The Obamas were supposed to meet with director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, the night they were allegedly killed by their son, Nick Reiner, in their home in Los Angeles.
“We were supposed to be seeing them that night — last night — and we got the news,” Michelle Obama said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Monday night, when host Jimmy Kimmel asked how she was coping with the news of her friends’ murders.
The former first lady said she and her husband were devastated when they learned that the legendary filmmaker and his wife, with whom they had been friends for “many, many years,” had been killed.
“Let me just say this: Unlike some people, Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you would ever want to know,” she said — appearing to allude to remarks made by former President Trump, who called Reiner “deranged” and “tortured and struggling” in a Truth Social post following the filmmaker’s death.
“They are not deranged or crazed. What they have always been are passionate people who — in a time when there’s not a lot of courage going on — they were the kind of people who were ready to put their actions behind what they cared about. And they cared about their family.”
Following the couple’s deaths, former President Obama released a statement praising the Reiners’ legacy.
“Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen,” he wrote on X.
“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. 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.”
“And they cared about this country. And they cared about fairness and equity. And that is the truth. I do know them,” she added.
Reiner, 78, a beloved Hollywood icon known for his hit films like “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally,” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” was found dead alongside his 68-year-old wife, Michele, at their Brentwood mansion on Sunday afternoon.
The couple’s son, Nick Reiner, 32, has been taken into custody and charged with the murders.
His 28-year-old sister, Romy, who found their parents’ bodies, told investigators that he “should be a suspect” because he’s “dangerous,” sources told The Post.
The “All in the Family” star’s troubled son, who has a prominent history dealing with drug addiction and mental health struggles, was reportedly placed on suicide watch after his arrest.
He’s being held on a $4 million bail.
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