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Rob Reiner<\/a>\u00a0received an emotional tribute at the 2026\u00a0Critics Choice Awards<\/a>, which took place less than a month after the director and his wife\u2019s tragic deaths.\u00a0Chelsea Handler<\/a>\u00a0was the host of the awards ceremony and finished her opening monologue by sharing heartfelt words about the late director.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone in this room knows that the nicest guy in Hollywood was Rob Reiner,\u201d Handler said. \u201cAnyone who ever spent time with Rob Reiner knows that the minute you met him, he felt like an old friend when you were in a conversation with him. He was present, he was focused, and he was funny, and he would ask you tons of questions, whether you were discussing politics or film or the latest beauty trends. He was all in after I sent him a text thanking him for dinner a few months ago. He texted me back and said, \u2018We had so much fun with you last night. Thanks for explaining so much about plastic surgery. It was very edifying.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, were found dead in their home on Dec. 14. The Oscar-nominated filmmaker of \u201cThe Princess Bride,\u201d \u201cThis Is Spinal Tap,\u201d \u201cMisery\u201d and more was 78 years old. Reiner\u2019s son, Nick, was arrested in connection with his parents\u2019 deaths.<\/p>\n \u201cRob and Michele were tireless in their efforts to so many important causes, all stemming from one basic idea: Decency, and that we should all look out for each other,\u201d Handler continued. \u201cI think we can all agree that we definitely need more of that. So let\u2019s use tonight as a reminder of that decency and as a reminder of everything Rob and Michele represented and fought so hard for.\u201d<\/p>\n In the aftermath of Reiner\u2019s death, many of his former collaborators issued statements honoring his legacy and friendship. A group of\u00a0his closest Hollywood friends, including\u00a0Billy Crystal<\/a>,\u00a0Larry David<\/a>, Martin Short and Albert Brooks, released a joint statement in which Reiner was praised not only as \u201ca great comic actor\u201d but also a \u201cmaster storyteller.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no other director who has his range,\u201d the statement read. \u201cFrom comedy to drama to \u2018mockumentary\u2019 to documentary, he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films. His comedic touch was beyond compare, his love of getting the music of the dialogue just right, and his sharpening of the edge of a drama was simply elegant.\u201d<\/p>\n Reiner\u2019s death continued to make national news when Donald Trump used Truth Social to attack the late director. The U.S. president alleged Reiner\u2019s death was \u201cdue to the anger he caused others\u201d\u00a0from being outspokenly anti-Trump. Hollywood\u00a0reacted by lambasting Trump<\/a>\u00a0for being cruel and insensitive.<\/p>\n\nPopular on Variety<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n