James Woods praises ‘patriot’ Rob Reiner, slams insults of slain director as ‘infuriating’

Actor and outspoken Hollywood conservative James Woods grew emotional Monday night as he paid tribute to filmmaker Rob Reiner, condemning what he described as “infuriating and distasteful” attacks directed at the slain director.

Speaking on Fox News Channel, Woods did not name anyone directly, but his remarks came just hours after President Donald Trump publicly mocked and criticized Reiner following news of his death. Reiner was found dead inside his Los Angeles home on Sunday.

President Trump first took to social media to place blame on Reiner, a progressive activist and longtime supporter of the Democratic Party. Later, he told a reporter that Reiner was “a deranged person” who “was very bad for our country.”

“When people say horrible things about Rob right now, I find it, quite frankly, infuriating and distasteful,” Woods, 78, told Fox host Jesse Watters, fighting back tears.

“Did I agree with his politics? No,” Woods said. “But did I love him as a friend, as an artist, as an icon of Hollywood, and as a patriot? Absolutely. I’m devastated by this tragedy, especially for his family.”

Woods worked with Reiner on the 1996 film Ghosts of Mississippi, which earned Woods an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film also starred Alec Baldwin and Whoopi Goldberg.

“At a very low point in my career, Rob literally saved me,” Woods said. “He fought for me when the studio didn’t want me in the movie and put my career back on track.”

In the film, Woods portrayed Byron De La Beckwith, a Ku Klux Klan member who murdered civil rights leader Medgar Evers in 1963 and was not convicted until more than 30 years later. Woods said Reiner believed in him for the role despite widespread skepticism.

“I was 32 years too young for the part, but Rob believed I could do it,” Woods said. “That decision changed my life.”

Woods added that he often defended Reiner among fellow conservatives.

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🚨 MUST WATCH: Legendary Actor JAMES WOODS gets EMOTIONAL when talking about ROB REINER’S MURDER 🚨

“Rob literally SAVED my CAREER and really put me back on track in a way that was so important and rewarding in my life” 🤯

“People would go, ‘How is it that you and Rob Reiner… pic.twitter.com/XTCc0LYkfR

— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) December 16, 2025

“When people asked me about his politics, I always said, ‘Rob Reiner is a great patriot,’” Woods said. “We disagreed on how to get there, but we loved the same country. He respected my patriotism, and I respected his.”

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found fatally stabbed in their Brentwood home Sunday afternoon, according to a source close to the family. Their younger son, Nick Reiner, was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder.

Woods was not alone in condemning the harsh political rhetoric surrounding the tragedy. Several Republican lawmakers publicly criticized President Trump’s comments.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., wrote on X that the killings were “a family tragedy, not about politics,” emphasizing the pain left behind for the Reiners’ surviving children and urging empathy.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said, “Regardless of political views, no one should be subjected to violence. This is a horrible tragedy that deserves compassion.”

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., also condemned the remarks, calling them “inappropriate and disrespectful” in the wake of a brutal murder.

“This should be met with sympathy, not political attacks,” Massie wrote.

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