Rob Reiner, the acclaimed actor, director, and producer whose work helped shape modern American film, is being remembered not only for his creative achievements but also for his advocacy for marriage equality and LGBTQ+ rights. Reiner and his wife, producer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Their son Nick Reiner has been arrested and charged with two counts of murder, according to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, though an official arraignment has yet to be held as of this writing. No definitive reason has been given for the Reiner’s murders, and authorities say the investigation is ongoing.
Reiner first rose to prominence in the 1970s as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on “All in the Family,” a groundbreaking television series that confronted racism, sexism, and social change. The show helped launch a film career that would span decades. As a director, Reiner became known for balancing humor and emotional depth in films such as “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Misery” and “A Few Good Men,” earning both critical and commercial acclaim.
Tributes from across entertainment and politics have highlighted both Reiner’s cultural impact and his values. Former President Barack Obama wrote that Reiner’s career reflected “a deep belief in the goodness of people,” adding that he and Michele “lived lives defined by purpose.” Author Stephen King, whose work Reiner adapted in Stand by Me and Misery, called him a “wonderful friend, political ally, and brilliant filmmaker,” writing, “You always stood by me.”
Beyond the screen, Reiner used his platform to support environmental protection, public health, and civil rights, with his most consequential LGBTQ+ advocacy emerging during the fight against California’s Proposition 8 in 2008. After the ballot measure overturned marriage equality, Reiner and his wife joined the board of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which backed the federal court challenge that became Hollingsworth v. Perry. That case restored marriage equality in California and helped lay the groundwork for Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Reiner continued to speak publicly about the issue, including at the Human Rights Campaign’s Los Angeles dinner in 2019, where he said, “We’re all human beings. We all share the same planet, and we should all have the same rights, period.”
HRC President Kelley Robinson said in a statement that Rob and Michele would be remembered not only for their accomplishments, but for how they showed up for others. “So many in our movement remember how Rob and Michele organized their peers, brought strategists and lawyers together, and helped power landmark Supreme Court decisions that made marriage equality the law of the land,” she said. “The world is a darker place this morning without Rob and Michele–may they rest in power.”
As tributes pour in, Reiner is being remembered as someone who blended cultural influence with civic action. His films remain deeply embedded in American popular culture, and his role in advancing marriage equality helped bring lasting change to millions of lives.