Before she married into one of America’s most famous families, Cheryl Hines endured a difficult divorce. Could she be headed that way again?
Cheryl, of course, is a longtime veteran of Hollywood who’s best known for her work on Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Since 2014, she has been the wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the controversial politician who is currently running for president as an independent candidate.
That soon may change, as could their marital status, as RFK Jr. himself has suggested that a separation might be in the best interest of Cheryl’s public image.
And now that he’s been caught having an alleged relationship with another woman, the tide could very much be changing on their relationship.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start with the fact that, if Cheryl is headed for a divorce, she knows how to navigate it.
Cheryl Hines’ Divorce: Her First Marriage to Paul Young Ended Rather Quickly
In 2002 Cheryl married talent agent Paul Young. While Cheryl often refers to Larry David as her “first husband” because of their TV marriage, Paul is the first man she legally married.
Their time together was a happy one, The two welcomed a daughter, Catherine Rose Young was born in 2004. All seemed well.
Then, in 2010, after eight years of marriage, Cheryl and Paul amicably decided to call it quits. The reason was never given, but they assured their fans that they’d be pals moving forward.
“They will remain extremely close friends and will raise their daughter together,” reps for the former couple said in a statement.
And they were true to their word. Paul ended up serving as producer on Hines’ new show, This Close.
And if that weren’t enough, Paul, along with Larry and RFK JR. were all front row when Cheryl got a star on Hollywood Boulevard in 2014.
So, not a messy divorce by any means.
Cheryl’s Relationship With Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: How It Began
In December of 2011, Cheryl’s Curb co-star Larry David introduced her to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was then working as an environmental lawyer.
The couple announced their engagement in April of 2014, and they married in August of the same year.
By all accounts, their marriage is a happy and healthy one. But being married to a man who’s known for courting controversy has presented some challenges for Cheryl.
and Cheryl Hines attend the 2018 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights’ Ripple Of Hope Awards at New York Hilton Midtown on December 12, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/WireImage)
A Separation From RFK Jr. Was On The Table To ‘Protect’ Her
For example, in 2022, when Kennedy made a statement comparing CDC vaccine mandates to the policies of Nazi Germany, Cheryl spoke out against the remark.
“My husband’s opinions are not a reflection of my own. While we love each other, we differ on many current issues…” she tweeted.
“The atrocities that millions endured during the Holocaust should never be compared to anyone or anything. His opinions are not a reflection of my own.”
The backlash over Kennedy’s comments was so severe that he suggested a fake separation in order to protect Cheryl’s career.
“I saw how it was affecting her life, and I said to her, ‘We should just announce that we are separated,’ so that you can have some distance from me,” RFK Jr. told The New York Times (via Variety).
“We wouldn’t really be doing anything, we would just — I felt so desperate about protecting her at a time where my statements and my decisions were impacting her.”
The couple decided that such drastic action would not be necessary, and they remained happily married.
Until…
RFK Jr.’s Alleged Relationship With Magazine Writer Puts Marriage Into Question
In September 2024, a political reporter working for New York Magazine was placed on leave after admitting a personal relationship with a subject of some of her reporting.
The magazine said in a statement that correspondent Olivia Nuzzi had violated its standards around conflicts of interest and disclosures by engaging in a relationship with a “former subject relevant to the 2024 campaign” while reporting on the election.
You guessed it – they’re talking about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The relationship has been categorized as “personal,” but in a statement of her own, Olivia was quick to squash any rumor that they had an affair.
“Earlier this year, the nature of some communication between myself and a former reporting subject turned personal,” she said in a statement on Thursday night. “During that time, I did not directly report on the subject nor use them as a source.”
Nuzzi insisted: “The relationship was never physical but should have been disclosed to prevent the appearance of a conflict. I deeply regret not doing so immediately and apologize to those I’ve disappointed, especially my colleagues at New York Mag.”
Cheryl has yet to release a statement on the matter. So, time will tell just how “personal” this relationship actually got and what it will mean for their marriage.