NEW YORK (AP) – Using her own family and Robin Williams as an example, a tearful Glenn Close urged some of the most powerful women in entertainment to help society shed its fear of those fighting mental illness in an emotional speech Friday at Variety’s Power of Women luncheon.
Close was among the honorees, who also included Kim Kardashian and Whoopi Goldberg.
Close’s speech was a tear-jerker for many in the crowd. She started off with a joke: “As an actress, I’ve terrified men, and I’ve certainly terrified children, but I have yet to terrify women. Contrary to the cliche, there’s little that frightens us.”
But she went on to talk about how the specter of mental illness scares her most, and the need for greater awareness. Her sister has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, her nephew has schizo-affective disorder, and she recalled that her mother, who died two months ago, struggled with depression.
As she fought through tears, Close said, “Whoopi, I feel Robin here today. He would be whispering in my ear, ‘A couple of jokes would help right now.'”