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Actor James Woods, an outspoken supporter of President Donald Trump, slammed what he described as “infuriating and distasteful” comments in the wake of the deaths of director Rob Reiner and his wife.
Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele, 68, were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Their 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, will be charged with two counts of first-degree murder, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement on Monday that the son is “responsible” for the deaths of his parents, who it said “were the victims of a homicide” following an initial investigation.
Woods opened up about his late friend, appearing tearful at times, during an interview with Fox News on Monday night.
“At a very, very down point in my career, Rob literally saved my career and really put me back on track in a way that was so important and rewarding in my life,” Woods said on “Jesse Watters Primetime.”
“He really fought for me when a studio didn’t want me in a movie… I went from really being basically out of a job to getting an Academy Award nomination, and I give all the credit to Rob.”
Woods said he has been questioned about his relationship with Reiner, a liberal activist and Democratic donor, due to their opposing political views.
“I judge people by how they treat me, and Rob Reiner was a godsend in my life,” Woods said. “We got along great. Loved each other. We had more fun together doing a very serious subject.”
Woods, saying Reiner was “always on my side,” called him “a great patriot.”
“We had a different path to the same destination, which was a country we both love,” Woods said. “And when people would say terrible things to me on social media about him, I said, ‘You got it all wrong.’” He added: “Because you disagree with people doesn’t mean that you have to hate people.”
Woods went on to slam the “horrible things” said about Reiner in the wake of his death. “Did I agree with his politics? I did not,” Woods said. “Did I love him as a friend, as an artist, as an icon of Hollywood and as a patriot? I most certainly did, and I am just absolutely devastated by this terrible event.”
Although Woods did not directly mention Trump by name, the president faced rare backlash from some in his MAGA base and a group of House Republicans over his inflammatory remarks tied to Reiner’s death.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump falsely claimed that the couple died “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.”
“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace!” he added.
When later asked whether he stood by his remarks, Trump said he “wasn’t a fan of his at all.”
“He was a deranged person as far as Trump is concerned,” he told reporters, adding, “I thought he was very bad for our country.”
Reiner — known for his iconic films including “A Few Good Men,” “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Princess Bride” — was an outspoken critic of Trump, telling The Guardian last year that a second term for the president could turn the United States into an “autocracy.”
Rob and I remained good friends ever since we made GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI. The studio didn’t think I was old enough to do the part, but Rob fought for me. Political differences never stood in the way of our love and respect for each other. I am devastated by this terrible event. https://t.co/eL1lurqyzV
— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) December 15, 2025
Woods first responded to the news in a post on X on Sunday. “Political differences never stood in the way of our love and respect for each other,” he wrote. “I am devastated by this terrible event.”
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Rachel Cohen
nj.com
(TNS)
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