Two weeks after Rob Reiner’s shocking death, his The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes has opened up about his grief.
Cary Elwes “can finally put [his] grief into words” after Rob Reiner’s death.
The 63-year-old actor starred as Westley in Rob’s 1987 fantasy film The Princess Bride and they remained close until Rob’s shocking death earlier this month.
Cary wrote on Instagram: “Enough time has passed that I can finally put my grief into words. I was 24 when I first met Rob Reiner on The Princess Bride. And from that very first meeting I fell in love with him. I was already a fan of his work so meeting him in person was a dream come true. As we began spending more time together I knew this was someone I wanted in my life. I also knew that by casting me as Westley he was giving me the keys to the castle.”
Cary went on to praise Rob’s kindness and compassion, saying: “The first thing I noticed about Rob was that he wore his heart on his sleeve. This was a man who felt deeply. Whose heart was filled with love and compassion. He wasn’t impressed by how much money you had or if you had a privileged upbringing. He just wanted to know if you were a ‘good guy’. He always tried to find the best in people. And if that person had problems he felt bad for them. He loved his family and friends immensely.”
While Rob directed classic movies including When Harry Met Sally and A Few Good Men, Cary said what he “enjoyed the most was the experience itself”.
He explained: “He obviously loved making movies – and was clearly a brilliant filmmaker – but he told me what he really enjoyed the most was the experience itself. He used to say, ‘Once the movie is released it belongs to other people. But while you are making it, that’s your time on the planet, so you wanna make it good.’ And boy was my time with him on The Princess Bride beyond great. I can’t remember a single day without laughter. The movie is about love, loyalty and sacrifice. Things that Rob held dear. Which is among the many reasons he was the perfect person to direct it.”
Rob, 78, and his wife Michele, 70, were found dead at their home in Brentwood, California, earlier this month, with multiple sharp force injuries.
Their son, Nick Reiner, 32, was arrested later the same day on suspicion of murder.
Cary praised Michele as an “incredibly loving, intelligent person” and called them “a great team.
He said: “While making When Harry Met Sally he met and fell in love with Michele. Besides being a gifted photographer she was an incredibly loving, intelligent person. Deeply passionate about her family and about lifting others up. To say that they were a great team would be an understatement.
“Their only interest in fame was that it allowed them to shine a light on causes they believed in, especially helping those who were marginalised. In a town where many talk the talk, they truly walked it. Whenever we got together we would talk about family, life, movies and politics. But without fail Rob would always find a way to make us laugh. That was important to him. Finding the joy.”
Cary Elwes breaks silence on Rob Reiner’s death
