Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Reiner would like people to show kindness and understanding toward their son, Nick, and toward producer Douglas Shaffer, who had previously worked with the late director.
Shaffer recently shared People in a conversation: “There’s a lot of healing that needs to happen” after the tragic deaths of Rob and Michele.
Nick has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of his parents, who were found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14. Nick has dealt with mental health issues and drug addiction since his teenage years.
In the aftermath of Rob and Michele’s murder, Douglas gave his thoughts on how Nick’s parents would have reacted in this situation.
He said: “I think they probably want people to feel empathy for Nick’s problems. And maybe eventually forgiveness.”
Douglas further shared that the late Princess Bride director “was a proud father, a loving father, along with Michele – she was a loving mother… Nick had a good support system, as far as I knew.”
Reflecting on how Rob dealt with Nick’s addiction and mental health issues, Douglas noted that Rob “struggled to understand Nick’s issues.”
“I think he was trying to find the best way to help his son. He wasn’t sure if he should be more demanding [things like] end up in rehab. [Rob] took a more loving approach.”
Calling the incident “an absolute Hollywood tragedy,” Douglas added: “Rob just wanted Nick to be safe. He just wanted him to be safe and happy. … It’s just a shame because all he wanted was the best for Nick.”
It is pertinent to mention that Rob’s film is from 2015 Being Charliewhich Shaffer produced was co-written by Nick.
