If you’ve spent any amount of time on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen a certain photo of a glamorous, slightly over-the-top woman in a green dress. She’s got the hair, the jewels, and that unmistakable "Who" flair. Everyone says it's Cheryl Hines. Except, here’s the thing: it’s not.
It’s actually Christine Baranski.
The "Cheryl Hines The Grinch" confusion has become one of those weird Mandela Effect-adjacent phenomenons that just won't die. People swear they saw the Curb Your Enthusiasm star flirting with Jim Carrey in Ron Howard’s 2000 classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas. They didn't.
The Martha May Whovier Mistake
The role of Martha May Whovier—the Grinch’s childhood crush and the town's resident fashionista—was played with legendary camp by Christine Baranski. So, why do so many people think it was Cheryl Hines?
Honestly, it’s about the vibe. In the early 2000s, both actresses were everywhere. They share a similar facial structure, high cheekbones, and that specific brand of "polished but hilarious" energy. At the time, Cheryl Hines was just starting her iconic run as Cheryl David on Curb Your Enthusiasm. If you squint, the resemblance is there. But if you look at the credits?
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Cheryl Hines is nowhere near the 2000 Grinch movie.
Wait, does that mean she’s never done a Christmas movie? Not at all. She’s actually a bit of a holiday movie veteran, just not in Whoville.
Where You Actually Saw Cheryl Hines (The Real Holiday Credits)
If you're feeling a sense of deja vu seeing Cheryl Hines in a festive setting, you’re probably thinking of A Bad Moms Christmas (2017).
In that film, she plays Sandy, the overbearing and clingy mother to Kristen Bell’s character. It’s a riot. She nails that uncomfortable, "I love you too much" energy that defines her best comedic work. She also appeared in the 2015 film Christmas Eve alongside Patrick Stewart.
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Here’s a quick reality check on her actual holiday-adjacent roles:
- A Bad Moms Christmas (2017): Sandy (The clingy mom)
- Christmas Eve (2015): Dawn (Trapped in an elevator)
- Curb Your Enthusiasm: The 2002 episode "Mary, Joseph and Larry" (The one with the manger scene disaster)
Why This Rumor Keeps Spreading
The internet is a giant game of telephone. One person posts a TikTok with a "Who is this?" caption, someone else comments "Cheryl Hines," and suddenly it's gospel.
Adding fuel to the fire is Cheryl’s real-life presence in the news lately. Between the final season of Curb and her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., she’s been at the forefront of the cultural conversation. When a celebrity is "trending," people tend to project them onto old memories.
The Face-Blindness Factor
Let's be real—prosthetic makeup is a hell of a drug. The "Who" noses and heavy contouring in the 2000 Grinch film make everyone look a little bit like someone else. Christine Baranski’s performance is so stylized that it masks some of her distinct The Good Fight features, leading casual viewers to guess it’s Hines.
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How to Win Your Next Trivia Night
If someone tries to tell you Cheryl Hines was the love interest in the Grinch, you can officially shut it down.
Tell them it was Christine Baranski. Remind them that Baranski is a Tony and Emmy winner who brought a specific Broadway-level theatricality to Martha May. Cheryl Hines, while brilliant, has a much more grounded, "straight-man" comedic style. She’s the one reacting to the chaos, not the one creating it with a light-up dress and a cannon that shoots Christmas lights.
Actionable Takeaway: Verify Your Rewatch
Next time you’re settling in for a holiday movie marathon, take a second to actually look at the opening credits. It’s easy to get caught up in the nostalgia, but the real cast of How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a masterclass in early 2000s character acting—and it belongs to Baranski, not Hines.
If you really want to see Cheryl Hines at her best, skip the Grinch and go straight to her "Bad Moms" performance. It’s got all the comedy you’re looking for, without the green fur.