Hollywood is in mourning following the brutal murders of legendary director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, with actor Nick Robinson among those paying tribute as police confirm their son was responsible for the deaths.
A Tragic Discovery and a Son Charged
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Monday that Nick Reiner, 32, was 'responsible' for the deaths of his father, Rob, 78, and mother, Michele, 70. The couple were found with fatal knife wounds, including slashes to their throats, inside their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion on Sunday. Their daughter, Romy, who lives across the street, made the grim discovery.
Nick Reiner, who has a documented history of drug addiction and volatile mental health, was booked on a federal murder charge on Monday morning and is being held without bail. Reports indicate he had recently moved back into his parents' guest house and was spiralling, with a family source telling TMZ his parents were 'at their wits' end'.
Nick Robinson's Heartfelt Tribute
Actor Nick Robinson, who played a fictionalised version of Nick Reiner in the 2015 semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, broke his silence on the tragedy. 'RIP Rob Reiner. He showed me so much kindness and grace as a young actor,' Robinson, 30, wrote on his Instagram Stories, as per Us Weekly. He added, 'An incredible artist with such a capacity for empathy and warmth,' alongside several photos of the late director.
The film, directed by Rob Reiner, was based on his son Nick's real-life struggles with heroin addiction and homelessness. Robinson played the lead character Charlie, with Carey Elwes portraying the father figure based on Reiner.
A Troubled History and a Film That Mirrored Life
The dynamics within the Reiner family, long strained by Nick's addiction, were publicly explored through Being Charlie. Nick's struggles began in childhood; he entered rehab for the first time at 15 and had been 17 times by age 19. He turned his experiences into the screenplay for the film.
In a revealing 2015 interview with the LA Times during the Toronto International Film Festival, journalist Steven Zeitchik dined with the family. He later wrote in The Hollywood Reporter that the encounter was 'jarring', noting Nick seemed uncomfortable promoting the film while Rob 'gushed' with pride.
A central point of contention was a line Rob insisted on including, where the father character says: 'I'd rather have you alive and hating me than dead on the streets.' Zeitchik observed that Nick 'didn't seem so happy' about the line, which he felt excused the harsh parental pressure he resented.
Rob and Michele later expressed regret for not listening to their son during his addiction battle, influenced instead by treatment professionals who labelled Nick a manipulator. 'We should have been listening to our son,' Rob told the LA Times.
Despite the difficulties in making the film, which received mixed reviews, Rob Reiner said the process brought them closer. Nick, at the time of the film's release, spoke of his priority to stay sober and reflected on finding a new bond with his father through their shared creative work.
The investigation into the shocking double murder continues, leaving the entertainment world to mourn the loss of a director behind classics like Stand By Me, When Harry Met Sally, and A Few Good Men, and his wife of many years.
