Kellan Lutz mourns Robin Williams; ‘always just wished he was my dad’

NEW YORK, N.Y. – “Twilight” star Kellan Lutz teared up when he talked about the death of Robin Williams, saying he saw the actor-comedian as a model for how to be a dad.

The 29-year old actor, who counts Williams’ daughter Zelda as a friend, called Williams’ death “crushing.”

“I love my dad, (but) kind of grew up with my mom and always wanted a father figure there, and I’m a huge fan of his movies and always just wished he was my dad,” an emotional Lutz said Thursday. He was promoting his latest film, “The Expendables 3.”

Lutz said he grew up watching Williams’ movies, and always admired “the kind of person he portrayed,” so he thought, “It would be fun to have that kind of dad.”

Lutz hopes to carry that over when he starts his own family someday.

“I want to be that dad to my kids. I want to be the ‘Patch Adams,’ the ‘Jumanji,’ the ‘Mrs. Doubtfire,’ ‘Good Will Hunting.’”

Williams died Monday in his Northern California home. Authorities said he committed suicide.

He was in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease at the time of his death, his wife said Thursday.

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Follow AP Entertainment producer John Carucci at http://www.twitter.com/jacarucci