Paul McCartney Calls Rob Reiner's Death 'So Shocking, but for Me Especially So'

Paul McCartney mourned Rob Reiner and wife Michele’s deaths in an emotional Instagram post. McCartney praised Reiner’s work and recalled fond memories from filming 'Spinal Tap II.' 'Spinal Tap II' scene with McCartney was inspired by a real-life musical encounter.

Like many, Paul McCartney was shocked and saddened by the tragic news of the death of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele.

McCartney shared his grief in an Instagram post on Dec. 15 with a photo of him and the famed director on the set of Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, which featured a cameo by the former Beatle.

“What a tragedy the death of Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, is. It is so shocking in many ways but for me especially so, because over the last year I had been working with him. He directed me in ‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues’. He was such an upbeat, lovable man,” McCartney wrote.

“Life can be so unfair and this tragedy proves it. His father, Carl Reiner, was a great humourist before him and Rob followed in his dad’s footsteps doing a terrific job making many great films. I will always have fond memories of Rob and the idea that he and his wife will no longer be in the world with us is heartbreaking,” he added.

“Thanks for all the humour, Rob. Rest in Peace. Love Paul,” he signed off.

McCartney’s fans shared their memories of Reiner in the comments of his post.

“He was an amazing director and a good actor!! When harry met sally and spinal tap are two of my favourite films… such a terrible, tragic and sad sad end to their lives. 💔,” one wrote.

“So sad I join you in your loving words,” added another.

“So senseless! I’m so sad this happened. And for what? Praying for all our broken hearts. 💔,” another fan wrote.

In Spinal Tap II, McCartney visits the dysfunctional aging rockers in the studio as they’re preparing their comeback and final show and catches the ire of Michael McKean’s David St. Hubbins for agreeing with Christopher Guest’s Nigel Tufnel about a chord change. The scene was inspired by real life, Reiner revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

“We try to figure out what the idea is before we ask,” he explained. “In other words, we wouldn’t just ask people to do it just for the sake of it. Paul McCartney comes out of a very real thing that happened with him. The guys were rehearsing at this facility out in the Valley here in L.A. It was a big rehearsal facility. They had a number of bands, and the guys were rehearsing for a tour. They were about to go on, and Paul McCartney was in another studio rehearsing for his tour, and at one point, he just dropped in on them. He came in and said, ‘Hey fellas, sing us a song.’ And they wound up singing the worst version of ‘Start Me Up’ that ever lived. But the point is, we took that from reality. That’s something that actually happened.”

In the film, McCartney and Spinal Tap revive the band’s classic “Cups and Cakes,” originally featured in This Is Spinal Tap.

Source: Craig Rosen/Parade.com