Nick Reiner’s Struggle with Addiction in Spotlight After Parents Found Dead

LOS ANGELES — Nick Reiner spent years battling addiction, leaning on his father, filmmaker Rob Reiner, and publicly sharing his journey. His story has returned to the spotlight following the deaths of Rob and Michele Singer Reiner at their Brentwood home and Nick’s arrest on suspicion of homicide.

• Nick Reiner, 32, booked Monday on suspicion of murdering his parents
• Worked with his father on the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie about addiction and recovery
• Shared experiences of homelessness and multiple rehab attempts
• Struggled to forge independence while maintaining sobriety

By 2015, Nick Reiner had achieved sobriety and collaborated with his father on Being Charlie, a film depicting a father-son relationship strained by addiction. Rob Reiner directed, and Nick co-wrote the project, drawing heavily from their real-life experiences.

Many elements of the film mirrored their lives, including a line in which the father tells his son, “I’d rather you hate me and you be alive.” Nick later reflected that he “didn’t bond a lot” with his father while growing up, a sentiment explored through the film.

During the film’s 2015 premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, Nick credited his decision to quit heroin to a practical realization. “I got sick of doing that,” he said. “I come from a nice family. I’m not supposed to be out there on the streets and in homeless shelters doing all these … things.”

Rob Reiner admitted he had sometimes prioritized counselors’ advice over his son’s voice. “When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen,” Rob said. “We were desperate, and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.” Michele Singer Reiner added, “We were so influenced by these people. They would tell us he’s a liar, that he was trying to manipulate us. And we believed them.”

Nick recounted multiple failed rehab attempts and periods living on the streets when he resisted the programs his parents suggested. “If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless,” he said in 2016. “It’s all luck. You roll the dice and you hope you make it.”

Despite the challenges, Nick’s work on Being Charlie allowed the family to confront past trauma and develop a closer bond. Rob Reiner said the filmmaking process was therapeutic: “It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows. And then making the movie dredged it all up again.”

Authorities have released limited details about the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner. Family friends reported that Nick and Rob Reiner argued at a holiday party hosted by Conan O’Brien on Saturday night, and several guests noticed Nick acting strangely.

The couple was found dead Sunday afternoon at their Brentwood home. Nick Reiner was arrested hours later and is being held in Los Angeles County jail without bail.

Rob Reiner, 78, gained fame as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on All in the Family and directed classics including When Harry Met Sally…, The Princess Bride, and This Is Spinal Tap. Michele Singer Reiner, 70, was a photographer and film producer who collaborated with her husband on several projects.

Family friends expressed shock and sorrow over the deaths. “They did everything for Nick. Every treatment program, therapy sessions, and put aside their lives to save Nick’s repeatedly. I have never known a family so dedicated to a child,” one friend said. “To have it end this way is awful.”

Nick has spoken publicly about the support his parents provided and his attempts to forge independence. At the time of Being Charlie, he said he wanted to be “sort of independent,” while acknowledging his father’s guidance and encouragement. Rob Reiner praised Nick as “brilliant and talented,” noting that he would continue to figure out his own path.