Before getting married to one of the most famous families in AmericaCheryl Hines went through a difficult divorce. Could she be headed down that path again?
Cheryl, of course, is a Hollywood veteran, best known for her work in Contain 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 could soon change, as could her marital status, as RFK Jr. himself has suggested that a split might be in the best interest of Cheryl’s public image.
And now that he has been caught having an alleged relationship with another woman, the tide may be turning in their relationship.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s start with the fact that if Cheryl is headed for divorce, she knows how to navigate it.
Cheryl Hines Divorce: Her First Marriage to Paul Young Ended Pretty Quickly
In 2002, Cheryl married talent agent Paul Young. While Cheryl often refers to Larry David as her “first husband” because of their on-screen marriage, Paul is the first man she has legally married.
Their time together was happy. The two had a daughter, Catherine Rose Young, who was born in 2004. Everything seemed fine.
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 fans that they would remain friends in the future.
“They will remain extremely close friends and will raise their daughter together,” reps for the former couple say. said in a statement.
And they were true to their word. Paul ended up serving as a producer on Hines’ new show, This Close.
And if that wasn’t enough, Paul, along with Larry and RFK JR. were all front row when Cheryl received a star on Hollywood Boulevard in 2014.
So it wasn’t a complicated divorce by any means.
Cheryl’s Relationship with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: How It Began
In December 2011, Cheryl curb co-star Larry David introduced her to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who at the time was working as an environmental lawyer.
The couple announced their engagement in April 2014 and married in August of the same year.
By all accounts, their marriage is happy and healthy. But being married to a man known for courting controversy has presented some challenges for Cheryl.
A separation from RFK Jr. was on the table to “protect” her
For example, in 2022, when Kennedy made a statement comparing the CDC’s vaccination mandates to the policies of Nazi Germany, Cheryl spoke out against the comment.
“My husband’s opinions do not reflect my own. Although 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 views are not a reflection of mine.”
The backlash to Kennedy’s comments was so severe that he suggested a fake separation to protect Cheryl’s career.
“I saw how it was affecting her life and I said to her, ‘We should just announce that we’re separated,’ so you can have some distance from me,” RFK Jr. said. The New York Times (via Variety).
“We wouldn’t really do anything, we just… I felt so desperate to protect her at a time when my statements and decisions were impacting her.”
The couple decided that such drastic action would not be necessary and remained happily married.
Until…
RFK Jr.’s alleged relationship with magazine writer calls marriage into question
In September 2024, a political reporter working for New York Magazine was removed after admitting to a personal relationship with a subject in some of her reports.
The magazine said in a statement that correspondent Olivia Nuzzi 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 was categorized as “personal,” but in a statement of her own, Olivia was quick to shut down any rumors that they had an affair.
“Earlier this year, the nature of some communications between me and a former reporting subject became personal,” she said in a declaration on Thursday night. “During that time, I did not directly report on the matter nor did I use them as a source.”
Nuzzi insisted: “The relationship was never physical, but it should have been disclosed to avoid the appearance of conflict. I deeply regret not doing so immediately and apologize to those I let down, especially my colleagues at New York Mag.”
Cheryl has yet to release a statement on the matter, so time will tell how “personal” this relationship has truly become and what it will mean for their marriage.