Nick has been candid over the years about his struggle with substance abuse, which began as a teenager and ended with 18 stays in rehab. The screenwriter previously collaborated with his father in 2015 to produce Being Charlie, a semi-autobiographical film about a father trying to help his son battle addiction.
“It’s reflected in the scene in the movie where the father character says he didn’t know what to do and listened to the guy with the desk and the credentials,” Rob told Entertainment Tonight in 2016. “I’ve made mistakes and I’ve not followed my instincts and feelings. And I know Nick better than any expert who has never met him.”
In fact, the Spinal Tap director continues to regret his past handling of Nick’s addiction.
“If I had listened to my instincts, I would have done better thanks to Nick, but you do what you have to do,” he continued. “You want to protect your child, so you do what they tell you to do. You feel like you’re at their mercy. But what I’ve felt through all of this is don’t punish. If someone is struggling and having a difficult time, you don’t punish them for that. And I think a lot of these programs make kids feel like they’re being punished, and I don’t think that’s a good way to go about it.”
