'Natural affinity': Martin Scorsese pays tribute to Rob Reiner
What's the story
Filmmaking icon Martin Scorsese has penned a heartfelt tribute to his late friend Rob Reiner and his wife Michele (Singer) Reiner, who were tragically killed earlier this month, allegedly by their son Nick Reiner. In The New York Times essay, the Oscar-winning director wrote, "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."
Fond memories
'He was hilarious and sometimes bitingly funny...'
Scorsese reminisced about meeting Reiner in the early 1970s, saying, "Right away, I loved hanging out with Rob. We had a natural affinity for each other." "He was 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."
Film favorites
Scorsese's favorite Reiner films
Scorsese also shared his favorite Reiner films, including Misery and This Is Spinal Tap. He called Misery "a very special film, beautifully acted by Kathy Bates and James Caan." Of This Is Spinal Tap, he wrote: "Somehow, that picture is in a class of its own. It's a kind of immaculate creation." "And a big part of the greatness of that film is Rob himself, as director and as actor."
Final thoughts
'I have to be allowed to imagine them alive...'
Scorsese added: "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." "So, like all of their loved ones and their friends, and these were people with many, many friends, I have to be allowed to imagine them alive and well."
Incident details
Reiners's tragic death and Nick's arrest
On December 14, Reiner and Michele were found dead in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home by their daughter Romy. Initial reports suggested the couple had been stabbed. Their son Nick was subsequently arrested by authorities after the initial investigation. He is currently awaiting his official trial after being charged with two counts of murder.