Over the years, Nick has been candid about his struggles with substance abuse, which began when he was a teenager and led to 18 stays in rehab. The screenwriter had teamed up with his dad in 2015 to create the semi-autobiographical film Being Charlie, which depicts a father trying to help his son navigate his addiction battle.
“It’s reflected in the movie where the father character talks about how he didn’t know what to do, so he listened to anybody who had a desk and a diploma,” Rob told Entertainment Tonight in 2016. “I made mistakes and that I didn’t go with my gut instinct and the feel. And I know Nick better than some expert who’s never met him.”
In fact, the Spinal Tap director went on to share his regrets about how he handled Nick’s addiction in the past.
“Had I listened to my own instincts, I would have done a lot better by Nick. But you do what you do,” he continued. “You want to keep him safe. So, you do what they tell you. You feel you’re at their mercy. But what I feel after all of this is it’s not about punishing. If somebody is struggling and has difficulties, you don’t punish them for that. And I think a lot of these programs feel like the kid is being punished. And I don’t think that’s a great way to go.”