Jerry OâConnell is still carrying the weight of Rob Reinerâs loss. The actorâs voice wavered as he addressed the ongoing court case involving Reinerâs son, Nick Reiner, during an appearance on Fox 5âs “Good Day New York.”
Deadline reported that as the discussion shifted to the legal proceedings, OâConnell made it clear this was not just another headline to him. It was deeply personal.
Jerry OâConnell Gets Emotional Remembering Rob Reiner and ‘Stand by Me’
Getty“For those who may not know, I am an actor, and I was in Stand by Me,” O’Connell said when the anchors of Fox 5’s Good Day New York began talking about the court hearing of Reiner’s son, Nick Reiner, who is accused of his murder.
“It was my first job, and Rob Reiner was the director of Stand by Me. And this is very emotional for me to hear about.”
As the legal case moves forward, OâConnell admitted he is bracing for what lies ahead.
“It’s going to be very difficult going through this whole trial process,” said O’Connell, who appeared visibly emotional.
He also spoke with TMZ about the trial.
“I’m going to be watching it closely in the hopes that it doesn’t become one of these circuses that sometimes happen around these murder trials. It’s very emotional and chilling, and it’s churning up a lot of emotions.”
OâConnell was only 12 years old when “Stand by Me” opened in August 1986. He played Vern, the wide-eyed kid searching for adventure, alongside Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and the late River Phoenix.
For OâConnell, the film was more than a breakout role. It was the beginning of a lifelong bond with the director he has often described as a mentor and guiding force in his life.
‘Rob Was Like a Father to Me‘
A day after Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in December 2025, OâConnell tried to put his grief into words.
“I just feel like a parent has passed,” he said on CBS Mornings.
He continued, “You know, I don’t mean this as any offense to my parents, who are still with us, but Rob was like a father to me. It’s just surreal.”
GettyFor OâConnell, Reiner was more than a director. He was a steady presence at a formative moment in his life.
Years before landing roles in “The Big Bang Theory,” “Scream 2,” and “Sliders,” OâConnell was just an 11-year-old kid trying to find his place.
“I worked with [Rob] when I was 11, and at that point in my life, you know, I wasn’t getting into trouble criminally, but I was always getting in trouble for speaking out loud in class and not being able to keep my mouth shut,” he said.
“My mother would always say, ‘Sit on your hands and shut up.’ And I got to that set of Stand by Me, and I ad-libbed a scene one day early on in shooting, and he was like, ‘Cut! Jerry!’”
OâConnell braced for a scolding. Instead, Reiner smiled and encouraged him. In that moment, he did not silence the loud kid in the classroom. He gave him confidence.
Inside the Charges Against Nick Reiner
GettyAs per AP News, Nick Reiner, 32, entered a not guilty plea in a Los Angeles courtroom on February 23. He waived his right to a speedy trial. The next court date is set for April 29.
Rob and Michele were found dead inside their Brentwood home on December 14, 2025.
Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman filed formal charges on December 16.
Nick has been charged with two counts of murder, including a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders.
Prosecutors also allege he used a knife. If convicted, he could face life in prison without parole or the death penalty.
âProsecuting cases involving family violence are some of the most challenging and heart-wrenching we face because of the intimate and often brutal nature of the crimes,â Hochman said.
âRob Reiner was one of the greatest filmmakers of his generation. His murder and his wife of more than 35 years, Michele Singer Reinerâs murder, are shocking and tragic. We owe it to their memory to pursue justice and accountability for the lives that were taken.â
In the days following the arrests, Jake and Romy Reiner shared a joint statement addressing the loss of their parents and the charges against their brother. TMZ published the statement:
âWords cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience,â they said. âThey werenât just our parents; they were our best friends.â
For OâConnell, the legal case is not distant news. It is deeply personal.
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