A recently resurfaced interview with Rob and Nick Reiner exposes the heartbreaking reality of their relationship.

Nick Reiner, a 32-year-old screenwriter who has faced addiction and homelessness throughout his life, has recently been arrested following the tragic deaths of his parents. Just before their deaths, an explosive argument occurred between Nick and his father, Rob, at a Christmas party hosted by Conan O’Brien. Sources close to the family told TMZ that the argument was so loud it could be heard by many other guests. Rob, 78, and his wife Michele, 68, were found dead at their home in Brentwood, California, on December 14. Authorities have described the scene as a “horror double murder” with what appeared to be stab wounds. Nick was arrested on suspicion of murder, and while initial jail records indicated his bail had been set at $4 million, it was later ordered that he be held without bail.

As the investigation unfolds, past interviews with Rob and Nick Reiner have resurfaced, shining a new light on the complicated relationship between father and son. The two had publicly explored their relationship and struggles with addiction years before the tragedy, including through their work on the 2015 film Being Charlie. This semi-autobiographical movie was inspired by the Reiner family’s real-life battles with addiction. Nick co-wrote the script based on his own experiences, and Rob directed the film, which stars Cary Elwes as a father figure modeled after Rob and Nick Robinson as a character based on Nick.

Being Charlie follows an 18-year-old, Charlie Mills, who struggles with addiction while clashing with his famous father, David, a movie star running for Congress. Much like the Reiners’ own story, Charlie resents his parents’ rehab-focused approach to his recovery. The film’s conclusion features a powerful moment where the father apologizes for his handling of his son’s addiction, expressing love and regret, and Charlie responds with a quiet embrace and a simple, “Take good care,” before walking away. The movie’s poignant ending mirrored the real-life emotional dynamics of the Reiner family.

Nick’s real-life struggles with addiction were also well-documented. He spent years moving between rehab centers and at times faced periods of homelessness. During a family dinner, Rob spoke candidly about his and Michele’s struggle to help Nick, admitting they had been desperate and had relied too heavily on advice from professionals who told them Nick was manipulative or dishonest. Rob confessed that at times, they didn’t listen to Nick when he told them the programs weren’t working.

Michele echoed this sentiment, noting how they had been influenced by these professionals who portrayed Nick as someone who wasn’t ready for recovery. At the time, Nick had claimed to be sober. Both Rob and Nick spoke together in interviews over the years, offering an unfiltered look at their relationship and the emotional challenges of creating Being Charlie. During a 2016 interview on Paul Mecurio’s podcast, Rob admitted that working together on the film was difficult at times and that they had “hashed everything out,” even to the point of heated arguments.

Nick shared a piece of advice his father gave him during the film’s production: “There’s one person on the set that has to make the final decision whether it’s right or wrong… and that’s the director.” Nick recalled that after hearing that, he understood that while he could disagree, ultimately, the director had the final say on what made it into the movie. Rob, despite his decades of experience, acknowledged that in some cases, he deferred to Nick, realizing that Nick had a more nuanced understanding of certain issues.

“There were times where Nick would fight for certain types of things, and my first instinct is, ‘I have a lot more experience,’” Rob explained. “But then I realized… I don’t have a lot more experience on this particular subject — what the young guy is going through.” Rob later described Nick as the “heart and soul” of the film, recognizing that Nick’s perspective was critical to making it authentic.

Nick, in turn, shared what he learned about his father through the process. He acknowledged that Rob sometimes had difficulty expressing himself through conversation, but he praised his father’s ability to show love through his actions, particularly in his work as a filmmaker. “He’s a great dad. He’s best at explaining himself when he’s in his element making a movie — showing how much he cares through that way,” Nick said.

After a screening Q&A, Rob described Being Charlie as “cathartic” and “therapeutic,” although he admitted that wasn’t the original goal of the project. Both father and son confessed that working on the film had brought up unresolved issues and emotional tensions. Rob said that at times, their disagreements were “really rough,” while Nick added, “Sometimes it would get overwhelming for me. Sometimes it didn’t feel like a movie — it felt like it was turning into more of something.”

In a separate interview in 2018 on the Dopey podcast, Nick gave a raw and candid recount of a particularly dark period during his addiction. He described how he had become “spun out” on drugs while staying in his parents’ guest house, damaging property, and even punching a TV. This behavior, along with the ongoing struggles of addiction, painted a picture of a family trying — imperfectly, publicly, and with love — to navigate the challenges of recovery, parenthood, and forgiveness. Tragically, something went terribly wrong over the weekend leading to the deaths of Rob and Michele.

TMZ was the first to report the argument between Rob and Nick at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party, with sources close to the family revealing that Michele had confided in friends about the emotional toll that Nick’s ongoing mental health issues and substance abuse struggles had taken on the family. According to these sources, Michele and Rob felt emotionally drained and out of options when it came to helping Nick. Michele reportedly told friends, “We’ve tried everything,” but despite their best efforts, they felt as though they were unable to reach their son.

As details about the case continue to unfold, the Reiner family’s story serves as a tragic reminder of the complexities of addiction, family dynamics, and the difficult journey toward healing.