NEWSMatthew Lawrence Reveals Sally Field Became a Second Mom to Him on 'Mrs. Doubtfire' Set: 'She Was So Caring'
Matthew Lawrence said Sally Field was like a second mom on set.
Oct. 12 2026, Published 12:43 p.m. ET
Matthew Lawrence had a wonderful experience on the set of 1993's Mrs. Doubtfire — but most especially thanks to the kind and caring Sally Field, who portrayed his mother in the movie.
During a new interview, Lawrence opened up about just how great the cast was, and the unbreakable bonds that were forged on that set.
The Whole Cast Felt Like a Family
The cast of 'Mrs. Doubtfire' felt like a family.
With Mrs. Doubtfire taking "somewhere between six to eight months" to film, according to Lawrence, the cast had plenty of time to grow close. "We really became a family unit on that set," the actor recalled.
The iconic restaurant scene alone took close to a month to film, so cast members would "sit down at the table and, you know ... just hang out as if it was some kind of, you know, family."
Lawrence added, "We had a month of rehearsal even before that where we were just getting to know each other and, you know, going through scene work."
Sally Field Was Particularly Amazing With Matthew Lawrence
Sally Field was caring toward Lawrence.
But while all of Lawrence's castmates were lovely, Field really stood out.
"[Field] kind of really became another mother figure, for sure," he told Entertainment Weekly, calling the legend "so sweet."
He gushed, "She was so caring, so kind. I don’t know how anybody could have anything bad to say about the lady. I mean, she was so supportive and just so kind. ... She was great."
Best of all, that sweet relationship has continued for more than 30 years.
"Every time I run into her, it’s always the same thing. Always. She’s always great," Lawrence said.
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The Actors Treated Matthew Lawrence With Respect
Field, Williams and Brosnan were respectful towards Lawrence.
Lawrence starred alongside fellow child actors Mara Wilson and Lisa Jakub, as well as Hollywood veterans Field, Robin Williams and Pierce Brosnan.
Looking back, Lawrence is particularly impressed with the adults because they "neither treated me nor talked down to me as a child, nor did they, you know, overexpose me to the adult world," he said, adding that they "walked a line with me that was absolutely wonderful."
Today, the Disney Channel alum tries to extend the same courtesy to any younger people he films with.
Matthew Lawrence's Hollywood Career
Matthew Lawrence hosts a podcast with his brothers.
Aside from Mrs. Doubtfire, Lawrence is best known for his roles on the sitcoms Brotherly Love and Boy Meets World.
In recent years, he has appeared in NCIS, Mistletoe Mixup, and Marry Christmas. He also hosts the podcast "Brotherly Love" with brothers Joey and Andrew.
