Originally appeared on E! Online
Romy Reiner and Jake Reiner are preparing to say goodbye to their parents.
Over one week after Rob Reiner and Michele Reiner were murdered in their Los Angeles home, their children shared that they are in the midst of planning a funeral, with their spokesperson telling People Dec. 22, “They will share information about a memorial service honoring their parents at a later date.”
In the meantime, the siblings are privately grieving the loss of the movie director and photographer, who were fatally stabbed in the early hours of Dec. 14, according to authorities.
“Jake and Romy Reiner remain grateful,” their rep added, “for the outpouring of love and support they have received.”
The pair—whose 32-year-old brother Nick Reiner is accused of killing Rob and Michele following a fight at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party Dec. 13—previously asked the public to remain respectful as they mourn.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day,” Jake, 34, and Romy, 27, said in a Dec. 17 statement obtained by NBC News. “The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends.”
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Jake and Romy added, “We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave.”
And they’re not alone in remembering the impacts that Rob, 78, and Michele, 70, made on their lives. Following their passings, Stand by Me actor Jerry O’Connell detailed the impression Rob had on him while directing the 1986 movie.
“Rob was like a father to me,” he said on CBS Mornings Dec. 15. “It’s just surreal. Everything I have is because of Rob Reiner. It’s just a sad, shocking day.”
Michele Reiner/Instagram
Likewise, Meg Ryan—who Rob directed in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally—shared she would greatly miss the couple, who met on the set of the movie.
“Thank you, Rob and Michelle, for the way you believe in true love, in fairy tales, and in laughter,” she wrote on Instagram Dec. 14. “Thank you for your faith in the best in people, and for your profound love of our country.”
The actress continued, “I have to believe that their story will not end with this impossible tragedy, that some good may come, some awareness raised… I don’t know, but my guess is that they would want that to be hopeful and humane, to be something that brings us all to a greater understanding of one another and to some peace.”
Read on for more touching tributes to Rob and Michele Reiner.
Tracy Reiner
The actress, who Rob Reiner adopted during his marriage to late ex Penny Marshall, said she saw her dad at a family gathering the day before he and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead in an apparent homicide at their Los Angeles home.
“I came from the greatest family ever,” she told NBC News in a Dec. 14 statement. “I don’t know what to say. I’m in shock.”
Meg Ryan
“Oh how we will miss this man,” the actress wrote on Instagram. “Thank you, Rob and Michelle, for the way you believe in true love, in fairy tales, and in laughter. Thank you for your faith in the best in people, and for your profound love of our country.”
Meg continued of her When Harry Met Sally director and Michele, “I have to believe that their story will not end with this impossible tragedy, that some good may come, some awareness raised… I don’t know, but my guess is that they would want that to be hopeful and humane, to be something that brings us all to a greater understanding of one another and to some peace.”
Harry Shearer
“Rob was a friend and collaborator through much of my life,” the Spinal Tap actor shared to Instagram. “He was funny, he was smart, he was a mensch. When he came to see the comedy act I was in, and, later, the musical comedy I had co-written, his laugh was uproarious and audible around the block.”
Harry recalled that when he, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Rob had ideas for films, Rob “was the one who wrote them on 3×5 cards, and organized them into a movie.”
“Michele was a very good friend to my wife Judith,” he added. “This is unspeakable, the stuff of Greek tragedy.”
Robin Wright
The Princess Bride star said she’s “deeply shocked and devastated” by Rob and Michele’s passing.
“It is truly heartbreaking,” she shared in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Rob was one of the most loving, compassionate, and kind people I have ever known. He was an extraordinary director and the impact he had on me has stayed with me throughout my career.”
Kate Hudson
“The loss of Rob and Michele is absolutely devastating,” the actress wrote on Instagram. “They were not only important to our close community but Rob touched so many millions globally with his art.”
She continued of her Alex & Emma director, “Rob was one of the greats. Inspiring so many of us with his ability to craft films that are humorous, powerful, inspirational. He knew no genre, only great storytelling.”
Jane Fonda
The two-time Oscar winner said she saw Rob and Michele one day before they were found dead at their Los Angeles home.
Remembering the late couple as “wonderful, caring, smart, funny, generous people,” she wrote on Instagram Dec. 15, “I saw them night before last looking healthy and happy. I am reeling with grief. Stunned.”
Demi Moore
“They were amazing people and wonderful parents who gave of themselves to make the world a better place,” the actress shared on Instagram of her A Few Good Man director and his wife. “My heart, thoughts, and prayers are with their family, friends, and all that are affected by this tragedy.”
Demi added Rob and Michele’s three children “grew up together” with her and ex Bruce Willis’ daughters Rumer Willis, Scout Willis and Tallulah Willis.
“We worked together,” she wrote, “and as our lives intertwined personally and professionally I will always cherish the moments and memories of what we shared.”
Cary Elwes
Posting a photo of his and Rob’s chairs on the set of The Princess Bride, the actor captioned on Instagram in reaction to the director’s passing, “No words.”
Corey Feldman
The Stand By Me alum spoke out about the “HORRIBLE NEWS” of his director and Michele’s passing, writing on X, “ALL I CAN SAY IS IM SHOCKED & SADDENED, BUT I #LOVE U ROB! U WILL B 4EVER MISSED!”
