[Updated: Tue., Dec. 11, 2025, 11:04am]
Rob Reiner, the much-acclaimed Hollywood writer, director, and actor found stabbed to death with his wife in their Brentwood home on Sunday, had been honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival back in 2001.
It was while making When Harry Met Sally — one of the most enduring rom-coms of all time, starring Billy Crystal and Montecito resident Meg Ryan — that Reiner met his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, a photographer and producer. In fact, the chemistry stirred up from that encounter prompted Reiner to give the movie a happier ending than previously planned.
Police have arrested Reiner’s 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, in connection with the killings. The younger Reiner reportedly had bounced around homeless on the streets for some time and the two Reiners had collaborated on a movie inspired by his son’s homeless experiences. Few details have been released about what gave rise to the recent slaying.
Reiner, 78, hit the big time playing “Meathead” in Norman Lear’s TV sitcom All in the Family. He would later make This Is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride. These three rank among the most-quoted films of all time. President Donald Trump responded to Reiner’s death, suggesting the director — one of Hollywood’s more outspoken progressive activists — suffered from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” adding that the Reiners’ deaths may have been caused by Reiner’s alleged penchant for driving “some people CRAZY” with his anger at Trump. Several prominent Republicans — most notably Marjorie Taylor Greene — took vehement objection, stating Trump’s allegation was baseless, wrong, and violated the norms of human decency.
In the meantime, First 5 of Santa Barbara County issued a public statement expresses condolences for the deaths of the Reiners, applauding Rob Reiner for the political heavy-lifting he did back in 1999 in support of Proposition 10, which established First 5 California, also known as the California Children and Families Commission. In Santa Barbara First 5 had focused settlement dollars extracted from the tobacco industry toward programs that offer early education and health care to support families with young children.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to correct Rob Reiner’s age and add a paragraph about First 5 of Santa Barbara County.
