The tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, sent shockwaves throughout the entertainment industry. As a critically acclaimed filmmaker with over 30 films to his credit, tributes poured in across social media to honor his immense contributions, especially from the Black community.
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Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Barack Obama offered his condolences to the Reiner family when the news went public.
“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,” Barack wrote. “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.”
Appearing on the Jimmy Kimmel Show,” Michele Obama revealed that she and Barack were planning to be with Reiner on the same night he was killed.
“Let me just say this, unlike some people, Rob and Michele Reiner are some of the most decent, courageous people you ever want to know. They’re not deranged or crazed,” Michele noted.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Reiner’s impact as an actor, filmmaker, and public figure cannot be understated. Here’s why Black America Is Devastated By The Death of Rob Reiner.
Michael Stivic’s Racial Solidarity On “All in the Family”
The son of Estelle and Carl Reiner, Reiner rose to prominence for playing Michael Stivic, Archie Bunker’s (played by Carol O’Connor) liberal son-in-law, in the iconic sitcom All in the Family. The show explored divisive issues of the day, including ideas about race by pitting his progressive “free-thinking hippie” character against his father-in-law, an unapologetic bigot. One of the Stivics’ best friends on the show was Lionel Jefferson (played by Mike Evans), a rare showing of interracial friendship on the small screen at the time. Because of the success of Isabella Sanford and Sherman Hemsley’s appearances on the show, The Jeffersons became a spin-off of All In The Family and would go on to become one of the best sitcoms ever.
He Directed “Ghosts Of Mississippi”
As a director, Reiner garnered critical acclaim for his films This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand by Me (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), When Harry Met Sally… (1989), Misery (1990), and A Few Good Men (1992). But one of the most significant works of his filmography was Ghosts of Mississippi. Released in 1996 and starring Whoopi Goldberg as Merely Evers, Alec Baldwin, and James Woods, the film is based on the 1994 trial of Byron De La Beckwith, a white supremacist accused of the 1963 assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. After Donald Trump’s outrageous comments about the Reiner’s deaths, Goldberg directed her anger at the current president.
“I don’t know how you were raised, but this man’s family is in deep mourning, and what you said and what you’ve doubled down, makes you bad for the country,” Goldberg said on The View. “That’s my opinion, but I see a lot of conservatives are feeling the same way, and I have to say: there’s something that we all know is that when something horrific happens, we come together. We don’t delineate because someone didn’t like you. That’s not what we do.”
He Remained Committed To Progressive Political Causes
Along with his success as an actor and filmmaker, Reiner was a passionate political activist and advocate for progressive causes. No matter how popular he became, Reiner was committed to fighting for a more just and inclusive world. A major force on the California political scene and a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party, he and Michele were major donors and fundraisers for Democratic campaigns.
He stood against racism, supported early childhood development, was a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality, the protection of the environment, and equal rights under the law. Reiner was also a frequent guest on Joy Reid’s eponymous show on MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), where he stood in solidarity with Black political causes.
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