Meg Ryan shared a moving tribute to the late filmmaker Rob Reiner, just days after he and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were tragically killed in their Los Angeles home.
Ryan shared a photo of herself and Reiner dancing together on the set of Riner’s romcom classic, When Harry Met Sally. “Oh how we will miss this man…,” she wrote.”Thank you, Rob and Michelle, for the way you believe in true love, in fairy tales, and in laughter. Thank you for your faith in the best in people, and for your profound love of our country.”
Her message continued, “I have to believe that their story will not end with this impossible tragedy, that some good may come, some awareness raised… I don’t know, but my guess is that they would want that to be hopeful and humane, to be something that brings us all to a greater understanding of one another and to some peace.”
The Oscar-nominated director and his wife were killed in an apparent homicide. Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with murder. If convicted, he could face a maximum life sentence without possibility of parole or the death penalty, per NBC News.
Ryan starred opposite Billy Crystal in the 1989 classic. Co-written by Rob and Nora Ephron, the film followed two former classmates who attempt to stay platonic friends over the years without developing feelings for each other.
Rob met his wife, who was a photographer, while directing When Harry Met Sally. He revealed that meeting her inspired him to change the ending of the film.
“I met my wife while making the movie and we changed the ending and this is what we came up with,” Reiner said. “Billy came up with some of this dialogue and that’s how we decided to end the movie, that they do end up together.”
Crystal also co-wrote a joint statement with several of Rob’s friends and collaborators, including Larry David, Martin Short and Albert Brooks.
“Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear, Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor, he became a master story teller,” read the statement released to The Associated Press. “There is no other director who has his range. From comedy to drama to ‘mockumentary’ to documentary he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films.”
After remembering Michele and Rob as “strong and determined” individuals who “were a special force together,” the statement concludes, “We were their friends, and we will miss them forever.”
Rob and Michele are survived by their children, Romy and Jake Reiner.