Actor Michael Douglas said he often discussed parenting a child with addiction alongside director Rob Reiner. Douglas revealed this in a television special about Reiner's life, referencing the recent tragic deaths of Reiner and his wife, Michele. Their son Nick, who has publicly discussed drug problems, now faces charges for the double murder. Douglas related through his own experience with his son Cameron's past substance abuse, which his son has since overcome. He described conversations with Reiner about the limits of parental help during such struggles.
Douglas also noted a shared background growing up with famous fathers, his being actor Kirk Douglas, and Reiner's being comedian Carl Reiner. He suggested that pressure to live up to a legacy, like being as funny as your dad or as commanding as Spartacus, built a unique tenacity in Reiner. Fellow actor Kathy Bates also appeared in the special, crediting Reiner with changing her life by casting her in the film Misery. She compared the opportunity to the plot of the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life, saying her career would have been entirely different without his belief in her.
Douglas also noted a shared background growing up with famous fathers, his being actor Kirk Douglas, and Reiner's being comedian Carl Reiner. He suggested that pressure to live up to a legacy, like being as funny as your dad or as commanding as Spartacus, built a unique tenacity in Reiner. Fellow actor Kathy Bates also appeared in the special, crediting Reiner with changing her life by casting her in the film Misery. She compared the opportunity to the plot of the classic movie It's a Wonderful Life, saying her career would have been entirely different without his belief in her.
