Cheryl Hines is a successful actress, director, producer, and podcast host, but the Hollywood starlet may be gearing up to add First Lady to her long list of impressive roles.
The 57-year-old’s husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced this week that he’s officially challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
If RFK Jr. does become the United States’ 47th president, he and his wife will be under a fierce microscope – but a life in the spotlight is actually one that Cheryl is already very accustomed to.
Cheryl grew up in Florida but headed to Los Angeles after college to pursue her dreams of being an actress. However, relocating to Hollywood with ‘nothing’ was not easy for the star, and she struggled to break into the industry while working a series of odd jobs.
Cheryl Hines is a successful actress, director, producer, and podcast host, but the Hollywood starlet may be gearing up to add First Lady to her long list of impressive roles
The 57-year-old’s husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced this week that he’s officially challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination for the 2024 election
If RFK Jr. does become the United States’ 47th president, he and his wife will be under a fierce microscope – but a life in the spotlight is one that Cheryl is already very accustomed to
As RFK. Jr. announces his run for president, FEMAIL rounded up everything you need to know about his second half, who may very well become the next First Lady
But in 2000, she quickly shot to stardom after she was cast as Larry David’s wife in Curb of Enthusiasm – a role she got after completely blowing the comedian away during her audition.
Curb launched a booming career for Cheryl, who has now been nominated for two Emmys and has starred in a slew of well-known movies and TV shows, while also continuing her role in the HBO sitcom for 11 seasons.
From her own journey to stardom and impressive achievements to what it’s really like to join the ‘intimidating’ Kennedys, here’s all the details on RFK. Jr.’s wife, Cheryl
She has also expanded into directing and producing, launched her own podcast, and is a doting mother-of-one to her 19-year-old daughter from her first marriage.
By the time Cheryl met RFK Jr. – who is the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy – in 2011, she was already a well-established star. It was her Curb co-star Larry who actually introduced them, and it seemed to be a match made in Hollywood heaven.
She and the politician often gush over one another online – but Cheryl made it clear in 2022, after RFK Jr. came under fierce fire for making a series of anti-vax comments, that they don’t agree on everything.
At the time, she wanted everyone to know that her husband’s ‘opinions are not a reflection of her own’ and that their thoughts on ‘current issues’ often ‘differ.’
Being married to a Kennedy certainly comes with a lot of perks – and Cheryl loves to flaunt her lavish lifestyle online.
She often jets off on glamorous getaways – and she also has racked up a slew of famous friends and has mingled with some of the top politicians on the globe along the way – most notably, she once revealed that she had lemonade with Cuban leader Fidel Castro at his house.
As RFK. Jr. announces his run for president, FEMAIL rounded up everything you need to know about his second half, who may very well become the next First Lady.
From her own journey to stardom and impressive achievements to what it’s really like to join the ‘intimidating’ Kennedys, here’s all the details on RFK. Jr.’s wife, Cheryl.
Cheryl’s rise to fame: After college, she headed to Hollywood with ‘nothing’ and struggled to become an actress – working a series of odd jobs before she landed her breakthrough role in Curb of Enthusiasm
Cheryl (seen in high school) grew up in a Catholic household in Tallahassee, Florida, and after graduating from the University of Central Florida, she headed to LA to try to become a star
She said she arrived in Hollywood with ‘nothing’ and worked a series of odd jobs while struggling to make it as an actress. She is seen during her early years in LA
Cheryl worked as a waitress, a telephone operator, a TV reporter, and the personal assistant to actor Rob Reiner (seen together in 2006) before she launched her successful on-screen career
Cheryl grew up in a Catholic household in Tallahassee, Florida, and she knew she wanted to be an actress from a young age.
She became a member of the Young Actors Theater during high school, and when she headed to the University of Central Florida for college, she studied radio and television production.
While chatting on the Here’s the Thing podcast last year, she recalled being told by one of her bosses that she’d need to ‘get a boob job’ if she wanted to be a star, but she decided not to. She is seen in 2001
After graduating, she headed to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams. However, it wasn’t easy for Cheryl to break into the industry – and she worked a series of odd jobs while struggling to make it as an actress.
