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‘Princess Bride’ star’s emotional tribute to Rob Reiner

Source: Radio New Zealand

The star of one of Rob Reiner’s most celebrated films, The Princess Bride, has posted a lengthy and loving tribute to the director and his wife, more than two weeks after they were found dead, saying he “can finally put my grief into words.”

Cary Elwes shared footage of the filming of the beloved 1987 film on his verified Instagram account, as well as a conversation with Reiner, who he described as “a brilliant filmmaker” whose laugh he loved.

“I was 24 when I first met Rob Reiner on The Princess Bride,” Elwes wrote. “And from that very first meeting I fell in love with him. I was already a fan of his work so meeting him in person was a dream come true.”

Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride (1987), directed by Rob Reiner.

Archives du 7eme Art / Photo12 via AFP

From that moment, Elwes said he “knew this was someone I wanted in my life.”

“I also knew that by casting me as Westley he was giving me the keys to the castle,” Elwes wrote.

Elwes portrays the film’s main character, who goes on a swashbuckling adventure to save the love of his life. It was a role so life changing for the actor that he penned the 2014 book As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride about his experience.

“The first thing I noticed about Rob was that he wore his heart on his sleeve. This was a man who felt deeply,” Elwes wrote on Instagram. “He wasn’t impressed by how much money you had or if you had a privileged upbringing. He just wanted to know if you were a ‘good guy.'”

From left, musician David Foster, actor Jim Carrey, actor Cary Elwes, and director and producer Rob Reiner attend the ‘As You Wish’ book launch on 6 October, 2014 in West Hollywood, California.

Ari Perilstein / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The Reiners were found dead in their Los Angeles home earlier this month. Their son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with their murders.

Reiner “loved his family and friends immensely,” Elwes wrote.

“He obviously loved making movies – and was clearly a brilliant filmmaker – but he told me what he really enjoyed the most was the experience itself. He used to say, ‘Once the movie is released it belongs to other people. But while you are making it, that’s your time on the planet, so you wanna make it good,'” the actor wrote. “And boy was my time with him on The Princess Bride beyond great. I can’t remember a single day without laughter. The movie is about love, loyalty and sacrifice. Things that Rob held dear.”

That made Reiner “the perfect person” to direct that now iconic film, Elwes said.

Cary Elwes and Robin Wright in The Princess Bride (1987), directed by Rob Reiner.

20TH CENTURY FOX / Archives du 7eme Art / Photo12 via AFP

He also mourned the death of Reiner’s wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who the director met while filming another of his celebrated movies, When Harry Met Sally…

“Besides being a gifted photographer she was an incredibly loving, intelligent person. Deeply passionate about her family and about lifting others up,” Elwes wrote. “To say that they were a great team would be an understatement. Their only interest in fame was that it allowed them to shine a light on causes they believed in, especially helping those who were marginalized.”

Elwes ended his note with condolences to the Reiner family as well as heartfelt gratitude for the couple.

“Thank you Rob and Michele for sharing your life and art with us,” he wrote. “Because my heart still aches every time I think of you, I know the grief of losing you too soon will likely never go away. Sure, death cannot stop true love but life is pain without you.”

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Update: Serious crash, State Highway 1, Ohau Point

Source: New Zealand Police

Police can now advise one person has died following a crash on State Highway 1 at Ohau Point this morning.

A second person sustained serious injuries and was airlifted to hospital.

Travel will be disrupted and motorists should plan for delays if they’re travelling on that road.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre. 

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Police investigating Teishallia Te Paea’s death, looking to speak with some who visited victim’s home

Source: Radio New Zealand

Police continue investigation into the killing of Teishallia Te Paea. RNZ / Nate McKinnon

Police say there are four people they want to speak to as they investigate the killing of Teishallia Te Paea.

Te Paea’s body was found at a house in the Hastings suburb of Camberley on 29 October and police said she was murdered in a targeted act of violence by someone known to her.

Detective Inspector Martin James said police wanted to speak to three males who, together, visited the victim’s Kotuku Street house in August or September.

They are also trying to identify another individual who arrived at the property in a dark-coloured van or similar vehicle during the same time period.

It was earlier revealed Te Paea’s body had likely gone undiscovered for several weeks.

A profiler from the police Behavioural Science Unit analysed the murder, which police said was committed in a unique way.

Police believe the killer may been acting differently in the weeks after Te Paea’s death and avoiding questions about their movements, using family and friends as protection, and being evasive.

They also believed the offender had knowledge of the Kotuku St property and attempts to conceal the crime were to create distance between them and Te Paea.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Weather: Parts of North Island still recovering from storm damage

Source: Radio New Zealand

Campers at Totaranui Abel Tasman National Park had a near miss when a tree came down on some of their tents during Tuesday’s storm. Supplied / Warwick Fitzsimmons

Residents in parts of Horowhenua are being urged to conserve water immediately after recent heavy rain and strong winds caused power outages.

The Horowhenua District Council said there was ongoing pressure on water and wastewater systems due to earlier power outages.

