Cary Elwes posted a lengthy tribute to Rob Reiner, celebrating the filmmaker for his “love and compassion.” The actor famously collaborated with Reiner on 1987 fantasy film The Princess Bride, which Reiner directed.
“Enough time has passed that I can finally put my grief into words,” Elwes wrote on Instagram. “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. 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.”
The actor noted that Reiner “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,’” Elwes wrote. “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.”
Elwes also shared his memories of Reiner’s wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who was stabbed to death alongside her husband on Dec. 14. Their 32-year-old son Nick has since been charged with their murders.
“Besides being a gifted photographer she was an incredibly loving, intelligent person,” Elwes shared. “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 marginalized. In a town where many talk the talk, they truly walked it.”
He added, “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.”
Tributes for Reiner and Michele have poured in since their deaths. Last week, Martin Scorsese published a moving essay in The New York Times about Reiner, who he first met in the 1970s. “Right away, I loved hanging out with Rob,” he wrote. “We had a natural affinity for each other. He was hilarious and sometimes bitingly funny, but he was never the kind of guy who would take over the room.”