She recalled arriving in Hollywood with practically ‘nothing’ to NicholsonStudentMedia.com last year, but she insisted that it drove her to work even harder.
‘Growing up, I didn’t want to be the girl with no money because I wanted to be this sophisticated girl that grew up in Manhattan,’ she admitted. ‘But that’s not who I am.
‘I am a person who grew up in Central Florida that didn’t have anything, and that’s what makes me interesting.’
Cheryl worked as a waitress, a telephone operator, a TV reporter, and the personal assistant to actor Rob Reiner before she finally launched her successful on-screen career.
She also dabbled in comedy, and would perform improv at The Groundlings Theater in LA, alongside Lisa Kudrow.
While chatting on the Here’s the Thing podcast last year, she recalled being told by one of her bosses that she’d need to ‘get a boob job’ if she wanted to be a star.
‘At that time, I hadn’t even thought about it – and it did not seem like it was necessary,’ she said.
‘I went home and started thinking about all the actresses that I really admired and whether breast size had anything to do with it. Like, “Goldie Hawn doesn’t have big ones.”‘
Ultimately she decided, ‘I don’t think those are the parts I’m going for. I’m not dying to be on Baywatch.’
Her early roles included guest appearances in the shows Swamp Thing, Unsolved Mysteries, and Friends – before she landed her breakthrough part in Curb of Enthusiasm (seen)
She starred as Larry David’s wife, Cheryl David, and the actor revealed that he had auditioned with 15 other women, but as soon as he met Cheryl, he knew she was meant for the role
Her early roles included guest appearances in the shows Swamp Thing, Unsolved Mysteries, Suddenly Susan, and Friends – before she landed her breakthrough part in Curb of Enthusiasm as Larry’s fictional wife, Cheryl David.
While speaking to NBC News in 2007, Larry recalled the moment he realized that she was perfect for the role.
He explained to the outlet that he had auditioned with 15 other women, but as soon as he met Cheryl, he knew his search was over.
‘I made up this scenario, and I think the scene was that I told her I’d given up chicken,’ he recalled of her audition.
‘And I ask her what’s for dinner and she says “chicken.” When I complained, I just loved the way she handled it.
‘She didn’t get angry. She actually made me laugh, and when that happened, it was all over.’
The actor added: ‘I can’t say enough good things about her. She’s unoffendable. And she has less ego than anybody I’ve ever worked with.
‘She knows exactly where to take a scene to make it funny, and she’ll sacrifice herself completely for the scene.
‘She knows that it’s more important for the scene to be funny than for her to get a laugh.’
Cheryl went on to be nominated for two Emmy Awards for her role in Curb of Enthusiasm, as well as two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Her fierce passion for giving back: Aside from being a successful actress, Cheryl has also become an avid poker player – but only participates in tournaments that are for charity
After that, Cheryl’s acting career soared. She went on to star in the RV (left), Waitress, Labor Pains, In the Motherhood, Brothers & Sisters, Suburgatory (right), and The Flight Attendant
In addition, the actress is also an avid poker player and has participated in a slew of celebrity tournaments over the years
After that, Cheryl’s acting career soared. She went on to star in the movie RV (alongside Robin Williams), the comedy-drama Waitress, Labor Pains (which also starred Lindsay Lohan), ABC sitcom In the Motherhood, drama series Brothers & Sisters, the show Suburgatory, rom-com About Fate, Christmas comedy A Bad Moms Christmas, and thriller series The Flight Attendant opposite Kaley Cuoco).
She is now also a successful director and producer, and directed the movie Serious Moonlight, which starred Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Kristen Bell, and Justin Long.
She has also served as a panelist on the singing game show I Can See Your Voice since 2020, and is the host of a podcast, called Tig and Cheryl: True Story, alongside comedian Tig Notaro.
In addition to all of that, the actress is also an avid poker player and has participated in a slew of celebrity tournaments over the years.
She told America’s Card Room in 2018 that she got into the card game while she was expecting her daughter, since being pregnant forced her to take a break from working.
