Rob Reiner’s stratospheric rise from being rejected by his A-list father to rubbing shoulders with royalty, becoming a political powerhouse and having a love story for the ages

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Hollywood is saddened by the passing of Rob Reiner’s wife, Michele Singer.

Police are investigating the deaths of a couple found inside their Los Angeles home on Sunday as a double homicide. Both victims appeared to have been stabbed.

This signals the heartbreaking conclusion of a 36-year marriage and a remarkable love story. It also marks the end of Reiner’s celebrated career, which earned him nominations for prestigious awards including Golden Globes, Emmys, and an Oscar.

It seems Reiner was naturally inclined to succeed, growing up as the son of Carl Reiner, the famous director and comedian behind The Dick Van Dyke Show.

However, Reiner’s father was actually his toughest judge, wanting to be sure his son succeeded in Hollywood through his own talent and hard work.

Born and raised in the Bronx by his writer father and mother, Estelle, Reiner eventually pursued film studies at UCLA, following in his father’s creative path.

He had a successful run in a production of ‘Enter Laughing’ when he was 18, earning positive reviews, but his father never acknowledged his performance with a compliment.

The next year, his father directed a film based on the play, and Reiner tried out for a role, but wasn’t cast.

Reiner recently shared on Ted Danson’s podcast, ‘Where Everybody Knows Your Name,’ that the most discouraging thing imaginable is when your own father tells you that you can’t achieve something.

Because his parents rarely offered praise, any compliment he received felt especially meaningful.

Reiner remembered his father attending a play he’d directed. Afterwards, his father came backstage, looked him in the eye, and simply said, “That was good. No nonsense.”

That was the first time anyone had ever offered me such encouragement. I went to see him at his house the next day, and while we were sitting in the backyard, he told me he wasn’t worried and that I would be alright.

No matter what you choose, you’ll do a great job. And that’s really important.

Reiner mentioned that his father eventually went so far as to say Reiner was a more skilled director than he himself had been.

The pair maintained a strong bond until Carl’s death in 2020 at age 98. 

Remembering him fondly, Reiner said he loved him deeply and thinks of him daily, still finding guidance in his memory.

‘His voice is in my head, and [with] anything I ever do, he guides me.’ 

Reiner’s talent was apparent to many from the start. 

He began his acting career in the late 1960s with small parts on popular television shows like The Andy Griffith Show, The Partridge Family, and Batman.

He continued to improve his writing by collaborating with Steve Martin on the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Rob Reiner’s career really took off when he played Michael ‘Meathead’ Stivic on the CBS sitcom All in the Family (based on the British show Till Death Us Do Part). The show was incredibly popular, becoming the most-watched program on television from 1971 to 1976.

Despite competition from well-known actors like Richard Dreyfuss and Harrison Ford, he ultimately landed the role and was highly acclaimed for his performance, earning two Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe nominations.

By the 1980s, he transitioned into directing and quickly gained recognition for his first films, This Is Spinal Tap and The Sure Thing, which were praised by critics.

Yet it wasn’t until his third movie, Stand By Me, that he felt he’d truly made his name.

In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, he explained that ‘This is Spinal Tap’ was a satire – a type of comedy his father had excelled at. He also pointed out that ‘The Sure Thing’ was a romantic comedy, another genre his father frequently worked in.

Stand By Me felt deeply personal because it was the first time I truly expressed myself in my work, and that was really important to me.

Oh my gosh, that amazing 1986 movie wasn’t just a fantastic film, it was how I first discovered the incredible partnership between Rob Reiner and Stephen King! It was the start of something truly special, and honestly, I’ve been hooked on everything they’ve done together ever since. It’s like, that movie launched a whole era of awesome!

The pair continued their collaboration with films like Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, Dolores Claiborne, and The Green Mile.

In 1989, he began another significant partnership, working with writer Nora Ephron on the film When Harry Met Sally.

The inspiration came after Rob Reiner’s divorce from Penny Marshall in 1981, following a decade of marriage.

Reiner and Scheinman, who were producing together, asked Ephron to lunch to discuss a movie script they’d developed about a lawyer.

The famous author wasn’t initially interested, but their lunch with Reiner gave them a new idea when Reiner started talking about the difficulties of being single and a string of failed relationships.

In a 2024 interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace, Rob Reiner explained that his experiences with both a decade-long marriage and a subsequent decade of being single led him to create the film ‘When Harry Met Sally.’ He struggled with the idea of being in a relationship again, and that struggle ultimately inspired the movie.

He wanted to create a movie about a friendship between two people who choose not to become intimate, believing it would damage their bond.

Ephron created the character of Harry, and a lot of what Harry says, by drawing inspiration from both Rob Reiner and his close friend Billy Crystal – who eventually played the part.

Reiner and Ephron originally planned a bittersweet ending for the film: Crystal’s character and Meg Ryan’s character, Sally, would reunite after many years, share a conversation, and then go their separate ways.

