Cheryl Hines, best known for playing the long-suffering, yet effortlessly charming Cheryl David on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, has been a Hollywood fixture for over two decades. But for the past decade, she’s also been known as the wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., aka RFK Jr., the controversial politician, environmental lawyer, and now a key figure in Donald Trump’s administration.
Their marriage, filled with glamour, politics, and recent turmoil, has been closely watched—especially as Kennedy faced Senate confirmation hearings for his nomination as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
RFK Jr.’s Wife Cheryl Hines: Standing By Her Husband or Standing Alone?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s wife, Cheryl Hines, is a Hollywood actress best known for her role on Curb Your Enthusiasm. She married RFK Jr. in 2014, standing by her husband through his political shifts, including his endorsement of Donald Trump after suspending his own presidential campaign in 2024. However, their marriage has faced challenges, especially after reports surfaced that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a personal relationship with journalist Olivia Nuzzi.
Cheryl Hines is looking at Bobby with so much pride as he testifies. She had to blink back the tears. Bless that woman for being behind this man.
MAHA
MAGA pic.twitter.com/NCAYHSpsLB
— Gabrielle Clark (@GabsClark5) January 29, 2025
On January 29, 2025, Hines was spotted sitting directly behind her husband during his first Senate confirmation hearing, a moment that fueled curiosity about their marriage and her role in his political trajectory. The hearing itself was a tense affair, with Democratic Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon pressing Kennedy on his vaccine stance, a topic that has haunted his career for years.
Kennedy, at 71, has long been known for his controversial views on vaccines, pushing conspiracy theories that have drawn backlash from medical professionals and even his own family. Yet, despite the controversies, Kennedy has risen in the political ranks, having endorsed Trump in August 2024 after suspending his own presidential campaign.
Hines, 59, has largely avoided speaking about her husband’s politics but has been a constant presence by his side in recent months. She was there at Mar-a-Lago in November 2024 when Trump publicly announced Kennedy as his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Just a few months later, she attended the MAHA Inaugural Ball, celebrating both Trump’s return to the White House and Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement. It was a striking transformation for an actress who once described the political world as full of “savages” compared to the fun-loving Hollywood crowd.
Cheryl Hines: Supporting husband RFK Jr. despite differing political views pic.twitter.com/4Ds6hWV5Gi
— Graham Bensinger (@GrahamBensinger) January 29, 2025
Despite her public support, Hines and Kennedy’s marriage has been under strain, especially since September 2024, when she was spotted without her wedding ring. Around the same time, reports surfaced about Kennedy’s alleged affair with New York Magazine journalist Olivia Nuzzi. Although Kennedy has denied the allegations, speculation has persisted. A source even told People magazine in November that Hines was seriously contemplating divorce.
Their relationship began in a much simpler time. Hines met Kennedy in 2006 through Larry David at a ski fundraiser for the Waterkeeper Alliance. At the time, both were married to other people—Hines to producer Paul Young and Kennedy to Mary Richardson, his second wife. Their romance didn’t begin until 2011, after Kennedy and Richardson had separated. However, tragedy struck in 2012 when Richardson took her own life. By 2014, Hines and Kennedy were engaged, and they married that August at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The wedding was a star-studded affair, with guests including Larry David, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Senator Ed Markey.
Blending their families wasn’t easy. Hines has one daughter, Catherine, from her first marriage, while Kennedy has six children—Bobby III, Conor, Finn, Aidan, Kick, and Kyra—from his previous marriages. Over the years, they’ve presented a united front, but their differences have become increasingly public. Nowhere was this more evident than in 2022 when Kennedy made a shocking comparison between his anti-vaccine stance and Anne Frank’s experience during the Holocaust. The backlash was swift, and even Hines publicly condemned his remarks, calling them “reprehensible and insensitive.”
Does anyone truly think RFK Jr’s wife Cheryl Hines would allow him to drop out of the presidential race to endorse Trump?
“I think that’s your answer!” #Kennedy24 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/8B1AqzXAQ0
— goose 🪿 (@iamagoose69) August 22, 2024
Despite their differences, Hines has played a significant role in Kennedy’s political career. She supported his 2024 presidential campaign and, while she avoids discussing policy, she has had a say in some of his decisions—reportedly barring him from appearing on Steve Bannon’s show. Kennedy himself has acknowledged her influence, calling her “the ultimate arbiter on every discussion.”
Beyond politics, Hines has continued to build her own brand. In 2023, she launched an eco-friendly beauty line, Hines+Young, with her daughter, Catherine. The brand focuses on sustainability and eliminating single-use plastics, a cause she has become passionate about. She also remains active in Hollywood, recently wrapping up the final season of Curb Your Enthusiasm while exploring the new reality of her husband’s high-profile political life.
In case you’re interested, check out the reasons for RFK Jr.’s raspy voice.
