Filmmaker Martin Scorsese has published a heartfelt essay in The New York Times mourning the deaths of his friends Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner, who were allegedly killed by their son earlier this month. The tribute reflects on their long friendship and Reiner's comedic genius. Scorsese expresses profound sadness over the tragic loss.
Martin Scorsese, the acclaimed director, shared a poignant tribute to Rob Reiner and his wife Michele in an essay published by The New York Times on December 25, 2025. Rob Reiner, aged 78, and Michele, 70, were found dead in their Brentwood home on December 14, 2025, with knife wounds. Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder.
Scorsese first met Rob Reiner in the early 1970s after moving to Los Angeles, where they bonded as fellow New York transplants amid gatherings of comedians and actors. "Rob Reiner was my friend, and so was Michele. From now on, I’ll have to use the past tense, and that fills me with such profound sadness. But there’s no other choice," Scorsese wrote.
He described Reiner as "hilarious and sometimes bitingly funny, but he was never the kind of guy who would take over the room. He had a beautiful sense of uninhibited freedom, fully enjoying the life of the moment, and he had a great barreling laugh." Scorsese recalled Reiner's roots in show business royalty, with parents Carl and Estelle Reiner, and their shared appreciation for New York humor.
Among Reiner's films, Scorsese named "Misery" as his favorite, calling it "a very special film, beautifully acted by Kathy Bates and James Caan." He praised "This Is Spinal Tap" as "in a class of its own … an immaculate creation." In 2013, Scorsese cast Reiner as the father of Leonardo DiCaprio's character in "The Wolf of Wall Street," lauding his improvisational skills and emotional depth in the role.
Scorsese concluded by addressing the tragedy: "What happened to Rob and Michele is an obscenity, an abyss in lived reality. The only thing that will help me to accept it is the passing of time." He expressed hope to imagine them alive, cherishing memories of Reiner's laugh and stories.