However, Cheryl only plays in tournaments that are for charity – since she’s fiercely passionate about giving back
She focuses on organizations that raise money for families affected by cerebral palsy, something that hits close to home because her nephew (seen) suffers from the condition
‘Truth be told, when I was pregnant I didn’t have much to do and I wasn’t feeling that great, so I learned to play poker,’ she explained. ‘I was playing a lot of video poker then because there was not much else to do.
‘Once I had my baby I could actually go play with real people. It was very exciting. Once you start playing poker you meet other people with similar interests and you connect with them. You find your poker friends.’
However, Cheryl only plays in tournaments that are for charity – since she’s fiercely passionate about giving back.
Specifically, she focuses on organizations that raise money for families affected by cerebral palsy, something that hits close to home for her because her own nephew suffers from the condition.
She also serves on the Board of Trustees of United Cerebral Palsy.
‘My brother and sister-in-law gave birth to their second son, a beautiful two-pound baby named Michael. Because he was born prematurely, he really had to fight for his life,’ she told Brain & Life in 2007.
‘Later, when he was about a year-and-a-half old, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.’
Cheryl and RFK Jr.’s romance: The actress was introduced to the politician by her Curb co-star Larry – and while they love to gush over each online, she made it clear that she doesn’t agree with everything her husband says amid his controversial anti-vax comments
Cheryl was married to a man named Paul Young from 2002 until 2010. Together, they welcomed a daughter, named Catherine. Cheryl, Paul, and Catherine are seen with RFK Jr.
Cheryl’s daughter (seen with Cheryl throughout her childhood), now 19, mostly stays out of the spotlight – her social media accounts are all set to private
But Catherine does pop up on her mother’s feed sometimes, and it seems as though they’re very close
Cheryl was married once before she felt for RFK Jr. She wed the head of management firm Principato-Young, Paul Young, in December 2002, and together, they welcomed a daughter, named Catherine Rose Young, on March 8, 2004.
They divorced in 2010, however, after eight years of marriage.
Cheryl’s daughter, now 19, mostly stays out of the spotlight – her social media accounts are all set to private – but she does pop up on her mother’s feed sometimes, and it seems as though they’re very close.
‘Happy Birthday Cat! You can’t even imagine how much I love and adore you,’ Cheryl gushed on Instagram in honor of her daughter’s birthday last month. ‘Through thick and thin baby! We’ve got each other. I love you.’
And when the teen graduated from high school in June 2022, the star shared another touching tribute to her.
‘It all happened so fast,’ she captioned a carousel of photos of Cat over the years. ‘One day we’re twirling around in teacups and the next day you’re graduating from high school.
‘Cat, my beautiful girl, I’m so proud of you. You’re everything. You’re smart, bold, beautiful, funny, thoughtful – and you just radiate light.’
‘You can’t even imagine how much I love and adore you,’ Cheryl gushed on Instagram in honor of her daughter’s birthday last month. ‘Through thick and thin baby! We’ve got each other’
And when the teen graduated from high school in June 2022, the star shared another touching tribute to her. ‘I’m so proud of you. You’re smart, bold, beautiful, funny, thoughtful,’ she wrote
Cheryl and RFK Jr. started dating in 2011, and they met thanks to her Curb co-star Larry, who introduced them when they were all at the same event.
But during her appearance on the Here’s the Thing podcast, the mother-of-one admitted that Larry was totally against the romance once they started dating.
‘He introduced us – just because we were at the same event. But then later, Larry was like, “That’s a terrible idea. No, no, no – don’t get involved,”‘ she recalled.
Cheryl and RFK Jr. started dating in 2011, and they met thanks to her Curb co-star Larry, who introduced them when they were all at the same event
Despite her on-screen husband’s warnings, Cheryl and RFK Jr. soon fell in love, and they tied the knot in August 2014 at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
A month before the wedding, Cheryl gushed to People magazine about their ‘two families coming together.’
‘It’s fun,’ she said. ‘It’s very sweet. I come from a big family and the Kennedys are a big family. It feels natural. It feels fun.’
