Just a few days after the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, friends and longtime collaborators are reflecting on a life defined not only by iconic films but by deep love, family, and humanity. Those memories are shared in the CBS News special âCBS News: Rob Reiner â Scenes from a Life,â which aired Sunday after â60 Minutesâ and is streaming on Paramount+.
Among those featured is Annette Bening, who spoke movingly about the values that shaped Reinerâs life and marriage, especially his devotion to family and the example he set both on and off the set.
Annette Bening on Rob Reiner as a Family-First Leader
Bening starred opposite Michael Douglas in the 1995 political romantic comedy âThe American President,â directed by Reiner. She recalled that his leadership on set was shaped by his priorities off camera.
âOn the set, he had that kind of enthusiasm that is infectious. The leader sets the tone, right? So he was wonderful that way. And a real avid family man,â Bening said.
She noted that Reiner was intentional about protecting time for cast and crew to be with their loved ones.
âHe would insist that the day ended at a sane time, which in show business is kind of unusual. But, he said, âNo, we want everyone to be able to have dinner with their kids.ââ
Bening described Rob as âan enthusiast about lifeâ who always âdove in.â She said she deeply admired his devotion to Michele, whom he married in 1989 and with whom he shared children Jake, Nick, and Romy.
Reiner also adopted his daughter, Tracy, during his first marriage to Penny Marshall, which lasted from 1971 to 1981.
Bening added that Reinerâs devotion to his family was always evident, both personally and professionally.
âHe loved his kids and Michele,â she said. âThey were very much companions to each other. And we all respected that about them and their relationship.â
Michael Douglas on Working With Rob Reiner
Douglas, who portrayed President Andrew Shepherd in âThe American President,â described Reiner as a director who always put his actors first.
Douglas said Reiner was âspectacularâ to work with on the film. âHe was looking out for you,â he added.
The actorâs reflection underscored a recurring theme echoed throughout the CBS News special: Reinerâs ability to balance creative ambition with empathy and care for the people around him.
A Career That Shaped American Entertainment
Born to comedy legend Carl Reiner, Reiner entered Hollywood early but went on to build a career firmly his own. He first became a household name as Michael âMeatheadâ Stivic on the groundbreaking sitcom âAll in the Family.â
Later, he remained a familiar on-screen presence as Bob Day on âNew Girl.â Behind the camera, Reiner directed a string of enduring films that continue to shape popular culture, including âThe Princess Bride,â âWhen Harry Met Sallyâ¦,â âThis Is Spinal Tap,â âStand by Meâ and âA Few Good Men.â
Reiner and his wife, Michele, are survived by their children, sons Jake and Nick, and daughter Romy. Reiner also adopted Tracy Reiner, the daughter of his late wife, Penny Marshall.
As per BBC, their son Nick, 32, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. He appeared in court on Wednesday, December 17, and his arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 7.
In a statement released days after the deaths, Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, described the loss as the âhorrific and devastating loss of our parents.â
âWords cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,â they added, as published by Variety. âThey werenât just our parents; they were our best friends.â
The memories shared by those closest to Reiner paint a portrait of a filmmaker whose most incredible legacy extended far beyond the screen and into the lives of the people he loved most.
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