People in Foxton, Foxton Beach and Tokomaru have been asked to take shorter showers, avoid watering lawns, delay non-essential water use such as washing cars and outdoor cleaning.

“Power loss to several water and wastewater treatment plants has meant council has had to rely on emergency back-up generators to maintain essential services. In some locations, this has placed additional strain on operations,” the council said.

“The key concern at present is the combination of the busy New Year period and high visitor numbers. Foxton and Foxton Beach are experiencing low reservoir levels as demand increases.”

The council was able to truck additional water into the network as a precaution to protect supply and ensure contingency for firefighting if required.

Fences and trees are down on Tuesday in the Summerhill area of Palmerston North after a windy night. RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham

“However, this is a costly measure, and council is asking residents and visitors to help by using water wisely,” it said.

People were also asked to “follow the golden rule – if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down”.

Thunderstorms still possible

Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for much of the inland North Island Wednesday, from Northland through to Wellington.

MetService said conditions could become severe this afternoon, with downpours of up to 40mm per hour.

They were expected to affect Northland, Auckland, Waikato, through Waitomo and Taranaki, down to Manawatu and Kapiti-Horowhenua to Wellington.

The forecaster said driving conditions will be hazardous, and the rainfall could lead to slips and sudden flooding.

The watch was expected to be lifted at 10pm Wednesday night.

Power outages repair work underway

Power has now been partially restored in Shannon and Tokomaru townships, and work has been continuing across surrounding areas.

“Because a number of individual line and pole replacements are still required, some households may continue to be without power for a period while repairs are completed,” the council said.

More than 400 households in the North Island were still out of power due to the recent weather events, according to electricity distributor Powerco.

It said Manawatū and Thames-Coromandel are still the most affected regions and it’s unsure when power can be restored.

There were 202 households without power in Manawatū, and 198 in Thames-Coromandel through to South Waikato, the company said.

Crews from Electra respond to weather-related power outage damages in Tokomaru on Monday. Supplied / Facebook

Other affected areas include Wairarapa, Whanganui, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki.

A spokesperson from Powerco said field crews were out this morning and throughout the day conducting repairs, including clearing trees from lines and reconnecting downed lines.

“Due to the complexity of the repair work, Powerco is unable to give reconnection times to customers – we acknowledge this is frustrating especially for customers who have been without power since Monday,” the company said.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Part of SH1 blocked after crash

Source: Radio New Zealand

RNZ / Marika Khabazi

Two people have been seriously injured after a crash this morning on State Highway 1 north of Kaikōura.

The section of the road near Ohau Point is blocked after the two-vehicle crash just after 9.30am.

Travellers are asked to plan ahead.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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New Year Honours: Anglican priest Patricia Allan honoured for advocacy

Source: Radio New Zealand

Patricia Allan Supplied

An Anglican priest who has advocated for the victims of sexual abuse for decades has been recognised in the New Year Honours.

Reverend Dr Patricia Allan has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to the survivors of abuse.

In 1987 Reverend Allan was one of the first women to be ordained in the Anglican Church in New Zealand, and later became the West Coast’s first female vicar.

While she was preparing for ordination she learnt of sexual abuse and harassment within the Church, and started to act as an advocate for women who had been abused.

“I immediately recognised that my Church, like most others, was totally unprepared for such a revelation. The abuser was protected and the women blamed,” said Allan.

“So a lot of my work over the years has been trying to persuade them to be more open with their processes and things. And that came to a head with the Royal Commission.”

In 2018 Allan began a post-doctoral research project to look at how the Anglican Church in New Zealand had progressed in 30 years of dealing with sexual abuse.

That research was subpoenaed by the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, and she gave public testimony to the commission.

She said it had been satisfying to see the issues looked at by the Royal Commission and to see the changes that have come from it.

“In the Anglican Church in Christchurch there has been quite a lot of work done making sure that our safeguarding procedures are in place and that the complaint process is much more open.

“There is still work to be done, but there has been a pretty widespread acknowledgment of, we call it lament, real sorrow over what has happened in the past and a real desire for a happier future.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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State Highway 1 near Ohau Point blocked by serious crash

Source: New Zealand Police

State Highway 1 near Ohau Point is blocked following a serious crash this morning.

Police were notified at 9.38am that two vehicles had collided. 

Initial information from the scene is that two people have been seriously injured. An update on injury status will be provided as soon as we’re able.

Travel will be disrupted and motorists should plan for delays if they’re travelling on that road.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre. 

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Dog missing after yacht capsizes in Northland

Source: Radio New Zealand

A search is underway for a dog missing after a man was rescued from a capsized yacht in in Whananaki in Northland yesterday.

The police were called to the incident near Elizabeth Reef at around 5:10pm.

A police spokesperson said a dog was reportedly on the boat too, and to the best of their knowledge had not yet been located.

Reports on social media suggest the dog was a curly-coat retriever called Rimu who was wearing an orange life jacket.

Coastguard National Operations Centre confirmed it received reports from members of the public about the capsized yacht.

A spokesperson said the person onboard was assisted by a nearby vessel, so Coastguard Tutukaka was not required to launch.

