Hollywood director and wife Michele found dead in LA home

Legendary Hollywood director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle were found dead in their home in Los Angeles.

Authorities are investigating the incident as an apparent homicide after police and firefighters were called to the couple's home in an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood Sunday afternoon.

Reiner is known for directing classic films including The Princess Bride, This Is Spinal Tube, When Harry Met Sally, Misery and A Few Good Men.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the tragic passing of Michelle and Rob Reiner,” a family spokesman said in a statement to US media.

“We are heartbroken by this sudden loss and ask for privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”

Police said a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were pronounced dead inside the home, but officers did not immediately identify the couple or the circumstances of their deaths.

Police also said no one has been arrested, but no suspect or person of interest is currently being sought.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department told the BBC they received a call at about 3:38 pm local time (23:38 GMT) to provide medical assistance to a home in Brentwood, an area where many celebrities live.

Robbery detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department also responded to the home and began a homicide investigation.

At a news conference Sunday evening, police did not provide any details about the deaths or what they found when they responded. Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said both bodies were still in the home more than six hours after police and firefighters were called.

Police also did not provide details about any injuries the couple suffered or whether any weapons were found or used. Hamilton said the cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles coroner's office.

California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement confirming the deaths of Reiner and his wife.

Newsom said he was “heartbroken” by the death and called Reiner “the big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love.”

Rob Reiner, son of comedy great Carl Reiner, began his career in the 1960s and achieved success playing Meathead in the groundbreaking 1970s television sitcom All in the Family, which earned him two Emmy Awards.

He achieved further success with the cult mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap in 1984, which he directed and also played on-screen director Marty DiBerga.

Thus began a string of classic Hollywood films for Reiner, including Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally (1989), Misery (1990) and A Few Good Men (1992), the latter of which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

He reunited with Spinal Tap for the highly anticipated sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which was released this September.

Former US President Barack Obama said he and his wife Michelle were heartbroken over the couple's death.

“Rob's achievements in film and television have given us some of the most cherished stories on screen,” he said. “But behind all the stories he wrote hid a deep faith in the kindness of people and a lifelong desire to put this faith into practice.

“Together he and his wife lived a life of purpose. They will be remembered for the values ​​they stood for and for the countless people they inspired. We extend our deepest condolences to everyone who loved them.”

Further tributes came from the worlds of television and film, with Monty Python star Eric Idle calling Reiner a “wonderful man”.

“I talked to him last night for over an hour.” Simple wrote on X. “I always enjoyed his company.

“I met him at his father’s in 1975. He told me about the Stonehenge shooting and his thoughts for the future. It's so terrible. I'll miss him. Smart, talented and very thoughtful person. So terrible.”

Actor John Cusack called Rainer a “great man” and Elijah Wood said he was “horrified” by the couple's deaths.

Comedy star and director Ben Stiller said it was a “huge loss.”

“Rob Reiner was one of my favorite directors,” he wrote. “He made some of the most important films of my generation.

“He emerged from the great comedic shadow of the great Carl Reiner and, as a television actor, became a great director who made an incredible series of films.

Spinal Tap is one of the best comedies ever made, and the list goes on. He was a kind, caring man who was really funny.”

Reiner also co-founded the successful production company Castle Rock Entertainment.

He was married to Laverne & Shirley actress Penny Marshall from 1971 to 1981 and is the adoptive father of Marshall's daughter, actress Tracy Reiner.

In 1989, he married Michelle Rainer, an actress, photographer and producer. The couple has three children.

Michel owned the photo agency and production house Reiner Light.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident a “devastating loss for our city and country” and praised the couple's philanthropic work in children's development and LGBTQ+ rights.

“Rob Reiner's contributions resonate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy while fighting for social and economic justice,” she said.

Reiner was also an active campaigner for social and political causes and for Democratic Party political candidates.

Governor Newsom added, “Rob has been a passionate advocate for children and civil rights – from fighting big tobacco companies, fighting for marriage equality, to serving as a powerful voice in early childhood education.”