What Rob Reiner’s son Nick has to say about addiction and their relationship before arrest

forward Nick Lehner Arrested in connection with to his parents Rob Reiner and Michelle Singer RainerAfter their deaths, their sons opened up about how years of drug addiction led to their complicated relationship.

Rob and Michelle married in 1989, There are three children: Jack, Nick and Romy. (Rob also adopted his ex-wife Penny Marshalldaughter Tracy. )

Nick began struggling with drug abuse as a teenager and entered rehab for the first time at age 15. After several relapses and treatments, Nick Start living on the streets.

“I’m homeless in Maine. I’m homeless in New Jersey. I’m homeless in Texas,” Nick told people In 2016, “I spent nights on the streets. I spent weeks on the streets. It wasn’t fun. If I wanted to go my own way and not be in the program they suggested, I would have to be homeless.”

After recovering from addiction, Nick used his experience as inspiration for his 2015 film: be charlie. Directed by Rob and co-written by Nick, the film tells the ups and downs of a family dealing with their son’s addiction. Cary Elwes play father and Nick Robinson depicts son In Autobiography Project.

In 2016, while promoting the film, Rob and Nick had their dynamic questioned. Rob called the experience of filming “Being Charlie” “therapeutic,” while Nick chose not to answer questions about the status of their relationship at the time.

“There’s division,” Robb told a crowd at an event about the move. “It’s really hard sometimes[making movies],” Nick admits. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming for me. I’m really not sure I want to do it.”

Rob noted that his relationship with Nick has gotten better, adding, “Honestly, when we started making this movie… we got a lot closer.”

In December 2025, it was reported that Rob and Michele found dead “Obvious stab wounds.” us weekly It was later confirmed that Nick had been arrested for murder.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Michelle and Rob Reiner,” a spokesperson for the family said in a statement to Variety at the time. “We are heartbroken by this sudden loss and ask for privacy during this incredibly difficult time.”

Keep scrolling to see everything Nick and Rob have shared about their complicated relationship over the years:

Nick Lehner says he may have ‘died’ while homeless

While promoting be charlie In 2015, Nick revealed how street life shaped him, telling people”, “I could have died while I was there. It’s all luck. There were a lot of dark years there. “

Nick recalled going to rehab 17 times before he recovered.

“It made me who I am now, having to deal with these things,” he told the outlet. “I met crazy awesome people there, so it just wasn’t my style. Now that I’ve been home for a long time, I’m used to being back in L.A. and being with my family.”

Rob Reiner’s Opinion on Nick’s Struggles Changed for a Time

“It was very, very difficult going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows,” the director told the Los Angeles Times in 2016. “And then making this movie dug it all out again.”

Rob explains that rehab “works for some people, but it’s not for everyone.”

Rob Reiner tries to make amends with Nick

Rob and Michelle express regret for not listening to son in his battle with drug addiction.

“When Nick tells us it doesn’t work for him, we don’t listen,” Rob told Los Angeles Times After the ups and downs, he apologized to his son. “We are desperate because people have diplomas hanging on their walls and we listen to our sons when we should be listening to them.”

Michelle also attended the event to commemorate be charlieadded in the joint interview, “We are deeply influenced by these people. They will tell us that he is a liar and that he is trying to manipulate us. We believe them.”

hollywood reporter It was noted at the time that Nick didn’t say much because his film was being honored. He later told how he chose to quit drugs because he was “sick of it.”

“I come from a wonderful family. I shouldn’t be out on the streets and in homeless shelters doing all this damn stuff,” he said of the autobiographical project.

Nick Renner struggled to connect with dad Rob as a child

Nick stated in a 2016 Build Series interview that he not really combined with his father until he came of age.

“We weren’t really close as kids, he really loved baseball and I loved basketball and he could watch it with my brother, but baseball,” he recalled. “I think the connection[on the set of ‘Being Charlie’]came not from the story itself but from the fact that we were making a movie together and I could see him and his… I think the best way he could express himself was by making movies because he had so much experience, so seeing that made me think back to, ‘Well, I should probably shut up and listen to him because he knows more about it.'”

Nick continued, “‘He knows, I don’t know anything, so I’m going to learn everything he teaches me.'” … When I saw him do that, it was something that interested me, and I was like, ‘Wow, he really knows a lot, and it makes me feel closer to him, and I was like, ‘Yeah. ‘”

How father and son Rob and Nick Lehner work toward better things

Meanwhile, Rob recalls obeying Nick at work be charlie — and how the experience made him a better father.

“The whole process for me, me being able to speak for myself, it really made me understand him better, and I think it made me a better dad,” he mentioned during the Build Series event. “I hope so. I don’t know.”

Nick Reiner recalls nearly destroying his parents’ hotel

Replayed in August 2018fool“In the podcast, Nick recalls him”wrecked” His parents’ property.

“I got totally into it – I think it was coke and stuff – and I stayed up for days. I started typing out different stuff in my hotel,” he shared. “I literally punched the TV.”

When asked if there was any thought process behind destroying the hotel, Nick simply responded: “You’re crazy. There’s no logic.”

Nick Renner stole his parents’ money to lose his virginity

In the 2017 reappearance of the episode “Confused” PodcastNick recalls losing his virginity at age 15 after finding a sexy worker on Craigslist.

“I called her and a kid I met in outpatient rehab told me you could do this. That’s how I knew how to do it.” he shared. “I called her when I was about 14 or so, and she charged about $200. That’s the part of the story I don’t usually tell, but I do anyway. I got $200 from my parents.”

Nick continued, “(I ate) a pot of brownies and I was so excited. But I would still do it if I were sober.”

Nick Lehner Asked About Regrets

Appeared on “Confused” podcastNick was asked to share his number one regret about his drug addiction.

“I defied my parents as many times as I did,” he shared. “At the time, it probably kept me somewhere longer, but I wanted to say something. ‘I’m not going to get better as many times as you forced me to, and I’m not going to get better this way the way you did.'”

During the episode, Nick also expressed regret for “blaming it on them.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (samsa) National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357).