While making the film, director Rob Reiner began a relationship that ultimately shaped the movie into a timeless and much-loved romantic comedy.

Reiner and photographer Michele instantly connected, and this newfound optimism in love motivated him to rewrite the film’s ending.

The filmmaker remembers meeting his wife, Michele, on the set of a film they were making together. He also changed the film’s ending after meeting her. They’ve been married for 35 years.

Things almost didn’t work out as they did. Apparently, before meeting his future wife, Reiner had intended to ask Michelle Pfeiffer out after seeing her on a magazine cover during the early stages of filming.

I first met her a few months back, and she just seemed so lovely! Then I read she was going through a divorce, and I just knew I had to reach out. I immediately told Barry Sonnenfeld – you know, the amazing cinematographer from ‘When Harry Met Sally’ – ‘I’m going to call her!’ I just had this feeling, you know?

Sonnenfeld insisted, ‘You’re going to marry my friend Michele Singer, not call her,’ but Reiner just laughed dismissively.

That is until he spotted a ‘very attractive woman’ on the set who turned out to be Singer. 

At first, Harry and Sally didn’t end up together, and I didn’t understand how that kind of story could work. Then I met Michele, and it all clicked for me.

Those who love the movie When Harry Met Sally… will remember it ending with Harry and Sally finally confessing their feelings on New Year’s Eve and getting married.

Reiner met Michele and they married, enjoying a 36-year relationship and raising three children – sons Jake and Nick, and daughter Romy – before sadly passing away.

Thanks to its happy ending, ‘When Harry Met Sally…’ became a huge hit, popular even with members of the royal family.

Princess Diana attended the London premiere, and Rob Reiner and Billy Crystal later remembered how awkward it was watching the famous fake orgasm scene with her.

Reiner remembered constantly wondering how the actress was reacting to the direction. As they approached the intimate scene, he admitted to feeling anxious, thinking, “Oh God, how is this going?”

They didn’t need to worry, though, because Crystal shared that Diana, who was sitting with Crystal and Ryan at the premiere, was joking around with them both.

He shared: ‘So I went, “I’m taking my pants off”, and she goes, “Oh, you’re so naughty!”‘ 

Reiner explained that she laughed heartily, then confided in Billy, whispering, “I’d laugh even more if I didn’t know everyone was looking at me.”

Crystal remembered that Diana loved the movie so much she asked the director for a copy to share with her friends at the palace.

Reiner went on to direct hits such as Misery and A Few Good Men.

However, in recent years, he only had a few major box office hits, like The Bucket List, which featured Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

Still, Reiner defended his films.

‘I’m making the movies I want to make,’ he told the Guardian in 2008. 

Movie studios need to make huge profits – we’re talking hundreds of millions of dollars – and smaller films just aren’t going to deliver that kind of return.

‘But I came into this business to express myself and tell stories, not just churn out a product.’

Alongside his other work, Reiner increasingly involved himself in politics, strongly backing Democratic candidates and openly advocating for progressive issues.

In 2009, he helped start the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which played a key role in ending the ban on same-sex marriage in California.

He also led a successful campaign to raise taxes on cigarettes in California through his First 5 initiative, which directed funding towards programs for prenatal care and early childhood development.

I’ve always admired this incredibly direct and honest voice, and they weren’t shy about speaking out against Donald Trump. In fact, back in 2021, they were developing a really fascinating TV series – something like 10 to 13 episodes – that was going to delve into the connection between Trump and Vladimir Putin. It felt like a really important story to tell, and I was so excited to see it come to life.

News of his passing prompted widespread sadness among prominent Democratic leaders, such as Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and Nancy Pelosi.

The family is understandably devastated by the loss, and released a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened to announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner.”

We are deeply saddened by this unexpected loss and ask that you respect our privacy as we cope with this incredibly challenging time.

Police are investigating the death as a murder, and they are questioning a relative as part of their investigation, according to an official who spoke with the Associated Press. No one has been arrested yet.

Their daughter, Romy, who lives nearby, found them at their large six-bedroom home on Sunday afternoon.

During a press conference, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton stated that investigators haven’t identified a suspect in the murders. He also confirmed that no one has been questioned as a suspect and no arrests have been made.

We’ll be speaking with as many family members as possible to understand what happened, Hamilton explained.

Police were delayed in fully investigating because they needed a warrant to go back inside the house, where the bodies remained. They had first made sure the situation was safe before seeking the warrant.

Hamilton explained that the house hadn’t been touched since police initially discovered the bodies, remaining in the same condition.

Okay, so the police aren’t telling us who they found, which is killing me! They’re saying we just have to wait for the official report from the LA County Coroner. Seriously, waiting is the hardest part when you’re following this so closely, but I guess they have their reasons for not releasing details yet. I just need to know!

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass expressed her deep sadness over the deaths of the Reiners, describing it as a heartbreaking loss for both the city and the nation.

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2025-12-15 16:06