Sally Struthers Recently Shared an Odd Encounter With Rob Reiner That Led To Them Never Speaking Again

Since Rob Reiner’s tragic and unexpected death, much of Hollywood has stepped forward to tell stories of the beloved director and actor. People who worked with the A-lister decades ago have shared how deeply he impacted their careers. Still, not everyone has chosen to speak out. Sally Struthers, who played Reiner’s on-screen wife in All in the Family, has remained off social media since the news broke. She did discuss Reiner back in April, though. While she insisted he was a genius, she did recall a strange encounter that left her feeling disconnected and unsure of where she and her former co-star stood.

Sally Struthers said an interaction with Rob Reiner in 2003 left her confused and embarrassed

Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner basically grew up together on the set of All in the Family. When they appeared on the show together, they were both young actors trying to figure things out. Their careers exploded at the same time because of the show, and they were close friends while filming. Sally Struthers thought they maintained some form of connection, but admitted an odd encounter in 2003 proved they were nothing more than strangers.

Struthers coincidentally discussed Rob Reiner during an interview with Celebrity Drop just months before his untimely death.  Struthers said that in 2003, she saw her former co-star at a premiere and ran up to him to say hello. She said he was stiff and almost robotic, speaking to her as if they didn’t know each other and keeping her at arm’s length. In her retelling of events, Struthers seems just as bewildered by the interaction today as she was 20 years ago. Still, she insists she has no idea what happened or why Reiner reacted so strangely. They did reconnect on stage in 2024 for a tribute to All in the Family. That was all business, though. They never had another friendly conversation. Sturthers said the interaction was so embarrassing for her that she wouldn’t have dreamt of trying to interact again.

Could a past love interest have soured the friendship?

Struthers admitted she wondered whether a past interaction might have influenced how Reiner treated her when they ran into each other all those years later. Reiner’s first wife suspected something was going on between them. Struthers recalled showing up to work for All in the Family and being pulled aside by Reiner for a serious chat. She said the actor told her not to say hello to Penny Marshall when she arrived as a member of the audience. Strethers pushed for an explanation, at which point Reiner admitted that Marshall believed Strethers and Reiner were having an affair. Struthers theorized during the interview that Reiner may have reacted so stiffly to prove to his second wife that there was nothing going on with Struthers and that there never was.

Penny Marshall and Rob Reiner were married from 1971 until 1981. Despite Marshall suspecting that Struthers and Reiner were sleeping together, the divorce was amicable. Marshall and Reiner remained coparents and friends for many years afterward. Struthers was adamant that she never had any romantic interest in Reiner.

Struthers will never know what led Rob Reiner to react so coldly towards her in 2003. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed inside their Brentwood home on December 14. The pair were married for more than 35 years. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested in connection with the crime.