Michael Douglas and Rob Reiner often spoke to each other about parenting children with drug addictions and the challenges it comes with.
Douglas, 81, reflected on their conversations about their sons — Reiner with his son Nick and Michael with his son Cameron – while appearing on the CBS News special “Rob Reiner: Scenes from a Life.”
“With this terrible tragedy, we’re realizing how much pressure he was dealing with in his personal life with his son. I also had a son who had drug issues. And I’m happy to say he’s overcome them and he’s living a prosperous life. But we talked a lot about that: What you can do as a parent, what you can’t do,” Douglas said.
“So knowing with all of that going on behind the scenes, this was a man who always gave you his best,” Douglas, who appeared in Reiner’s films “The American President” and “And So It Goes,” added.
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In 2019, Cameron opened up about his drug addiction, which included using cocaine and heroin, and dealing methamphetamines while carrying a gun, while speaking to People magazine.
Cameron was released from prison in 2016, after serving seven years for drug charges. He is dad to two kids with ex-girlfriend Viviane Thiebes: daughter Lua and son Ryder.
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Nick’s struggle with addiction led to 18 rehab visits since age 15.
In September, Rob said Nick had been clean from drugs for six years, and was in a “really good place,” in an interview with NPR.
On Sunday, Dec. 14, police found the bodies of Rob and Michele in their bedroom of their Brentwood, California, home. Rob was 78 and Michele was 70 years old.
Hours later, Nick was arrested near Exposition Park – which is near the University of Southern California campus.
Last week, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiners’ office later said that they died due to multiple sharp force injuries.
On Saturday night — one night before Rob and Michele’s murder – they got into an argument with Nick at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party, family friends told the Los Angeles Times.
Many party attendees also noticed that Nick behaved strangely at the holiday party, per the outlet.
Two days after their death, Nick was charged with two counts of murder.
“He also faces a special allegation that he personally used a dangerous and deadly weapon, that being a knife,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said during a press conference. “These charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, or the death penalty.”
On Monday, Dec. 22, Rob and Michele’s kids Romy and Jake spoke out about their parents.
“Jake and Romy Reiner remain grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received,” their spokesperson shared with People magazine.
“They will share information about a memorial service honoring their parents at a later date,” the spokesperson added.
Their latest statement comes after Romy and Jake broke their silence on Dec. 17, three days after their parent’s murder.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” they told People last Wednesday.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of condolences, kindness, and support we have received not only from family and friends but people from all walks of life. We now ask for respect and privacy, for speculation to be tempered with compassion and humanity, and for our parents to be remembered for the incredible lives they lived and the love they gave,” they added.