Paul Feig
“One of my most cherished pictures,” the A Simple Favor director captioned on X. “Rob was my true hero. A true visionary titan and a lovely lovely person.”
He continued, “One never knows if it’s proper to post during something as tragic as this. But I just want the world to know what so many of us know in the industry. Rob was the best.”
Zooey Deschanel
The actress was “absolutely devastated” as she paid tribute to Rob, who played her father on New Girl.
“My heart is broken,” she wrote on Instagram. “Rob Reiner was the absolute warmest, funniest, most generous of spirits. A truly good human being. An incredible artist and such a playful and fun collaborator. I cherish the time we spent working together and the many films he made that have shaped who I am.”
She added, “Rob and his lovely wife Michele were always so kind and it brought me so much joy any time I was lucky enough to see them.”
Wil Wheaton
The Stand By Me actor learned of his director’s death through costar Jerry O’Connell, writing on his website Dec. 15 that he was “still processing and coming to grips with a tragic, senseless, devastating loss.”
Wil went on to recount how Rob made him “feel loved, valued, seen, and respected” amid his own strained relationship with his parents during the making of the1986 movie.
“Rob was a good person who put great art into the world, who made a positive difference in more lives than any of us can imagine,” he added. “The world is a better place thanks to his activism and the way he chose to use all of his privilege and influence.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Brad Hall
“My husband Brad and I had the great honor and pleasure of working with Rob and Michele Reiner often and happily in movies and television where their impact as actor, director, and producer will be everlasting,” the Seinfeld alum wrote on Instagram. “Even more deeply felt was their superb example of how to be an activist and a powerful voice for the environment, for justice, and for democracy. They were great American patriots, and they were so much fun. We send our condolences and love to the Reiner family.”
Quinta Brunson
The Abbott Elementary star recalled how her “first ever television role was a scene” with Rob, writing on Instagram Story, “I was proud to work with and get to talk about comedy with him over time.”
“I’m speechless,” she continued. “What a tragic loss.”
Barack Obama & Michelle Obama
“Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele,” the former president wrote on X. “Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen. But beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people—and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action.”
He continued, “Together, he and his wife lived lives defined by purpose. They will be remembered for the values they championed and the countless people they inspired. We send our deepest condolences to all who loved them.”
Jerry O’Connell
The actor, who was directed by Rob in 1986’s Stand By Me, shared a photo of himself on set with the director on Instagram, simply saying, “Love you, Rob. Sincerely.”
“I don’t mean this as any offense to my parents—Rob was like a father to me,” he added on CBS Mornings Dec. 15. “He was like a father to me. It’s just surreal.”
Jerry continued, “Everything I have is because of Rob Reiner. Everything I have. It’s just a shocking day.”
Norman Lear’s Family
The family of the late television icon released an emotional statement noting how close the duo were.
“The Lear Family is devastated by the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner,” they told Deadline. “Norman often referred to Rob as a son, and their close relationship was extraordinary, to us and the world.”
“Norman would have wanted to remind us that Rob and Michele spent every breath trying to make this country a better place,” the statement continued, “and they pursued that through their art, their activism, their philanthropy, and their love for family and friends. Lyn Lear had remained very close with them and said, ‘The world is unmistakably darker tonight, and we are left bereft.'”
Christopher Guest & Jamie Lee Curtis
“Christopher and I are numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michelle Singer Reiner,” Jamie Lee said in a statement to Variety, “and our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them.”
The couple added, “There will be plenty of time later to discuss the creative lives we shared and the great political and social impact they both had on the entertainment industry, early childhood development, the fight for gay marriage and their global care for a world in crisis. We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.”
Virginia Madsen
After news of Rob and Michele’s passing broke, the Magic of Belle Isle star wrote on Instagram of her director and his wife, “God be with those who love them. Thank you Rob for giving us so much joy to hold on to.”
Kevin Nealon
“The humor is smart and the heart is real,” the actor, who costarred with Rob’s dad Carl Reiner in 2003’s Good Boy!, shared on X. “His films were part of the air for us. Grateful for what he made, and for what he and his wife gave the world.
Eric Idle
The Monty Python alum tweeted that he had spoken to Rob on the phone the night before his death.
“Rob Reiner was a lovely man. I spoke to him last night for over an hour,” he wrote on X. “I always enjoyed his company. I met him at his Dad’s in 1975. He was telling me about fiming at Stonehenge and his thoughts for the future. This is so awful. I shall miss him. A clever, talented and very thoughtful man. So awful.”
Kathy Bates
The Misery star said she was “absolutely devasted” by the news of Rob’s death.
“I loved Rob,” Kathy, who worked with the director in the 1990 film, told NBC in a statement. “He was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist.”
She continued, “He changed the course of my life. Michele was a gifted photographer. She shot my beautiful photos for the Misery campaign. My heart breaks for them both. My thoughts are with their family.”
John Cusack
“Shocked by the death of Rob Reiner,” the actor shared on X, 40 years after working with the director in 1985’s The Sure Thing. “A great man.”
Elijah Wood
The actor, who worked with the director in the 1994 movie North, wrote on X, “Horrified to hear of the passing of Rob Reiner and his wonderful wife Michelle [sic]. So much love to their kids and family.”