark Side of Comedy’ that he struggled with cocaine addiction. The beloved actor, who passed away in 2014, relied on the drug to help him perform, as shared by those close to him. However, he quit using it after the death of John Belushi. “I didn’t want to be a father and live that lifestyle,” he reflected in a 1988 interview with People magazine.
The actor was later diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, which contributed to his tragic end. His wife clarified that Robin Williams had been in recovery for an extended period.
