Michael Douglas Reveals He and Rob Reiner Talked ‘a Lot’ About Parenting Sons with ‘Drug Issues’

Michael Douglas said he and Rob Reiner often spoke candidly about how hard it can be to support a son struggling with drug addiction.

In the CBS News special Rob Reiner: Scenes from a Life, which aired Sunday, Dec. 21, Douglas, 81, recalled conversations with Reiner about the limits and pressures parents face when a child is in the grip of addiction.

“With this terrible tragedy, we’re realizing how much pressure he was dealing with in his personal life with his son,” Douglas said. “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, who starred in Reiner’s films The American President (1995) and And So It Goes (2014), added that despite what Reiner was navigating privately, “this was a man who always gave you his best.”

Douglas and his son Cameron, now 47, have previously discussed Cameron’s past struggles with addiction. Cameron has also spoken about what he learned from his father’s approach to parenting, including the importance of “lead by example” and simply being present.

“I think when somebody is really struggling, to have love and support is crucial,” Cameron said. “Because at least for myself, there are some parts of my life that were so dark that I was maybe starting to lose hope for myself. Then having the love and support of people that you also love and respect, it was just critical for me.”

Reiner, 78, and his wife Michele, 70, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14, and their 32-year-old son Nick has been charged with murder in connection with their deaths.

Nick has struggled with addiction and had reportedly been in and out of rehab since he was 15. He also co-wrote the 2015 film Being Charlie, which Reiner directed and which was loosely based on their father-son relationship during what were described as difficult years. A source close to the family said the Reiners never stopped trying to help their son and held on to hope.

In a September 2025 interview with NPR, Rob Reiner said Nick “hasn’t been doing drugs for over six years,” adding, “He’s in a really good place.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, and others are also interviewed in the CBS News special, now streaming on Paramount+.