Jake and Romy Reiner Make Rare Public Appearance and Share an Emotional Speech Honoring Parents Rob and Michele Reiner at Cape & Gown Gala

Jack SmartMon, November 9, 2026 at 10:29 PM UTC

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Jake Reiner, Romy Reiner and Jamie Lee Curtis at the 8th Annual Cape & Gown Gala on Nov. 8Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty -

Jake and Romy Reiner honored their parents, Rob and Michele, at the Children’s Institute’s Cape & Gown Gala on Nov. 8

The late couple was celebrated by their family and Jamie Lee Curtis, recipient of the inaugural Michele and Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award

Rob and Michele Reiner were found dead in December 2025; their son Nick faces first-degree murder charges

Rob and Michele Reiner are being honored by their children.

At the Children’s Institute’s Cape & Gown Gala at Los Angeles’ Beverly Wilshire on Sunday, Nov. 8, the late couple’s children Jake and Romy made a rare public appearance, giving an emotional speech about their parents’ legacy of activism.

They presented the inaugural Michele and Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award to the family’s longtime friend Jamie Lee Curtis.

“I love the name for this award: Champion for Change. That’s what our parents stood for. They were never satisfied with the status quo; they were always champions for change to make the world better,” Jake, 35, said while presenting the award. “The work my parents did for children started at home, creating a loving environment for us from the moment I was born and long after Romy was born.”

Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner at the 8th Annual Cape & Gown Gala on Nov. 8Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty

“Jamie is someone who believes in the good in people, and will do everything in her power to make a situation right,” Romy, 28, continued of the Oscar winner. “She will move mountains not just because she can, but because she feels that it is the right thing to do. Her love and generosity during this time have meant more to me than she’ll ever know.”

She added, “Her and her husband Chris have shown up for me in ways that not many people have. And for that, I feel very special to be on the receiving end of their love. I never had a connection as deep or knew them quite as well until now. I truly feel there isn’t a person better to receive this than Jamie. She is a beautiful soul inside and out and I feel honored that she is accepting this award.”

Curtis, 67, who was a close friend of the Reiners, went on to accept the trophy from Jake and Romy, joining them onstage.

“Rob and Michele lived so fiercely, so loudly,” she said.

Romy Reiner and Jake Reiner at the 8th Annual Cape & Gown Gala on Nov. 8Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty

Martine Singer, sister of Michele, is the Children’s Institute’s president and CEO. The first annual gala benefiting the organization “celebrates individuals whose humanitarianism has helped put opportunity within reach for thousands of children and families,” according to the event’s website.

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“Their love was generous, fierce and unconditional: if they loved you, you knew it,” Singer said of her late sister and brother-in-law in a speech. “Michele and Rob were a force field. Our mission is to continue expressing that outrage, that sense of urgency, and do something with our own loud voices. That’s how we amplify the genius and the power of their work.”

John Mayer at the 8th Annual Cape & Gown Gala on Nov. 8Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty

The event, hosted by Chelsea Handler, included a music performance by John Mayer. Per a release, it raised $4 million for the Children’s Institute.

Rob and Michele were found dead in their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14, 2025. Their son Nick Reiner was soon arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths.

He is currently being held without bail at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in solitary confinement. In August, Nick was indicted on both charges and pled not guilty.

If convicted, Nick’s charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest at the 8th Annual Cape & Gown Gala on Nov. 8Credit: Joe Scarnici/Getty

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The Michele and Rob Reiner Champion for Change Award recognizes the Reiners’ “lifelong commitment to improving the lives of children and families and strengthening communities across Los Angeles, throughout California and beyond,” according to a statement shared before the event.

Founded in 1906, the Children’s Institute “provides early childhood education, mental health services, and whole-family support to approximately 30,000 children and families across Los Angeles County each year,” per a release.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”