Oh my gosh, it just broke my heart hearing Rita Wilson talk about Rob Reiner and Michele. She said they were amazing parents, that they truly loved their kids and always did everything the right way. It’s just…so sad. They clearly built such a beautiful family, and it’s just devastating to think about what they’re going through. I’ve always admired them, and hearing that just makes it even worse. They seemed like the perfect couple and parents, honestly.
Reiner, age 78, and Michele, 70, were found stabbed to death Sunday at their home in Brentwood, which is valued at $13.5 million. Their 32-year-old son, Nick, who lived on the property in a guesthouse, was arrested and charged with the murders.
According to reports, the bodies were found by the Reiners’ 27-year-old daughter, Romy. She reportedly told police about a family member she considered dangerous and suggested they be considered a suspect.
Nick struggled with drug use and mental health for many years, first entering rehab at 15. He experienced several periods of homelessness before recently staying with his parents, where he admitted to causing significant damage while heavily under the influence of stimulants, which kept him awake for days.
A close friend, Wilson, recently shared a heartbreaking story about her relationship with the couple who were killed, in an essay for Variety magazine.
Wilson, Tom Hanks’ wife, shared a touching sentiment: ‘They made the world a better place, and they cherished each of their children. They lived their lives with love and were, in turn, deeply loved.’
Rob Reiner has four children: Nick, Romy (who lives nearby), Jake, age 34, and Tracy, 61, whom he adopted with his former wife, Penny Marshall.
He worked with Wilson on the comedies North and The Story of Us, and they both appeared in the films Sleepless in Seattle and Mixed Nuts.
Grieving the loss of her friends, Wilson wrote in a heartfelt tribute that it was difficult to understand such good people being gone. She acknowledged the tragedy didn’t seem logical, but found comfort in remembering how beautifully they had lived their lives.
She was deeply saddened by the thought of never again sharing joyful, spontaneous moments with Rob and Michele – like bumping into them while out and about, sharing a good laugh, or even enduring Michele’s habit of steering every dinner conversation in a single direction.
Wilson praised Michele’s talent as a photographer, noting her ability to find beauty in everyday moments. He also recognized Reiner for his groundbreaking and historically significant contributions through his work.
She continued to commend the couple’s work as activists, stating that they both positively impacted their community through their efforts and involvement.
Chet Hanks, the 35-year-old son of Wilson and Hanks, has openly discussed his past struggles with substance abuse. He credits the support of his parents with helping him overcome those issues.
Oh my god, I was listening to his Raw Talk interview again, and he was talking about his past! He said that before he got sober, he used to hang out with people doing cocaine, and they’d actually tell him to slow down! Can you believe it? They were like, ‘Yo, chill, bro… wait a sec, give it fifteen minutes!’ It’s just… amazing and a little scary to think about, honestly. I’ve replayed that part like a million times!
In late 2023, Chet shared on The Adam Friedland Show that he had been sober for two years, and he recently confirmed in March that he’s continued to stay sober.
This year on The Drew Barrymore Show, Chet thanked his family for supporting him through both good times and bad.
He expressed deep appreciation for his parents, saying he’s especially thankful for them now. He shared this with Drew Barrymore, who understands the importance of support, having overcome her own past struggles with addiction.
Chet noticed that family, whether related by blood or chosen, have a way of making you feel ashamed when you mess up, and incredibly proud when you succeed.
According to a source close to Rob Reiner, Nick had been staying at Reiner’s guesthouse for years, frequently returning even after damaging it. It was described as a place he consistently came back to throughout his adult life.
According to the source, he would use methamphetamine and go for days without sleep, leading to violent outbursts where he’d break things and punch walls. People felt like he was on the verge of exploding, and his drug use was escalating, prompting his parents to ask him to leave.
According to his friend, Nick often boasted about being able to avoid consequences. He also reportedly took money from his parents to buy drugs and pay for prostitutes.
According to a source, he used to discuss these topics in meetings, but eventually stopped attending, saying the atmosphere felt like a cult. He also joked on multiple occasions about damaging his parents’ guesthouse, seeming completely unconcerned about it.
TMZ reports that Nick had a heated argument with his parents on Saturday night, the night before Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead. The argument reportedly happened at a Christmas party hosted by Conan O’Brien.
By then, people claimed Michele had been confiding in friends for months about struggling with Nick’s substance abuse and mental health issues, often saying they had ‘tried everything’ to help.
Nick started struggling with substance abuse when he was very young. By the time he was 22, he had been to rehab 17 times, with his first stay happening when he was just 15 years old.
In 2015, director Rob Reiner made a film called Being Charlie, drawing on his brother Nick’s difficult experiences with addiction and revealing the challenges his family faced.
Nick helped write the screenplay, which features Charlie struggling with his parents’ attempts to deal with his drug problem, including mandatory rehab stays.
Towards the film’s conclusion, Charlie’s father offers an apology for being so strict, a scene director Rob Reiner said felt very true to life.
When the movie came out, director Reiner said he wished he hadn’t taken so much advice from doctors when trying to help Nick.
He explained to the Los Angeles Times that they ignored their son’s concerns. ‘We didn’t heed Nick when he said things weren’t right,’ he said. ‘We were so focused on the credentials of other people offering advice that we didn’t trust our own son’s instincts.’
Michele explained that they were heavily swayed by certain people who constantly told them someone was dishonest and trying to control them, and they readily accepted those claims.
The next year, Nick shared his personal struggles with addiction, explaining that he’d experienced homelessness multiple times because he wouldn’t accept the help offered to him.
I recently spoke with someone who was facing a really tough situation. He explained that choosing to live life on his own terms, and refusing the help being offered, unfortunately meant he risked losing his home. It was a stark reminder that sometimes, accepting support is essential, but he was determined to forge his own path, even with that risk.
I experienced homelessness in Maine, New Jersey, and Texas. I lived on the streets for nights and even weeks at a time, and it was a very difficult experience.
He eventually quit using drugs, saying he’d simply had enough. He explained that he came from a good family and didn’t belong living on the streets or in shelters, engaging in destructive behavior.
He later revealed in an interview that he had damaged his parents’ guesthouse when he was intoxicated.
He admitted on the Dopey podcast that he’d lost control after taking stimulants. He believed it was cocaine, possibly mixed with something else, and it kept him awake for several days.
He remembered angrily destroying things in his guest house, starting with the TV and then moving on to the lamp, ultimately leaving everything broken.
In 2016, while discussing the film Being Charlie, Nick shared that he hadn’t been close to his father growing up, but that working on the movie helped him feel more connected to him.
He shared his wish to stay sober and avoid becoming homeless again, explaining that his previous experience with homelessness was life-threatening. Appearing on BUILD Series, he said it felt like a matter of chance. ‘It’s all luck,’ he explained. ‘You take your chances and hope for the best.’
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2025-12-18 09:50