Hollywood star Rob Reiner found dead at home with wife Michele Singer

Hollywood filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner and his wife Michele have been found dead in their Los Angeles home in what police are investigating as an 'apparent homicide'.

Reiner, 78, was a prolific Hollywood director who helmed some of the most well-known movies of the 1980s and 1990s, including the legal thriller A Few Good Men in 1992 and the romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally in 1989, where he met Michele, a photographer and actress.

Police and firefighters were called to the couple's house in Brentwood, LA, on Sunday afternoon (14 December), and while a law enforcement official could not publicly discuss details of the investigation, they spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Investigators believe they suffered stab wounds, and a family member is being questioned, the official said. Police have said that no one has been arrested and no suspect or person of interest is currently being sought.

The Los Angeles Fire Department says it responded to a medical aid request shortly after 3.30pm on Sunday and found a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman dead inside.

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were reportedly found dead in their LA home (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

In a news conference on Sunday night, police did not provide any further details about the deaths. However, Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton did confirm that two bodies were still inside the house some six hours after first responders were called, and now they are securing a search warrant to carry out a 'full crime scene investigation'.

He said: "We’re waiting for the legal process to move forward. We have to obtain a search warrant for the residence.

"Once that is complied with, we will be conducting a full crime scene investigation on the interior and exterior of the residence and the surrounding neighbourhood.”

He also confirmed that the LA coroner's office would determine a cause of death.

Meanwhile, detectives with the Robbery Homicide Division were investigating an 'apparent homicide', said Captain Mike Bland with the Los Angeles Police Department.

As per the BBC, a family spokesperson said in a statement: "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner.

"We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time."

The couple got married in 1989 and had three children together (John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images)

California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement expressing his heartbreak over the deaths of Reiner and his wife, describing the director as the 'big-hearted genius behind so many of the classic stories we love'.

Elsewhere, tributes have been pouring in from people around the world.

Former president Barack Obama posted on Twitter that 'beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people - and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action'.

And Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass called Reiner’s death a devastating loss for the city, as she said in a statement: "Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice.

"An acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist, he always used his gifts in service of others."