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Rob Reiner’s close friend and longtime collaborator, cinematographer Barry Markowitz, spoke about what was going on in the Reiner household weeks before the director and his wife, Michele, were violently slain.
“I may have been one of the last people to see them,” Barry said.
The cinematographer even spoke about the mental state of the slain couple’s son, Nick, who was arrested on charges of ending his parents’ lives.
Rob Reiner’s close friend and longtime collaborator spoke about what was going on in the Reiner household weeks before the couple’s passing
Image credits: michelereiner
Barry Markowitz had been friends with director Rob Reiner for years and even knew his 32-year-old son Nick very well.
He worked as the cinematographer on the 2015 film Being Charlie, which was written by Nick and directed by Rob.
“I cannot remember no tension … we were just having a decent time, all of us. One big family and there was no fights,” he said about their time onset.
Image credits: Denise Truscello/Getty Images
Following the passing of the famous director and his wife, Barry said he stayed with the Reiners for five days during the premiere of his latest film, The Perfect Gamble.
“They would say, ‘You’re staying here. You’re not going to no hotel. There’s no fridge, good toilet paper, no family,’” he told the Page Six.
The director of photography spoke about Nick’s demeanor during his stay and whether he had “fears” about his safety.
Cinematographer Barry Markowitz worked on three films with Rob and stayed with the family for a few days last month
Image credits: Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
Image credits: Barry Markowitz
It was “business as usual” for the family during those days, with the couple’s daughter, Romy, being in and out of the house.
“At dinner time, [Romy] comes over and we all bulls*** together,” he recalled. “[We’d] scream at the TV, we watched a movie and a basketball game. Played with the dogs. Family time. One big love fest.”
Meanwhile, 32-year-old Nick would go out and play tennis or “shoot hoops.”
Image credits: Barry Markowitz
Nick, who has openly spoken about his struggles with illicit substances, seemed to be “on the upswing” and would spend time with the family during dinner time, Barry said.
“He looked great. He was sitting and talking with the family,” the cinematographer said. “They eat dinner together, old school, and a lot of love, always a lot of love.”
Image credits: Barry Markowitz
The award-winning cinematographer said Nick seemed “normal” and would “bring [him] something to drink.”
“He helped out, he took out the garbage, he watched TV, he washed dishes,” he added. “He’d bring me something to drink. He was just normal in that sense.”
Barry spoke about whether he “had fears for his safety” while staying in the same house as Nick
Image credits: Barry Markowitz
The Reiners were “busy working and doing stuff,” and there wasn’t “anything strange” about their demeanor, Barry recalled.
He went on to say that Rob and Michele never had any reason to think their son would ever hurt them.
However, Nick himself once admitted he “wrecked” his guest house and “literally punched the TV” while high on illegal substances, during a 2018 appearance on the Dopey podcast.
Image credits: michelereiner
“[Rob] never had fears for his safety. I’m not in his head, but we talked. [Nick] wasn’t a violent type,” Barry said during his recent interview.
He said he slept in the “same house as Nick” and never thought his life was in danger.
“There was never a thought, I believe, in Rob’s head [that Nick was a danger.] If he would have thought his life was in peril at any point, he would have handled the situation,” he added.
“Rob never gave up. He tried everything” to help Nick with his reliance on substances
Image credits: michelereiner
Amid Nick’s public battle with illicit substances, his parents “gave him everything” and tried “a million things” to help him, Barry said.
“Rob never gave up. He tried everything. If you knew Rob, he was just a bundle of love,” he said before describing wife and mother Michele as the “kingpin,” the “strength,” and “the rock.”
With Nick now facing charges for the double homicide of his parents, Barry said he believes the son didn’t have any motive to hurt the victims.
“When somebody is mentally disturbed, you don’t need a reason. There’s no rhyme or reason,” he told the outlet. “Mental illness, that’s the reason.”
Rob was “like a brother” to him, said Barry who was “totally broken” over the tragic loss
Image credits: LawAndCrime
The grieving friend said Rob was “like a brother” to him and he was “totally broken” over the tragic loss.
“I can’t believe they’re not here,” he said. “I’m looking at the iPad, everything is Rob Reiner. I started crying…I want to call him up and say, ‘Hey, buddy.’”
Weeks after having a “blast” with the Reiners, Barry found it “puzzling” to see “the 360” degree change from all the love he saw in the house.
“I’m not here to judge anyone. L. O. V. E. is the only thing I saw, and I don’t think it was fake. They had a real bond,” he said.
“It’s just a sickness,” he added about Nick’s mental state. “That’s my verdict.”
Netizens were devastated over the news of the couple’s slayings
