“The Princess Bride” star Cary Elwes says he will remain in mourning long after the shocking deaths of beloved friend Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, earlier this month.
“Because my heart still aches every time I think of you, I know the grief of losing you too soon will likely never go away,” Elwes wrote Tuesday in an Instagram tribute to his longtime friends.
Elwes published his heartfelt remembrance of the Reiners more than two weeks after they were found dead in their Brentwood home on Dec. 14. “Enough time has passed that I can finally put my grief into words,” Elwes began his post.
The actor, 63, looked back on his time working with Reiner on 1987’s “The Princess Bride” and their relationship over the years since then, sharing behind-the-scenes footage from filming and a charming snippet from a reunion celebrating the 25th anniversary. He recalled meeting Reiner nearly 40 years ago when he was cast as Westley, the farmboy-turned-hero of the beloved fantasy film.
Elwes, who had been a Reiner fan before working with the filmmaker, wrote that “from that very first meeting I fell in love with him.”
The “When Harry Met Sally” and “Stand by Me” director was “someone I wanted in my life,” Elwes continued, recalling the filmmaker’s authenticity and efforts to find the best in people. Looking back on his time with Reiner on “The Princess Bride,” Elwes wrote, “I can’t remember a single day without laughter.”
The actor’s social media post also paid tribute to the Reiners’ relationship and their longtime devotion to progressive political causes. “In a town where many talk the talk, they truly walked it,” Elwes wrote.
Elwes celebrated Reiner’s effortless comedy and dedication to “finding the joy.” He also compared making Reiner laugh to winning the lottery.
“His laugh was one of the greatest sounds I’ve ever known,” Elwes wrote, “so heartfelt it still rings in my ears.”
Elwes and Reiner maintained a bond long after “The Princess Bride” and collaborated again in 2015 on “Being Charlie.” Nick Reiner, the filmmaker’s second son, co-wrote the movie about a successful actor with political ambitions and a son addicted to drugs. The younger Reiner, 32, has been charged with murdering his parents after years of struggling with addiction and other issues.
Elwes, the latest Hollywood figure to salute the Reiners, concluded his post channeling a memorable line from his “Princess Bride” character.
“Sure, death cannot stop true love,” he wrote, “but life is pain without you.”
