Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife found dead in Los Angeles; the couple’s son was arrested

A 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the residence. They were later identified as Rob Reiner and his wife Michele.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Homicide and Robbery Division also responded to the scene and began a homicide investigation.

At a news conference Sunday evening, police gave no details about the deaths or what they found when they arrived at the scene. Deputy Police Chief Alan Hamilton said the two bodies were still inside the home, more than six hours after police and firefighters were called.

Police also did not provide details about any injuries the couple suffered, or whether any weapons were found or used. Hamilton said the cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles medical examiner’s office.

Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested Sunday and formally charged Monday morning. He is the second child of Rob Reiner and Michele Singer, who have three children together.

Nick worked as a screenwriter and co-wrote the film’s screenplay. Being Charliefrom 2016, directed by his father.

The film, about a teenage drug addict, was loosely based on his own struggles with addiction, as he told People magazine at the time of its release.

California (US) Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement confirming the deaths of Reiner and his wife.

Newsom said he was “heartbroken” and described the filmmaker as a “kind-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love.”

Rob Reiner was the son of comedian Carl Reiner (1922-2020), began his career in the 1960s and rose to fame playing Meathead in the television series. All in family in the 1970s, a role that earned him two Emmy Awards.

He found even more success with the cult mockumentary It’s Spinal Tap (It’s a lumbar puncture) in 1984, which he directed and in which he played director Marty DiBergi.

Thus began a series of classic Hollywood films directed by Reiner, including Count on me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), Harry and Sally – Made for Each Other (1989), Crazy obsession (1990) and Question of honor (1992), the latter earning him an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.

He reunites with Spinal Tap for the long-awaited sequel Spinal Tap II: The Final Actlaunched in September this year.

Former US President Barack Obama said he and his wife, Michelle Obama, were devastated by the couple’s deaths.

“Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most beloved stories on screen. But behind every story he produced, there was a deep belief in the goodness of people and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action,” he said. “Together, he and his wife lived a life defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values ​​they upheld and the countless people they inspired. We send our deepest condolences to all who loved them.”

Other tributes came from the world of television and cinema.

Monty Python star Eric Idle described Reiner as “a lovely man”. “I talked to him last night for over an hour,” Idle wrote on the social network.

Actor John Cusack called Reiner a “great man”, while fellow actor Elijah Wood said he was “horrified” by the couple’s deaths.

The comedy’s actor and director, Ben Stiller, said it was “a huge loss.” “Rob Reiner was one of my favorite directors,” Stiller wrote. “He made some of the most important films of my generation.”

Stiller added: “He rose from the huge comedic shadow of Carl Reiner and a television acting role to become a great director who made an incredible series of films. Lumbar Tap is one of the best comedies ever made, and the list goes on. She was a kind, caring and very, very funny person.”

The current US President, Donald Trump, also spoke. In a post on social media, the Republican called the incident “very sad” in California, but took the opportunity to attack Reiner, a fierce critic of his government.

In his message, Trump claims – without providing any evidence – that Reiner and his wife “would have ‘died’ because of the anger he provoked in others because of his enormous, inflexible, incurable affliction” of “Trump Obsessive Disorder Syndrome.”

“He was known for driving people crazy with his unbridled obsession with President Donald J. Trump,” the president wrote.

The Republican and his allies frequently use the term Trump Obsessive Disorder Syndrome — which he abbreviates to TDS — to refer to those who criticize him.

Reiner was a lifelong Democrat, a prominent liberal activist and a frequent critic of Trump. In 2017, for example, he called Trump “mentally unfit” for office.

Reiner also co-founded the successful production company Castle Rock Entertainment.

He was married to actress Penny Marshall, from the series Laverne and Shirleyfrom 1971 to 1981, and was the adoptive father of Marshall’s daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.

He married Michele Reiner, an actress, photographer and producer, in 1989. The couple have three children.

Michele owned the photography agency and production company Reiner Light.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident “a devastating loss for our city and our country” and honored the couple’s charitable work supporting child development and LGBTQ+ rights advocacy.

“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy for social and economic justice,” she said.

Reiner was also an activist for social and political causes and supported Democratic political candidates.

Governor Newsom added, “Rob was a passionate advocate for children and civil rights, from standing up to the tobacco industry and fighting for marriage equality to being an influential voice on early childhood education. »