Robin Williams

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The Hollywood funnyman plays a priest in new film Licence to Wed. TONY HORKINS sets him off

What did you learn about religion making this movie?

That organised religion is like organised crime. They have witness protection programs. “I never touched that kid. It was just an accident. We were playing basketball and the next thing we were in the shower.”

That’s it?

No ... that there are good people out there, guys who offer great counsel and teach life lessons. Though a priest giving advice on human sexuality is like Quasimodo working as a chiropractor.

Did you ever get any good advice from a Reverend?

Actually yes – in rehab. You get a really strong sense of God once you go through rehab. The idea of a forgiving, loving God really helps if you’re an alcoholic. Remember, there was wine at the Last Supper. It becomes very personal, religion – I’m going to church now and it’s really a sense of coming back to life for me.

Were you always religious?

I was as a child. I was so into the rituals that we used to go to Midnight Mass. I’m not Catholic, I’m Episcopal, which is Catholic-lite. It’s the same religion, only half the guilt.

Where did you grow up?

In Detroit and San Francisco where Gospel music is so wonderful. I’m very religious as long as there’s an idea of an open, compassionate church that really is there to take care of people without exclusion.

Do you believe in heaven and hell?

I actually do. Someone said alcoholism is the coming attraction of hell. You do have an idea that there’s a dark force when you’re in that phase. But heaven? I don’t know. You talk to those people who have had those out-of-body experiences and it’s always the light and the tunnel. What if it’s just the Holland Tunnel and you’re going to Brooklyn? But I do feel there’s an afterlife and a forgiving, loving God.

Can other people be hell?

Oh sure – you been married?

Talking of which, did you learn anything about marriage when you made this?

The one thing I learned was that honesty with each other is a gift; and to be honest and OK with the fact that you can’t manipulate and change someone. Acceptance is key. Plus you have to accept that it starts off with “I LOVE YOU”, after a while it becomes “I love you” and then it’s, “What the f*** are you doing here?” Then you have children and it really becomes “Wow”.

How did you propose to your wife?

She was pregnant. I figured maybe we should. “Do you take this man? Already have.” But as I look at our marriage and our kids I’m going, “Man, thank you for taking a chance on a crazy f***er like me.”

Licence to wed is released on Friday