Jamie Lee Curtis' Family Was Closer To Rob Reiner & His Wife Than Anyone Realized
Jamie Lee Curtis and the late actor/director Rob Reiner memorably worked together as guest stars on the hit comedy "New Girl," in the mid to late 2010s where they played exes. But off-screen, they were closer than most people knew. Reiner and Curtis' husband, Christopher Guest, met while working on Reiner's iconic sitcom "All in the Family" and later collaborated on the hit comedy "This Is Spinal Tap" which Reiner directed and Guest co-wrote. They also co-starred in and co-wrote a "Spinal Tap" sequel that Reiner directed, which was released three months before his death.
On the "IMO" podcast with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Curtis revealed just how deep the bond between their families went. She said that Rob and his late wife, Michele Reiner, were her eldest daughter Annie's godparents, and Annie gave birth to a baby boy one week after they were murdered by their son, Nick Reiner. The couple died on December 14, 2025, which was Annie's 39th birthday. Curtis described her family dealing with the grief of losing the Reiners while also welcoming the baby into their family as, "Life on life's harshest terms and life on life's most beautiful, perfect terms."
Curtis revealed she was a 'granny' on Michelle Obama's podcast for an important reason
On the day after Rob and Michele Reiner were killed, Jamie Lee Curtis was one of many celebrities who posted a heartfelt tribute to the couple on Instagram. "I will always remember them as they lived. Passionate. Political. Surrounded by family and friends," Curtis' caption of a black and white photo of the couple working together on a "Spinal Tap" project at Stonehenge began. "This is an ungraspable tragedy and loss. Pray for strength for their children. The world is bereft without them," she concluded.
On "IMO," Curtis said that her daughter gave her permission to reveal she was a grandmother on the podcast because she respected Obama. The "Scarpetta" star was reflecting on the long-lasting impact that standing for good has on the world. Although she didn't get into the Reiners' political beliefs while talking about life's extreme contrasts, it was widely reported that the Reiners were supposed to see the Obamas on the day they died. Rob Reiner was open about his liberal alignment and crystal clear on his thoughts about Donald Trump. Plus, Obama defended the Reiners after Trump made their deaths about him.