The film world is watching closely after the tragic deaths of legendary director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, whose son Nick Reiner has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
According to law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the investigation, Rob, 78, and Michele, 70, were found dead Sunday afternoon in their Brentwood home with stab wounds.
Firefighters and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers responded to a medical call at the residence around 3:38 p.m. local time, discovering the couple deceased.
Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested later that evening at 9:15 p.m. and booked into an LAPD jail at 5:04 a.m. Monday. He is being held on $4 million bail and is charged with a felony-level offense, according to Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department records.
Authorities have not released further details about the investigation or a search warrant executed at the home. The Reiners, one of Hollywood’s most respected couples, built a life together filled with creativity and philanthropy.
Rob Reiner, best known for directing classics such as When Harry Met Sally, The Princess Bride, Stand by Me, and A Few Good Men, also gained fame as an actor on All in the Family. Michele Singer Reiner, a renowned photographer, shared decades of life with Rob, raising three children, Jack, Nick, and Romy.
Nick Reiner, the couple’s middle child, has a public history of struggling with addiction. He told People in 2016 that his addiction began in his teens and led to periods of homelessness and repeated rehabilitation.
Those experiences inspired the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie (2016), which he co-wrote and his father directed.
Insiders told Page Six that Nick Reiner “really resented his dad” and “hated himself for not being as talented, prolific or beloved as his dad or grandad.” Rob had an illustrious 64-year career, earning 90 acting credits, 55 writing credits, 32 producing credits, and 30 directing credits, along with numerous awards. His father, Carl Reiner, was likewise a legendary figure in Hollywood, whose seven-decade career spanned acting, comedy, directing, and writing, earning him wide acclaim.
The tragic situation reportedly unfolded after Rob, Michele, and Nick attended Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party Saturday night, where sources say Rob and Nick got into a very loud argument, audible to other guests.
Family insiders told TMZ that the couple then left the party, though it’s unclear if Nick left with them. In the months leading up to the incident, Michele had confided to friends that she and Rob were at their wits’ end over Nick’s mental health struggles and substance abuse, saying, “We’ve tried everything.”
Tributes have poured in from Hollywood and political figures alike, honoring Rob Reiner’s legacy in film and activism. President Donald Trump, a frequent target of Reiner’s political criticism, posted on social media, attributing the deaths to Reiner’s political views, a claim that is unverified and widely criticized.
Neighbors and media members continue to gather outside the Reiners’ home in Brentwood, capturing a mix of grief, curiosity, and chaos as authorities investigate the high-profile case.
The Los Angeles Police Department continues to treat the deaths as a homicide, with investigators from the Robbery-Homicide Division leading the probe. As the investigation unfolds, the world watches a tragic Hollywood family story turn into a shocking legal case.