Rob Reiner’s Activism Advanced the Fight to Legalize Gay Marriage and Tax the Rich

Rob Reiner, who was found dead at age 78 in his California home alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, was widely known for his work in film — but he also built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most hands-on political advocates.

For decades, Reiner pushed progressive causes in California, from marriage equality to early childhood education. Those who worked with him said his involvement went well beyond writing checks: he immersed himself in the details of policy and campaign strategy, helping drive real legislative and ballot-box outcomes.

“Here’s this unique human being who really did make the leap between entertainment and politics,” Democratic strategist Ace Smith told the Los Angeles Times. “And he really spent the time to understand policy, really, in its true depth, and to make a huge impact in California.”

A central figure in the fight for marriage equality

Two of Reiner’s most significant political efforts centered on defending same-sex marriage and expanding child development programs.

In 2008, Reiner co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights to help challenge California’s Proposition 8, the ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage. His involvement helped propel the legal fight that led to a 2010 trial and ultimately preceded the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Speaking in 2011 about why he viewed the issue as foundational, Reiner referenced Brown v. Board of Education and argued that society should reject “separate but equal” frameworks in any form.

In 2015, shortly after the Supreme Court ruled, Reiner reflected on the long road to LGBTQ+ acceptance in an op-ed for Variety, predicting that future generations would look back on the controversy the way Americans now view earlier battles over voting rights and civil rights.

Championing early childhood programs and universal preschool

Reiner also made early education a major part of his public-life work. In 1998, he led the campaign for California’s Proposition 10, which created First 5 California — a statewide set of early childhood development services funded by a tobacco tax. Reiner served as the organization’s first chair for seven years, from 1999 to 2006.

Political consultant Roy Behr, who worked with Reiner on Proposition 10, credited him with dramatically expanding access to preschool and other services for children across the state.

Reiner later backed California’s Proposition 82 in 2006, which proposed raising taxes on the wealthiest residents to fund free preschool for all 4-year-olds. The measure failed, but the broader idea — using progressive taxation to expand public services — became a more prominent part of progressive politics in the years that followed.

After Reiner’s death, California Gov. Gavin Newsom reflected on the director’s civic impact, calling him “a passionate advocate for children and for civil rights,” and noting his work taking on Big Tobacco, fighting for marriage equality, and strengthening early education.

National Democratic politics and public criticism of Trump

Reiner’s political involvement extended beyond California. He supported Democratic presidential campaigns including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.

In a statement following Reiner’s death, Hillary and Bill Clinton said they were “heartbroken” and described the couple as “good, generous people” whose “active citizenship” served as a model. Obama also issued a statement on behalf of himself and Michelle Obama, saying Reiner’s work reflected a belief in people’s goodness and a commitment to turning values into action.

Reiner was also an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump. After Trump’s 2017 election, Reiner joined the Committee to Investigate Russia, a nonprofit focused on potential Russian interference in American elections. After Trump returned to the White House, Reiner continued speaking publicly against him. In a September interview with Chicago’s WBEZ, he described the country as reaching “a very, very scary place,” while urging people to keep speaking out, per Deadline.

Trump responded to Reiner’s death on Monday with a Truth Social post that appeared to blame the filmmaker’s passing on “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” calling it a “mind crippling disease” and claiming Reiner’s criticism had become an obsession. The post ended with a message of condolence for Reiner and his wife.