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In a heartfelt piece for The New York Times on Tuesday, author Stephen King penned a touching tribute to director Rob Reiner, following the tragic murder of Reiner and his wife over the weekend.
The acclaimed author of “It” and “Carrie” reminisced about a memorable invitation from Reiner in 1985 to view a preliminary version of “Stand by Me” at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The film was an adaptation of King’s 1982 novella “The Body.”
King shared how profoundly moved he was by seeing the film for the first time, noting how skillfully Reiner had brought his autobiographical tale to life on screen.
“After the screening, I found myself thanking Rob and, to my own surprise, giving him a hug,” King recounted.
“Hugs aren’t typically my style, and Rob seemed equally taken aback. He stiffened slightly, muttered something about being glad I enjoyed it, and then we both stepped back,” King added.
He continued, “I apparently wasn’t done feeling my feelings. I went into the nearest men’s bathroom and sat in a stall until I got myself under control. Nostalgia can be dangerous when it’s up close. I don’t exactly know what I mean by that, but it feels true.”
Reiner went on to direct the 1990 film “Misery,” based on King’s 1987 novel of the same name. King wrote that he was “equally delighted with that film but not as emotionally wrecked by it.”
King added that at Reiner’s request, he also took part in a documentary “about how little liking we had for Donald Trump.”
“Rob took a lot of brickbats and slurs for it on Twitter with his customary grace. (I refuse to call it X; that’s for porno films.) He was a political presence, a social commentator and a wicked satirist. But all that still pales for me when I watch Chris Chambers say to the weeping Gordie Lachance: ‘You’re gonna be a great writer someday.’ That weeping boy was me. It was Rob Reiner who put it on the screen,” King wrote.
Reiner was found dead along with his wife Michelle Sunday inside their Los Angeles mansion.
Their son, Nick Reiner, was arrested Sunday night on suspicion of murdering his parents.
Family friends informed the Los Angeles Times that Nick had gotten in an argument with his parents at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party Saturday evening and was behaving strangely before their deaths.