Rob Reiner spoke optimistically about his son, Nick Reiner, just months before the 32-year-old allegedly killed the director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner.
Nick was arrested Sunday night after the couple was found dead in their Los Angeles home. Los Angeles Police Department investigations “determined that the Reiners were the victims of homicide,” and that Nick was “responsible for their deaths.” Nick was booked on suspicion of felony murder and remains in custody.
But just three months before the shocking incident, Rob reminisced about working with his son on the 2015 film Being Charlieand gave a positive update on Nick's decades-long struggle with substance abuse.
“He's been great … hasn't been doing drugs for over six years,” he said in newly resurfaced clips from his September interview with NPR. “He's in a really good place.”
Rob directed Being Charliethe semi-autobiographical film that follows a teenager struggling with addiction, loosely based on Nick's own sobriety journey after he began using drugs at a young age. Nick, who co-wrote the script, previously said he had entered rehab at least 18 times.
During the NPR interview, Rob compared his relationship with Nick to the father-son dynamic depicted in the film, saying the main difference was that “I was never, ever too busy” for Nick.
“I mean, if anything, I was the other way; I was more hands-on and trying to do whatever I thought I could do to help,” he said. “I'm sure I made mistakes and I've talked about that with him since.”
The night before Nick allegedly killed the couple, he accompanied his parents to Conan O'Brien's holiday party so they could “keep an eye on him,” sources tell Rolling Stone. There, Nick “exhibited antisocial behavior,” such as staring at people.
Nick was set to appear in court on Tuesday for arraignment, but failed to wait because he had not yet been “medically cleared,” his lawyer confirmed to Rolling Stone. The hearing date was postponed.
