Nick Reiner 'wanted to live a life that didn't exist'
What's the story
Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood actor-director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner, has been accused of being "entitled" and wanting to "live a life that didn't exist," according to a source who talked to People. The couple was found dead in their Los Angeles home on December 14, leading to Reiner's arrest later that night. He has since been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths.
Family struggles
'He didn't want to do any work...'
The source added, "He didn't want to do any work but expected to be loved the way the rest of his family was." "(They) felt enormous guilt for so long that they couldn't help Nick get his life together." Reiner reportedly had a troubled past, having gone in and out of rehab over 18 times by the age of 22. He co-wrote a movie loosely based on his addiction experience, which Rob directed in 2015, called Being Charlie.
Identity crisis
Reiner's struggle with identity and fame
In a 2016 podcast interview, Reiner spoke about his struggles with identity, partly due to his family's fame. "I had no identity, and I had no passions," he confessed. "And I think the reason I had no identity was because I have a famous dad and a famous grandpa..." "So I wanted to edge out my own identity with a more rebellious, angry, drug-addicted sort of persona."
Family tragedy
Family's efforts to help Reiner and their tragic loss
Despite their efforts, the Rob-Michele were unable to stabilize Reiner. An insider told People in an earlier interview, "They tried everything - giving him space, keeping him close - but his struggles are so deep." Rob and Michele's other two children, Jake and Romy, expressed their grief over the "horrific and devastating loss" of their parents in a statement on Wednesday.