Nick Reiner said he had been in and out of rehab “like 17 or 18 times.” The figure is his approximate recollection, not an independently verified count; the CNN transcript records him answering that way when asked how many times he had been in and out of rehabilitation.
What Nick Reiner said about rehab
In a CNN interview transcript dated Jan. 1, 2026, Reiner was asked, “How many times have you been in and out of rehab?” He replied: “I’ll be honest, it’s been like 17 or 18 times.” The wording matters: “like” signals an estimate, so “at least 18” is a rounded headline description, not a documented tally. Read the CNN transcript.
The reviewed reporting does not independently verify how many rehabilitation stays Reiner had. The clearest basis for the number is Reiner’s own approximate account.
His reported struggles with addiction and homelessness
The Los Angeles Times reported that Reiner cycled in and out of rehabilitation and experienced homelessness during his teenage years. In the Times’ retrospective, he described quitting heroin: “I got sick of doing that,” he said, adding that he was not supposed to be “out there on the streets and in homeless shelters.” The paper reported that he had gotten clean by 2015. Los Angeles Times account.
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In a 2016 interview account, The Howard Stern Show also reported that Reiner had lived in a homeless shelter in Maine and had been living on the street by age 18. The Howard Stern Show’s account.
What Rob Reiner said about the family’s decisions
Rob Reiner later reflected that his family had not listened when Nick said rehabilitation programs were not working for him. “When Nick would tell us that it wasn’t working for him, we wouldn’t listen,” he said in an interview quoted by the Los Angeles Times. Rob said the family had been influenced by credentialed counselors. This is his account of the family’s choices, not a general recommendation about addiction treatment. Los Angeles Times retrospective.
How the experience informed Being Charlie
Rob directed Being Charlie, and Nick co-wrote it. The film drew on elements of their experience, but it is not a complete factual record of the family’s story. The Associated Press reported that the movie included elements of their story and quoted Rob saying, “It forced us to understand ourselves better than we had.” TIME described it as loosely based on Nick’s teenage addiction and homelessness. Associated Press; TIME.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is and is not established
The available accounts establish that Nick Reiner described repeated rehab stays and gave an approximate estimate of “like 17 or 18 times.” They do not independently confirm the total or establish his current recovery status. The Los Angeles Times reported he had gotten clean by 2015, but that earlier milestone does not establish his status today.
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