You’ve probably seen her face a thousand times on HBO, usually cringing at Larry David’s latest social disaster. But these days, Cheryl Hines is navigating a script that’s way more complicated than anything on Curb Your Enthusiasm. As the current Robert Kennedy's wife, she has swapped the Hollywood red carpet for the high-stakes, often bruising world of Washington, D.C.
Honestly, the transition hasn't been a quiet one.
When people ask "who is Robert Kennedy's wife," they’re usually looking for the actress. But the answer is layered. It’s a story of a comedy icon becoming a political spouse during one of the most polarizing eras in American history. As of early 2026, Hines isn't just a sitcom star; she’s the wife of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Life as Cheryl Hines: Beyond the Sitcom
Cheryl Hines and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (often called Bobby) have been married since 2014. They tied the knot at the famous Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, under a tent, surrounded by a massive crowd of political royalty and Hollywood elite.
It was Larry David who actually introduced them. Talk about a "Curb" plot twist.
Hines recently released a memoir titled Unscripted in late 2025. In it, she gets real about how weird it is to go from bartending in L.A. to having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and then suddenly being the person standing next to a man who basically broke the internet every time he opened his mouth during the 2024 campaign.
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She’s admitted that being a "Cabinet spouse" is something she’ll probably never get used to. Moving from their $6.6 million home in Brentwood to a $4.4 million townhouse in Georgetown? That’s a huge shift. She’s even joked about how she sometimes waits for someone to tell her not to curtsy at official events.
But it hasn't been all jokes.
The political heat got so intense at one point that RFK Jr. actually suggested they "fake" a legal separation just to protect her from the public backlash. Hines shut that down pretty fast. She didn't want to live a lie, especially with paparazzi lurking around every corner.
Dealing with the Olivia Nuzzi Scandal
You can't talk about their marriage without mentioning the elephant in the room: the 2024 "sexting" scandal involving political reporter Olivia Nuzzi.
It was messy.
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Reports swirled that Kennedy had an "emotional" affair with the journalist, and for a while, Hines was spotted without her wedding ring. People thought it was over. However, in her memoir and recent interviews with outlets like CBS and Fox News, Hines hinted that the crisis actually forced them to "reconnect." They had those long, painful middle-of-the-night talks that either break a couple or glue them back together.
Who Was Robert Kennedy's Wife Before?
To understand the current dynamic, you kinda have to look at the history. Bobby has been married three times.
Emily Ruth Black was the first. They met while studying law at the University of Virginia and married in 1982. They had two kids, Bobby III and "Kick" Kennedy. They stayed together for about a decade before separating and eventually divorcing in 1994.
Then came the Mary Richardson Kennedy era.
This is the part of the story that still haunts the family. Mary was a talented architect and a close friend of Bobby’s sister, Kerry. They married in 1994 and had four children together. But the marriage was famously turbulent. There were struggles with health, legal issues, and a very public, very bitter divorce filing in 2010.
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Tragically, in 2012, while the divorce was still pending, Mary took her own life at her home in Bedford, New York.
It’s a heavy legacy. Hines has spoken about how she respects the family history while trying to carve out her own space. She’s a stepmom to Bobby’s six adult children, and she has her own daughter, Catherine Rose, from her previous marriage to producer Paul Young.
The "MAHA" Lifestyle and Washington Life
Since 2025, Hines has been seen supporting the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) platform. She was right there at the Senate confirmation hearings.
Her life now involves:
- Navigating disagreements with the rest of the Kennedy clan (who haven't always been supportive of Bobby's politics).
- Managing a home that RFK Jr. likes to fill with exotic animals (he once bought her daughter an emu named Toby).
- Launching an eco-friendly cosmetics brand, Hines + Young, with her daughter.
She’s been vocal about the fear of political violence, especially given the Kennedy family's tragic history with assassinations. She’s admitted she was "very worried" during the campaign, especially when Secret Service protection was being denied.
Actionable Insights for Following the Story
If you're trying to keep up with the latest on Robert Kennedy's wife and their life in the capital, here is how to cut through the tabloid noise:
- Look for Primary Sources: Instead of gossip blogs, check out Cheryl Hines' own words in her 2025 memoir Unscripted. She’s much more candid there than in press releases.
- Verify Political Roles: Remember that as of 2026, her husband holds a formal Cabinet position. Official updates on his work (and her appearances) are often found on government portals or major news networks like CBS and Fox.
- Follow the Business: Hines + Young is her main project outside of politics. It’s a good way to see her "non-political" side.
- Distinguish the "Kennedy's": When searching for "Robert Kennedy's wife," ensure you aren't looking at historical data for RFK Sr. (Ethel Kennedy) or RFK III. The current news cycle is almost exclusively focused on the HHS Secretary and Hines.
The role of a Kennedy wife has always been a mix of glamour and intense scrutiny. Cheryl Hines seems to be doing it with a bit of Hollywood grit and a lot of the humor that made her famous in the first place.