Hollywood mourns as investigation continues. Here's what to know:
- Filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home Sunday, Los Angeles police officials confirmed. A homicide investigation continues.
- Nick Reiner, 32, one of Rob and Michele's children, was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder in connection with his parents’ deaths, police said at a news conference today. He has a long history with drug addiction, which began in his teens. He is being held without bail, according to the LAPD.
- Reactions of grief and shock have poured in from the entertainment industry and the political world, with many calling the deaths a tragedy. President Donald Trump was criticized after baselessly suggesting that Reiner and his wife died because of Reiner’s anti-Trump views, politicizing their deaths as other conservatives expressed condolences.
- Rob Reiner, who was 78, is best known for a string of films from the 1980s into the 1990s, now considered modern classics: “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally...,” “Misery” and “A Few Good Men,” among others.
Nick Reiner made guests at Conan O'Brien's party uncomfortable, sources say
Nick Reiner was disruptive at a holiday party Saturday with his parents, two people familiar with the situation told NBC News.
Reiner, 32, who was arrested yesterday and later booked on suspicion of murder, made other guests uncomfortable with his behavior at the holiday party, which was hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, one person said. Another person said Reiner’s parents were upset and embarrassed about their son’s behavior at the party and expressed worries about his health.
The two people asked that their names be withheld because of the sensitivity of the matter.
'New Girl' cast and showrunner reflect on Reiner's role on beloved comedy
"New Girl" creator Elizabeth Meriwhether, who cast Reiner in a recurring role of the father of lead character Jess (played by Zooey Deschanel) said Reiner was a joy to have for his 11 episodes on the beloved Fox comedy.
"He entertained everyone between takes with his memories and wisdom," Meriwhether wrote, posting an Instagram picture of Reiner with Deschanel at the latter character's hilariously cursed wedding. "I'm so sad this morning."
Deschanel said on Instagram that she was "devastated" by the news of Reiner's death.
"Rob Reiner was the absolute warmest, funniest, most generous of spirits. A truly good human being," she wrote. "An incredible artist and such a playful and fun collaborator. I cherish the time we spent working together and the many films he made that have shaped who I am. Rob and his lovely wife Michele were always so kind and it brought me so much joy any time I was lucky enough to see them."
Schwarzenegger and Shriver family remember their 'wonderful' friends
Actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his ex-wife Maria Shriver shared tributes to the Reiners, whom they described as friends who grew up with their children in Los Angeles.
"We raised our kids together, from mommy and me on up," Shriver wrote on X. "We laughed together, we cried together, we played together, we dreamed together. We had dinner this past week, and they were in the best place in the their lives: loving one another, loving their friends, their family, their country. They never gave up on our country. They wanted to make it better. They always, always wanted to make our world better, and they were willing to fight to make it the country they loved."
She said she is "devastated, gutted, shocked, stunned, and so deeply saddened" and added that "Life will not be the same" without them.
Schwarzenegger's post on X celebrated Rob Reiner's achievements in Hollywood, describing his "wonderful friend" as a "rare talent."
"He was a creative genius who left us some of the greatest movies of all time, and he was a wonderful friend. My thoughts are with his family."
Rob Reiner's Hollywood star adorned with flowers
As reactions and tributes to Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, pour in, some fans in Los Angeles are honoring Reiner in a different way.
Flowers were seen this afternoon covering Reiner's Walk of Fame star in Hollywood.
Trump doubles down on his statement about Reiner
Trump stood by his Truth Social post about Reiner, in which he baselessly said Reiner died because he was anti-Trump.
“Well, not a fan of his at all. He was a deranged person,” Trump said in the Oval Office today when a reporter asked about the criticism he had been getting over the comment.
Reiner “was very bad for our country," Trump added.
Nick Reiner is being held without bail, LAPD says
Nick Reiner was being held in the downtown Los Angeles jail with no bail, police said in their news release today.
"As a result of the initial investigation, it was determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide," the LAPD said. "The investigation further revealed that Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Robert and Michele Reiner, was responsible for their deaths."
The police department said "the case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration" tomorrow.
Paul McCartney recalls Reiner as an 'upbeat, lovable man'
Rock legend Paul McCartney lamented the passing of Reiner and his wife, summing it up as an illustration that life is "so unfair."
"He was such an upbeat, lovable man," McCartney told fans on Instagram. "Life can be so unfair and this tragedy proves it."
McCartney appeared in Reiner's "Spinal Tap II: The End Continues," a sequel to his legendary 1984 mockumentary.
Kevin Bacon says 'everyone is hurting today' after news of Reiner's death
Kevin Bacon said Reiner, his "A Few Good Men" director, made hard work a fun time for everyone involved in the iconic 1992 courtroom drama.
"The making of that movie was one of the best experiences that I've ever had on a set. He was so fun," an emotional Bacon said in a video on Instagram. "It really, it comes down from the top. You can set a tone where people feel like we are working hard but also working hard in a safe and pleasant and fun situation."
Just the simple task of eating lunch with Reiner remains a cherished memory, said Bacon, who played the prosecutor, Capt. Jack Ross, in the famed Reiner film.
"You know, we had lunch together every day," Bacon said. "I'd never done that with a director before or since, I've never gone to have lunch."
Jane Fonda says Reiners sought to 'make the world better'
Jane Fonda, the Oscar-winning actor and progressive activist, paid tribute to the Reiners on Instagram, describing them as "wonderful, caring, smart, funny, generous people."
Rob and Michele Singer Reiner were "always coming up with ideas for how to make the world better, kinder," Fonda wrote.
Fonda and Rob Reiner were both the children of Hollywood royalty. She is the daughter of Golden Age film star Henry Fonda; he was the son of American comedy icon Carl Reiner. They also shared a commitment to liberal political causes.
"They had been helping me launch the Committee for the First Amendment," Fonda wrote, referring to her father's McCarthy-era free speech initiative, which she revived this year. "I saw them night before last looking healthy and happy. I am reeling with grief. Stunned."
Analysis: In a busy eight-year span, Rob Reiner became Hollywood royalty
No filmmaker has ever definitively cracked the code on success in Hollywood. But from 1984 to 1992, Rob Reiner seemed to have it all figured out.
In that eight-year period, Reiner went on a remarkable run. He directed six movies that became modern American classics, earning a level of cultural staying power that some popular artists achieve only once or twice in their careers.
“This Is Spinal Tap” pioneered the “mockumentary” format, introducing moviegoers to a buffoonish British rock group who turned the sonic dial to 11. The coming-of-age drama “Stand by Me” and the fairy tale “The Princess Bride” enthralled children and parents alike. “When Harry Met Sally…” channeled the wit of Golden Age screwball comedies. “Misery” terrified audiences. “A Few Good Men” stirred their consciences.
The films in that prolific and creatively fruitful era weren’t all immediate box-office hits. But in time, through VHS replays and DVD rentals and cable re-airings and repertory screenings at theaters across the U.S., all six movies embedded themselves in popular consciousness. Reiner, a warm and cheerful presence on-screen and behind the camera, made it look easy.
