A revealing interview with the Reiner family has resurfaced in which Rob’s younger daughter, Romy, lovingly refers to her brother, Nick, as “my best friend.” Attention was recently called to the decade-old interview by The Hollywood Reporter’s Steven Zeitchik, who says he almost passed up an invitation to meet with the Reiners due to his busy schedule at the 2015 Toronto Film Festival.
Zeitchik says the dinner, which he agreed to after a publicist assured him, “You won’t regret it,” took place on Nick’s 22nd birthday. The focus of discussion was “Being Charlie,” a drama about an accomplished actor and his drug-addicted son that heavily mirrors the experiences of Rob and Nick. The father-son duo wrote the project together, and Rob directed.
GettyThe Reiner Family Discussed ‘Being Charlie’
Zeitchik recalls that Rob smilingly declared, “Can you believe this boy?” as the meal kicked off, while Nick stayed quiet. He says Rob went on, “I’m so proud; it’s incredible. He’s been through everything; it’s so hard, you’re in this position of no control. And how he’s sober, here on his 22nd birthday, and he wrote this movie.”
Though Zeitchik says Nick talked less, he does say the screenwriter eventually shared, “It was tough at first, to think, ‘Am I actually going to do this?’ I really wasn’t sure I wanted to do this. Am I really going to get it out there?”
Zeitchik says the Reiners’ daughter Romy, who is four years younger than Nick, also chimed in with her thoughts on the film, telling him, “This is my best friend, and I was there for all of it. It’s weird but good to see it on the screen.”
GettyRob Reiner Hinted at Rehab Regrets
Zeitchik says he was told by the Reiners that after 18 rehab trips that began in his early teenage years, Nick “was sober now.” Describing his rehab experiences, he explained, “I just couldn’t get by in these programs. I had resistance every time they tried to reach me.”
The interviewer’s account of the conversation says Rob admitted there were times he failed to listen to his son, explaining, “When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen. We were desperate, and because the people had diplomas on their wall, we listened to them when we should have been listening to our son.” Rob also acknowledged, “The program works for some people, but it can’t work for everybody,” per the story.
In a May 2015 “Inside Out with Paul Mecurio” podcast appearance, Rob hinted at regrets about “throwing” Nick into rehab. He acknowledged, “There’s a punitive aspect.” He then mused on alternative ways he and Michele could have addressed Nick’s struggles. “We could’ve maybe just worked with him with a therapist, and been a little more active with him in that way. I think we just overreacted.” Reiner did not elaborate on the nature of the programs Nick was sent to.
The world needs public discussions on drug prevention. Reiner as a parent was trying to work with the programs that seemed to offer solutions. This was an ongoing problem that Nick had and it’s very much conversations were strained.
Is it that simple, though? Was there any sort of indication per maternal or paternal family background, history?? And—-was there anything else, medically, healthwise going on with the son? Was the addiction the sons furtive attempt at self medicating, per se. And yes, Rob was admitting that they put him into rehab, but did they listen, truly stop in their own tracks aka lives, placing everything important to them, work wise, and interests wise, on hold, and to that effect say of their putting those things on hold, that, “Hey, those are irrelevant to this matter of our son? As parents, and being financially comfortable, they coul have taken a hiatus, telling everyone that they were not bowing out permanently, but that private matters were at the forefront, regarding family, and they were taking a literal indeterminate pause, to tend to family because in the long run, that should be what truly matters, right> Or maybe some won’t agree, but–related or not, its a thing of empathy, consideration, and good old fashioned kindness. And for as clever and funny and smart and talented (ie Billy Crystal was speaking about Rob in a very interview pertaining to his and Robs long time friendship. Imo…………..it seems like the Rob and his wife paid the ultimate price/cost for their self business and not taking a hiatus away from what was important to them, each, and instead tending to their son, The cost of that transgression? They paid with their lives. Had they truly listened when their son said that the (repeated) rehab attempts were not helping, not effecting a difference, not improving his ongoing status in a positive way, simply literally–not helping him? No. Smh.
Well relayed. My sentiments exactly. My heart goes out to those left behind to struggle even more thinking about the sons mental health issues that went untreated just because someone thought that children in affluent families suffered less from the same mental issues that plague people from improvised families who lack the financial means to put their child in rehab. Perhap another diagnosis would have served them well if they were willing to accept it. But with all the money in the world how could they not have considered what you pointed out. Where was his Village growing up. Why did he feel alone, and what can be done now to prevent this from happening to other families over and over. My former dance student lost her mom in the same way by the hand of her son and when the smoke cleared friends and family said the exact same thing, the mental health programs failed them. Thing is no one knew he was dealing with mental health issues but his mom. Making the village aware and seeking support from the village to support her son could have saved her life. So many parents try at it alone. It’s takes a village! Where in the heck was the village. #loveistheanswer
What Nick did just leaves me angry. What a sad loss for all. Prayers for the family.
Even if Mr. Tenet and his wife did not listen or take time out of their life for a drug addicted son, it should not cost them their lives. Having an addicted person in the family takes a toll on them, it brings the whole family down in their knees. Intervention and Rehabilitation was the way to go, the professionals. You don’t know how many times they tried with him
People who chose to do drugs are weak minded and selfish and have to make a choice to be clean once your an adult that behavior is on you. His parents had other kids they were living for and them selves. Nick gets no excuses no passes no mercy, what he did was the ultimate SIN
People shouldn’t play God in others lives.