Actor Jamie Costa has gone viral this week for taking his uncanny impression of Robin Williams to new heights. Costa posted a video called “ROBIN Test Footage Scene,” highlighting how his impression could be employed in a biopic of Williams. Fans are dying to see the project get made for real.
Costa’s video portrays Williams in his Mork & Mindy era with actress Sarah Murphree playing Pam Dawber. It’s a depiction of Dawber informing Williams about John Belushi’s death, with heavy implications about Williams’ own drug use. It shows a wide range of emotional beats, in addition to the vocal inflections and physical mannerisms that Costa has already shown a mastery of. Commenters were in awe, saying that the scene could have come right out of a Hollywood biopic of Williams.
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Costa is a 31-year-old writer, producer, voice actor and comedian, best known for his impressions, many of which have gone viral online. Costa has distanced himself from direct interactions on social media in the last year, but he still posts YouTube videos like this one from time to time. However, his “test footage scene” may have made the biggest impression yet, as many fans want to see more.
If there are any plans to extend Costa’s clip into a full-blown biopic for Williams, they have not been made public yet. For now, here’s a look at the intense fan reaction to the video online.
Mourning
Costa’s video had some fans in fresh mourning not only for Williams, but for Belushi as well. It took them straight back to the times when they found out these two iconic performers had passed away, and they needed some time to process the losses all over again.
Other Roles
Fans remarked on other roles they thought Costa would be perfect for, or roles they wished he had gotten in recent years. Many thought he would have been the perfect lead in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Zelda Williams
Robin Williams’ daughter Zelda responded to the clip on Tuesday afternoon, asking fans to stop sending it to her. She confirmed that she had seen it and commended Costa’s talent, but said that she did not want to be inundated with this depiction of her father on one of the saddest days of his life over and over.
Reaching Costa
Many fans wondered if Costa would see all the praise he was getting one way or another, since he no longer uses most social media platforms. They hoped someone close to him would let him know the impact his new video had.
Caught of Guard
Many commenters said that Costa’s video caught them off guard when it appeared on their timeline, with an emotional impact they hadn’t braced themselves for.
Range
Many people who had seen Costa’s impressions before remarked that this was the best video yet for showcasing his range as an actor. They hoped he would be given mroe chances to shine.
Hire Him
Many tweets about Costa’s video were urgent calls to action, with fans asking anyone with some leverage in Hollywood to help get this movie made. Many even proposed organizing an online petition of some kind.