However, she did previously admit that it was ‘intimidating’ meeting the Kennedy clan when they first got together.
Even so, she said her husband’s family was ‘much more welcoming and more personable than you could imagine.’
Throughout their nine-year marriage, Cheryl and RFK Jr. have raved over one another on numerous occasions.
Cheryl and RFK Jr. soon fell in love, and they tied the knot in August 2014 at the Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts
When they celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary back in 2020, the politician shared a loving post for his wife, while thanking her for her ‘generous spirit’ and their ‘endless laughter’
At the time, Cheryl also commemorated the milestone with a sweet Instagram post. She wrote: ‘I’ve loved every minute with you. You really understand me and what’s important to me’
While the two are very supportive of one another, Cheryl distanced herself from her husband in 2022, after he became very outspoken about his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine
When they celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary back in 2020, the politician – who has six children from his past relationships – shared a loving post for his wife, while thanking her for her ‘generous spirit’ and the ‘endless laughter’ they shared together.
‘Happy Anniversary, love,’ he wrote. ‘Thanks for the unimaginable happiness, for your wise and compassionate counsel, for your generous spirit, for your faithful companionship in joy and grief, for the love you’ve given our children, and for the endless laughter.’
At the time, Cheryl also commemorated the milestone with a sweet Instagram post.
‘Happy anniversary, honey,’ she said in hers. ‘We’ve been around the world and back and I’ve loved every minute with you.
‘You really understand me and what’s important to me. I appreciate you in every way.’
While the two are very supportive of one another, Cheryl distanced herself from her husband in 2022, after he became very outspoken about his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine.
At the time, RFK Jr. was slammed for comparing the situation to the Holocaust during an anti-vaccine protest, saying that ‘even in Hitler’s Germany, you could hide in the attic like Anne Frank did.’
Cheryl addressed the backlash on Twitter days later, stating, ‘My husband’s opinions are not a reflection of my own. While we love each other, we differ on many current issues.’
Life as a Kennedy: Cheryl loves to flaunt her lavish lifestyle online, often jets off on glamorous getaways, and has racked up a slew of famous friends – and she even once had lemonade with Fidel Castro at his house in Cuba
Being a famous actress and being married to a Kennedy certainly comes with some lavish perks
Cheryl often flaunts her luxurious lifestyle online, sharing photos of herself jetting off on glamorous getaways, enjoying days at the beach, and riding on yachts
Being a famous actress and being married to a Kennedy certainly comes with some lavish perks.
Cheryl often flaunts her luxurious lifestyle on Instagram, sharing photos of herself jetting off on glamorous getaways, staying in five-star resorts, enjoying days at the beach, riding on yachts, and eating in the top restaurants.
Back in May 2019, John Mulaney and Andy Samberg – who were stepping in for host Jimmy Kimmel on his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live – asked Cheryl about what it’s really like to be a member of the Kennedys, and she dished, ‘There’s a lot of sports, a lot of football. A lot of sailing, boating.’
She’s also racked up a slew of celebrity friends along the way, and has mingled with some of the most elite and well-known world leaders and politicians.
She even once had lemonade with Fidel Castro at his house in Cuba.
She’s also racked up a slew of celebrity friends along the way, and has mingled with some of the most elite politicians. She is seen left with Pamela Anderson and right with Brad Paisley
She even once had lemonade with Fidel Castro at his house in Cuba. She said on Jimmy Kimmel, ‘He was sweet. It was the best lemonade I’ve ever had’
‘We went to Cuba, this was probably 10 years ago, while we were there, my husband wanted to see if we could visit with Mr. Castro,’ she revealed on the show.
‘When we got to the hotel, there was a guy in a white linen suit who said, “El Presidente will see you.”
‘They came and picked us up in a van, it was a nice van, I was like, “Woah, what’s happening?”
‘We got to his house and he was wearing a track suit. We sat down with him, [my husband] and him spoke in Spanish for a while.
‘They talked about assassination attempts, as one does when you’re drinking lemonade.
‘He was sweet. It was the best lemonade I’ve ever had, I don’t know what was in it but it was fantastic.’
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