Who did Bradley Pierce play in Jumanji? Former child actor reveals how Robin Williams defended him and Kirsten Dunst on set

Bradley Pierce said that Robin Williams defended him while filming for Jumanji (Image via Hollywood to You/Getty Images)

August 11, 2022, marked the eighth death anniversary of Jumanji star Robin Williams. His children, Zak Williams and Zelda Williams, paid tribute to their father on social media. Zak described Robin as a very kind and joyful person, while his daughter posted a few lines from Japanese writer Haruki Murakami.

Robin committed suicide on August 11, 2014, after being misdiagnosed with Parkinson's disease. However, an autopsy later proved that he had Lewy body dementia.

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Williams was well-known for his performances, most notably as Alan Parrish in the 1995 film, Jumanji. The fantasy adventure film also had Kirsten Dunst and Bradley Pierce in the lead roles.

Dunst and Pierce were child actors in 1995, and during Jumanji’s 20th anniversary in 2020, the latter revealed how Robin defended him from the film's producers. There was a scene where the game unleashed a monsoon worldwide and Pierce was having problems since the water affected his makeup, which was needed as his character changed to a monkey.

Pierce said he could not breathe, and shooting for eight days was hard for everyone, leaving them tired. However, the producers tried to finish everything by making the children work overtime, which was not allowed. Bradley stated,

“Children can only be on set for a number of hours. The producers had approached our parents and said, ‘Is there any way we can do a bit of overtime to get it done.’ That’s not uncommon at all in the industry because it literally saves $100,000 (£73,000) plus to do that extra half hour rather than a whole day.”

Williams learned about it and told the director, Joe Johnston, and the producers that this was impossible. He stated that they must let everybody out and they would come back next week. Bradley said that for the amount it would have cost, no one stood up like the late actor did. Moreover, he described Robin as being very warm, generous, kind, and protective.

Bradley Pierce as Peter Shepherd in Jumanji

Bradley Pierce portrayed Peter Shepherd, who was one of the protagonists of Jumanji. The character became shy following the demise of his parents, and Mrs. Thomas could not speak much to him.

Released on December 15, 1995, Jumanji is based on Chris Van Allsburg’s fantasy children’s picture book of the same name. Although it received mixed reviews, the film grossed $262 million at the box office on a budget of $65 million.

The basic premise focuses on a supernatural board game unleashing jungle-based hazards on the players. Siblings Judy and Peter Shepherd find the game and start playing it, which releases Alan Parrish, who got trapped in the game 26 years ago.

In brief, about Bradley Pierce

Bradley Pierce is a famous actor, producer and cinematographer (Image via Robyn Beck/Getty Images)

Bradley Pierce started acting when he was six and has appeared in several projects since then. He gained recognition for his performances on TV shows like Days of Our Lives, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid.

He lent his voice to the children’s television series, The Busy World of Richard Scarry, and portrayed an autistic child, Michael, in the television drama film, Cries from the Heart/Touch of Truth.

He made guest appearances on TV shows like Herman’s Head, Touched by an Angel, Profiler, Star Trek: Voyager, Life Goes On, and more. He has also produced some short films and launched the production company ZFO Entertainment with his close friend, Joey Zimmerman.

Moreover, Pierce also co-founded the cocktail community Pierce & Luna. He has provided bartending services and consultations for various parties with his partner, Bella Luna.