Nick Robinson — who portrayed a version of Nick Reiner in the semi-autobiographical movie Being Charlie — has broken his silence after Rob and Michele Reiner‘s deaths.
“RIP Rob Reiner. He showed me so much kindness and grace as a young actor,” Robinson, 30, wrote via Instagram Stories on Monday, December 15. “An incredible artist with such a capacity for empathy and warmth.”
Robinson shared several photos of Rob alongside his tribute. Earlier that day, Us Weekly confirmed that Nick, 32, was taken in by the Los Angeles Police Department after his parents — Rob and Michele — were found dead “from apparent stab wounds.” Rob is being held without bail on a suspicion of murder charge as authorities investigate Rob and Michele’s deaths.
Before his arrest, Nick was in the public eye through his famed parents. The couple, who got married in 1989, shared three children: Jake, Nick and Romy. (Rob also adopted ex-wife Penny Marshall‘s daughter, Tracy.)
Nick started to struggle with drug use as a teenager, which led to his first rehab stint at age 15. He went through 17 treatment stints — and ended up homeless — after refusing help from his parents.
“I was homeless in Maine. I was homeless in New Jersey. I was homeless in Texas,” Nick told People in 2016. “I spent nights on the street. I spent weeks on the street. It was not fun. If I wanted to do it my way and not go to the programs they were suggesting, then I had to be homeless.”
After getting sober, Nick used his life as inspiration for the 2015 film Being Charlie, which his father directed. Cary Elwes played Rob while Robinson portrayed Charlie, a character loosely based on Nick.
“The whole process for me, I can just speak for myself, it did make me understand him a lot more, and I think it made me a better father,” Rob mentioned at a Build Series event in 2016. “Hopefully it did. I don’t know.”
When asked about his relationship with his dad at a separate event that same year, Nick chose not to respond, adding, “Sometimes it would get overwhelming for me. I really wasn’t sure I wanted to do this.”
Rob acknowledged that there “were disagreements” between them. ”At times it was really rough [working on the film],” he recalled.
The final scene in Being Charlie depicted the father-son duo trying to make peace with their previously estranged relationship.
Before Nick Reiner was arrested in connection to his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s deaths, their son had been candid about how addiction contributed to their complicated relationship over the years. Rob and Michele, who wed in 1989, shared three children: Jake, Nick and Romy. (Rob also adopted ex-wife Penny Marshall‘s daughter, Tracy.) […]
“Charlie, I know you’re angry at me and probably don’t want to hear this right now but I do love you. I’m sorry. Every expert with a desk and a diploma told me I had to be tough at you but every time we sent you away to another one of those programs I saw you slipping away from us,” David said to his son. “And all I could tell myself is that I’d rather have you alive and hating me than dead on the streets. So what do you want me to do? Tell me what to do.”
Charlie used the moment to explain his side of the story.
“It was never about the drugs. All I ever wanted was a way to kill the noise. But the more I used the louder it got,” Charlie said before his father asked if he “was part of the noise.”
The son promised his father he didn’t “hate” him despite their differences. As they hugged, Charlie prepared to head out into the world on his own.
“You take good care of yourself,” David told Charlie.