A witness to the rescue described the man who went to help as a hero.

Paul Baragwanath, who was watching the sea with his mother Barbara from their accommodation, said they became concerned almost immediately.

“My mum was looking out at the sea and said the yacht shouldn’t be out there – it was too windy,” he said.

Rescuers came to the add of a capsized yacht on Sandy Bay Beach in Northland. Supplied

Moments later, the yacht appeared to strike the reef and come to an abrupt stop.

Baragwanath called police, but the vessel soon came free.

However about five minutes later, Baragwanath said the boat began pitching heavily before capsizing in rough seas.

Baragwanath rang police again as the situation escalated and a police helicopter was dispatched.

Before emergency services could reach the scene, Baragwanath said a man in a small runabout made its way across the open ocean toward the overturned yacht.

“He’s a very brave man because at any point his boat could have flipped.

“I think he’s a real hero.”

Police said the skipper was assessed by an ambulance on shore.

On Wednesday morning the yacht remained upside down on Sandy Bay Beach.

RNZ understands the search for Rimu continues.

Rescuers came to the add of a capsized yacht on Sandy Bay Beach in Northland. Supplied

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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George Clooney becomes French citizen

Source: Radio New Zealand

Actor George Clooney and his family have been granted French citizenship, official government documents show, after he has previously voiced concern about raising his children amid the glitz of Hollywood.

A gazette notice listing all new French naturalisations, released on Saturday, includes Clooney – as well as his wife, Amal Clooney, and their twin children, Alexander and Ella.

Clooney, who also holds US citizenship, and Amal, a British-Lebanese humanitarian lawyer, are already well familiar with their new adopted country. Though they also have homes in England and near his family in Kentucky, their primary residence is a farm in France, the actor told the New York Times in February.

“Growing up in Kentucky, all I wanted to do was get away from a farm, get away from that life,” Clooney told the paper. “Now I find myself back in that life. I drive a tractor and all those things. It’s the best chance of a normal life.”

He made similar comments in an interview with Esquire in October.

“I was worried about raising our kids in LA, in the culture of Hollywood,” Clooney said. “I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life. France – they kind of don’t give a s**t about fame,” he added.

“I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids,” he said.

The actor and director has long been vocal about his privacy concerns surrounding his family, and in 2021 wrote an open letter urging the media to keep his children’s faces out of the press for their safety.

France has strong privacy protection laws: it’s illegal to photograph someone in a private place, or disclose personal information like their home addresses or phone numbers. It’s also illegal to publish pictures of celebrities in public places unless that appearance is related to their position as public figures.

When paparazzi in France try to photograph celebrities during their personal time, outside of media appearances, “the celebrity’s security or assistant will take a picture or video of the paparazzi,” litigation attorney Chassen Palmer wrote in a 2020 article in the California Western International Law Journal.

“Later, the picture and/or video are sent to the celebrity’s attorney, and the local media outlets are informed that the celebrity will seek civil damages if the photograph or video is published,” which has “largely deterred taking photographs of celebrities out in public,” he wrote.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Eight Pasifika recipients in New Year Honours

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ex-All Black Eroni Clarke sings the national anthem before the All Blacks v Australia 2025 Rugby Championship test match at Eden Park om 27 September 2025 Photosport / Brett Phibbs

The New Year 2026 Honours List for Aotearoa includes eight Pasifika recipients this year.

Leading the accolades for the Member of The New Zealand Order of Merit MNZM is All Blacks great Saveatama Eroni Clarke for services to the Pacific community and rugby.

He is recognised for his continuing services to rugby, Pacific leadership and mental health services.

“This is such a humbling moment for me to even accept an award like this I mean it’s something that we’ve been handled the mantle from our previous generations to take on and run with it,” Saveatama said.

He said he is grateful for the acknowledgement and owes it all to his family especially his wife Siala.

“She’s been my right arm, she’s been my strength and my children have been the source of my motivation and my focus and for me I live and breathe them,” Saveatama said.

Also receiving the MNZM are Mrs Mokafetu Smith for Services to Pacific Art and Jade Carlo Farrar for services to people with disabilities and the Pacific community.

“For me it’s an acknowledgement that there is amazing insight, talent and skill within the disability community we have a lot to offer and we can have a positive impact on the future, that’s what it means to me,” an emotional Jade Carlo Farrar said.

The fourth recipient for the MNZM is Professor Tracie Mafile’o from Palmerston North who was recognised for contributions to Pacific and tertiary education.

“This is an encouragement I think to keep me going, it’s an affirmation of the work not only that I do but that others do in the space of working with and for our Pasifika spaces and community,” Professor Mafile’o said.

Pasifika recipients of the King’s Service Medal KSM this year are:

Ms Aere Anne Nicholas for services to the community.

Sailauama Cheryl Talamaivao for services to the Pacific community and education.

Reverend Wayne Saunoa Moegagogo Toleafoa for services to the Pacific community.

And Mrs Enatuleni Ikitoa Polima for services to the Niuean community.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand