Rob Reiner gave a rare update on his son Nick Reiner’s recovery — and their relationship — just three months before the acclaimed director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed.
Rob touched on his 2015 movie Being Charlie while looking back at his career in a September interview with NPR, which was resurfaced this week in the wake of his death. At the time, the filmmaker was promoting his long-awaited This Is Spinal Tap sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.
Rob directed Being Charlie, which was cowritten by Nick, 32, based, in part, on the younger Reiner’s experiences with drug addiction and homelessness.
In the semi-autobiographical film, Nick Robinson played Charlie Mills, while Cary Elwes played Charlie’s father, David. The characters were loosely based on Rob and Nick.
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Speaking on NPR’s Fresh Air program in September, Rob said that unlike the character David, who struggled to manage his career aspirations and supporting his son, he was “never, ever too busy” to support Nick amid his recovery.
“I mean, if anything, I was the other way, you know, I was more hands-on and trying to do whatever I thought I could do to help,” Rob told host Terry Gross. “I’m sure I made mistakes and, you know, I’ve talked about that with him since.”
In the same interview, Rob gave an update on Nick’s recovery, 10 years after Being Charlie was released.
“He’s been great … hasn’t been doing drugs for over six years. He’s in a really good place,” Rob said.
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Nick was arrested on Sunday, December 14, after the bodies of his parents were discovered with apparent stab wounds inside their home in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Rob was 78. Michele was 70.
Nick was charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the slayings on Tuesday, December 16, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman confirmed Tuesday. He is expected to be arraigned at a later date.
If convicted, Nick faces death or life in prison without the possibility of parole. The DA’s office has yet to decide whether to seek the death penalty.
Nick discussed his struggles with addiction over a decade ago while promoting Being Charlie. He first went to rehab at age 15.
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“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” Nick told People in 2016. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun. If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless.”
“It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows. And then making the movie dredged it all up again,” Rob told the Los Angeles Times in 2015 of making the film.
Nick said of his addiction, “I got sick of it. I got sick of doing that … I come from a nice family, I’m not supposed to be out there on the streets and in homeless shelters doing all these… things.”
Rob and Michele are survived by Nick, son Jake, 34, and daughter Romy, 28. Rob also shared adopted daughter Tracy, 61, with late ex-wife Penny Marshall.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
