The late Rob Reiner left behind a posthumous Fourth of July surprise that wasn’t revealed until the night before Independence Day.
Following the tragic death of Reiner and wife Michelle Singer in December 2025, fans of the beloved actor-turned-director can enjoy his final onscreen performance, a surprise acting role that had remained a secret for more than half a year.
A Hilarious Cameo Courtesy of Larry David
On Friday, July 3, the second episode of new HBO comedy “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness” debuted. Created by and starring “Curb Your Enthusiam” star and “Seinfeld” co-creator Larry David, the series features a variety of sketches set in various points in American history.
Throughout, David is joined by a who’s who of famous actors and celebrities, which so far have included Vince Vaughn, Kaley Cuoco, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Henry Winkler, Bill Hader, Jon Hamm, Jerry Seinfeld and Barack Obama (the latter, by the way, is also one of the series’ executive producers).
In Episode 2, one of the sketches featured the surprise appearance of Reiner, portraying a key figure from U.S. history.
A Star Turn as George Washington
HBOIn the sketch, Reiner portrayed George Washington, delivering an impassioned speech about why he’s refusing to serve a third term as president.
In his remarks, Washington urges Congress to pass an amendment to the Constitution that would prohibit any of his successors from serving more than two terms.
Rob Reiner Took Some Posthumous Shots at His Least-Favorite President
In the midst of Washington’s speech, he’s interrupted by Larry David, decked out in colonial garb. “Well, what if there’s some [expletive] in office, some narcissistic [expletive] who doesn’t follow the Constitution?”
After that not-so-subtle jab at the current POTUS, Reiner’s Washington goes on to emphasize that the peaceful transition of power after elections is key to American democracy. That leads David’s character to ask Washington if he’s considered that a future president may be a “sociopath” who would refuse to admit he lost, an “insecure, lying [expletive] who would even cheat at golf.”
David’s colonial character continues his rant about a hypothetical future president, shouting, “He could use the presidency to enrich himself and his family. He could send troops into American cities to terrorize and even kill American citizens, all to distract from the fact that he’s friends with a pedophile!”
A Surprise Cameo from Jimmy Kimmel
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel also turns up in the sketch. Also attired in 1700s garb, the late-night host — who’s had no shortage of scuffles with the White House in recent months — confronts David. “Are you suggesting that the president would taketh the time to challenge anyone who dare make fun of him?” asks Kimmel incredulously. “As if he were a big baby?”
The episode concluded with an “In Memoriam” card eulogizing Reiner.
Reiner Made a Rare Exception for the Role
The series’ co-creator, Jeff Schaffer, spoke with Variety about how they managed to land Reiner for the sketch. As he explained, David informed Reiner there was one deal-breaker if he was to play George Washington: he needed to shave off his beard.
“Rob was like, ‘Seriously?’ and Larry was insistent: ‘George Washington was clean shaven,’” Schaffer recalled. “Rob was never without his beard, but he really wanted to do the sketch, so he shaved.”
The sketch was filmed in November. When Reiner was murdered a month later, Schaffer and David were uncertain about how to proceed. After much consideration, they decided to keep Reiner’s role a secret, ultimately deciding that unveiling the episode right before the Fourth of July would be a fitting tribute to the late star.
“We thought long and hard about where the sketch should air … and ultimately we decided that July 3 was the perfect time,” Schaffer added. “Just let it come out on the Fourth of July weekend, on the 250th, and let it sink in that way.”
