Hollywood director Rob Reiner was discussing future projects, including filming at Stonehenge, in one of his final conversations before he and his wife were tragically killed, his friend Eric Idle has revealed.
A Final Heartfelt Conversation
The bodies of the acclaimed filmmaker, 78, and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, were discovered at their Los Angeles home on Sunday, 15 December 2024, with fatal stab wounds. The news has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and beyond.
Monty Python star Eric Idle disclosed that he spoke with Reiner for over an hour on the night before his death. Writing on social media platform X on Monday, Idle shared poignant details of their last exchange.
"Rob Reiner was a lovely man," Idle wrote. "He was telling me about filming at Stonehenge and his thoughts for the future. This is so awful. I shall miss him. A clever, talented and very thoughtful man." Idle added that he first met Reiner at his father Carl Reiner's home in 1975.
An Outpouring of Grief and Tributes
The couple, known for their active support of the Democratic Party, were mourned by figures across the political and cultural spectrum. Former US President Barack Obama led the tributes, expressing heartbreak at their "tragic passing".
In a statement on X, Obama praised Reiner's cinematic legacy and his deep-seated belief in human goodness. "Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose," the former president wrote.
Fellow actors and collaborators shared their memories. Josh Gad, voice of Olaf in Disney's Frozen, called Reiner "one of the greatest directors of our time" and described the couple as exceptionally kind souls. Actor James Woods, despite their political differences, spoke of his enduring love and respect for Reiner, recalling how the director fought for him to be cast in Ghosts of Mississippi.
A Legacy of Iconic Cinema
Rob Reiner, son of comedy legend Carl Reiner, first found fame as Mike "Meathead" Stivic in the classic sitcom All in the Family, winning two Primetime Emmy Awards.
He later cemented his status as a directing powerhouse with a string of beloved films that defined a generation, including:
- The seminal mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
- The timeless romance The Princess Bride (1987)
- The iconic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally (1989)
- The courtroom drama A Few Good Men (1992)
Actor and director Ben Stiller hailed Reiner's incredible run of movies, calling Spinal Tap one of the best comedies ever made. Paul Walter Hauser credited A Few Good Men as the reason he became an actor.
The investigation into the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner is ongoing. The film world is left to mourn a "huge loss," as Stiller described it, remembering a man of immense talent, kindness, and thoughtful humanity.
