What did Michael Douglas reveal about Rob Reiner's private life? Actor recalls conversations about raising sons with addiction issues

Michael Douglas recalled a previous conversation he had with Rob Reiner about their similar struggles as parents a week after Reiner and his wife Michele were found dead in their home. He spoke about the "terrible tragedy" that happened to the couple during the December 21 CBS News' Rob Reiner: Scenes From a Life.

Douglas added: 

"We're realizing how much pressure he was dealing with in his personal life with his son."

He also shared that like Rob Reiner, he has a son, Cameron, who struggled with dr*gs. Cameron is his son with his ex-wife Diandra Luker.

Michael Douglas and Rob Reiner found kinship because of their shared struggle as parents and the former shared that they once discussed their shared experience. He said: 

"I also had a son who had dr*g issues. I'm happy to say he's overcome them and living a prosperous life. We did talk a lot about that and what you can do as a parent, what you can't do. Knowing with all of that going on behind the scenes, this was a man who always gave it his best."

Aside from their parental struggles, Michael Douglas and Rob Reiner also once shared the screen. They co-starred in the 1971 drama Summertree directed by Anthony Newley. Douglas also starred in two Reiner-directed films: The American President and And So It Goes. 

Rob Reiner receives tributes from colleagues in new CBS special

Michael Douglas is just one of the many in Hollywood who were friends or worked with Rob Reiner who delivered touching tributes to the late actor and director in the new CBS special. Rob Reiner: Scenes From a Life features the icon's "own thoughts on his work from CBS News' vast archive of interviews" and his last sit-down 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl last fall. 

The CBS special aired on Sunday at 8:30 am ET on CBS-TV and is now available for streaming on Paramount+. Several stars who worked with Reiner over his decades-long career were interviewed for the special.

One of them includes Mandy Patinkin. She starred in Reiner's The Princess Bride in 1997. Patinkin talked about his influence on her in the special: 

"Rob worked hard to try to get me [to be] the best human being I could be. One time he said to me, 'I just wish you could get out of your own way.' And I haven't been able to achieve that to this day, but I won't quit trying."

Matlock star Kathy Bates also reflected on her Oscar-winning role in Reiner's Misery elsewhere in the special. She said that if she hadn't done Misery, she wouldn't have the friends she has now and wouldn't have the richness in her life. 

Annette Bening, Albert Brooks, Kiefer Sutherland, and more also appeared in the CBS special. 

Rob Reiner's last film, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, was released in September. He also released the book A Fine Line Between Stupid and Clever: The Story of Spinal Tap that same month.