As Hollywood grieves the devastating loss of beloved director, writer and actor Rob Reiner, “New Girl” creator Liz Meriwether and star Zooey Deschanel paid tribute to the sitcom guest star, with Deschanel calling him the “warmest, funniest, most generous of spirits.”
“My heart is broken,” Deschanel, who played Reiner’s on-screen daughter in the Fox sitcom, wrote in a Monday social media tribute. “Rob Reiner was the absolute warmest, funniest, most generous of spirits. A truly good human being. An incredible artist and such a playful and fun collaborator. I cherish the time we spent working together and the many films he made that have shaped who I am.
“Rob and his lovely wife Michele were always so kind and it brought me so much joy any time I was lucky enough to see them,” she continued. “I’m absolutely devastated. Sending so much love to their family and friends.”
Meriwether paid tribute to Reiner, who played Jess’ dad, Bob, in 11 episodes, as “kind, hilarious, generous and game to do anything — including wearing a fez and driving around in a mini car.”
“He entertained everyone between takes with his memories and wisdom,” the TV creator wrote in a Monday post. “‘Princess Bride’ was imprinted on my brain, and ‘When Harry Met Sally’ made me want to make movies and tell love stories. I’m so sad this morning.”
Hannah Simone, who starred in “New Girl” as Jess’ best friend, Cece, also posted on her Instagram story Monday morning, saying, “There are no words. Beyond heartbroken and shocked.” She called Reiner “one of the most deeply kind human beings I have ever spent time with.”
Tributes for Reiner have been flooding in across Hollywood and beyond since Sunday evening, when Reiner and his wife, Michele, were found dead in their Brentwood home from apparent stab wounds. The filmmaker, who was behind some of history’s most formative movies, from “This Is Spinal Tap” to “When Harry Met Sally,” was 78.
By early Monday morning, the Reiners’ son, Nick Reiner, was taken into police custody as a suspect in the case.
The post ‘New Girl’ Remembers Rob Reiner: ‘Warmest, Funniest, Most Generous of Spirits,’ Zooey Deschanel Says appeared first on TheWrap.
