In my view, Curb Your Enthusiasm stands as one of the most intelligent and hilarious sitcoms ever made. A major reason for its brilliance is the dynamic between Larry David and Cheryl Hines—their sharp back-and-forth and subtle romantic tension rival anything seen in late-night crime dramas or legal series.
Before becoming a TV star, Cheryl spent years climbing the acting ladder. More recently, however, public interest has centered on her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and a surprising story involving Fidel Castro.
Cheryl’s most iconic role remains that of Larry David’s tolerant and witty wife on the HBO series. Though she earns a solid income from her acting, Cheryl’s marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. connects her to one of America’s most well-known political dynasties. But her journey to stardom didn’t come easily.
Born on September 21, 1965, in Miami Beach, Florida, and raised Catholic, Cheryl later moved to Tallahassee. Her family didn’t have much money, but her parents expected all four children to go to college and make something of themselves.
From a young age, Cheryl loved acting. She was involved with the Young Actors Theatre throughout high school and credits her father, James Hines, for shaping her sense of humor.
“He really introduced me to what funny meant,” she once shared. After her father passed in 2015, Cheryl remembered his wit fondly, saying he kept them laughing until the end.
After graduating from the University of Central Florida, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. But breaking into the industry was no easy feat. She worked as a waitress, TV reporter, and phone operator before landing major roles—and even spent some time as Rob Reiner’s personal assistant.
She also worked as an unpaid intern, sorting headshots and trying to make connections. During that time, Cheryl got a firsthand taste of Hollywood’s harsh beauty standards—one female boss even suggested she get breast implants if she wanted a career.
Cheryl reflected later, “I hadn’t considered it before… and it didn’t feel necessary.” She even wondered whether her admiration for certain actresses was tied to how they looked. “Goldie Hawn doesn’t have big ones,” she told Yahoo in an interview.
Eventually, she decided against surgery. “I didn’t want to be on Baywatch that badly,” she said.
Things took a turn when Cheryl joined The Groundlings, a famed comedy troupe where she sharpened her skills in sketch and improv comedy. One of her first mentors there was Friends star Lisa Kudrow, who played Phoebe.
At The Groundlings, Cheryl developed the comedic instincts that would later land her a life-changing role.
Before Curb Your Enthusiasm, Cheryl’s résumé mostly consisted of small roles and guest appearances on shows like Swamp Thing and Unsolved Mysteries. When Larry David came along, she was still an unknown.
Larry specifically wanted an unfamiliar actress to play his wife. Cheryl’s audition changed everything, even though at the time, she didn’t know much about Larry. “I remember asking, ‘How old is this guy?’” she laughed, recalling her first impression.
Her audition was a bit chaotic. Before she walked in, the casting director warned her not to touch Larry, explaining that the show was meant to feel like a documentary and that any false notes would ruin the scene.
Luckily, Cheryl nailed it. Her improvisational chops won Larry over. Most of Curb’s dialogue is unscripted, built around a loose storyline. Actors must invent their lines in the moment, and Cheryl proved to be a natural.
When the show aired, people were so convinced by her performance that many believed she was actually Larry’s wife. “Back home in Tallahassee, folks thought I’d gotten married,” she recalled.
Though Cheryl appeared in over 100 episodes, her character eventually breaks up with Larry in season eight and begins dating his friend Ted Danson. Despite the on-screen split, HBO brought the show back for a twelfth season in 2022.
Beyond Curb, Cheryl has worked on several films, including RV, her feature film debut, where she starred opposite the late Robin Williams. She played a frustrated mom stuck on a chaotic road trip in a run-down camper.
Cheryl once admitted her friends didn’t believe she was really starring alongside Robin—until they saw the trailer. She remembered how generous and kind he was. “Robin hugged me the first time he saw me and said he loved Curb Your Enthusiasm,” she recalled.
She’s also had her share of surreal moments—including one involving Fidel Castro. In a 2022 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Cheryl recounted how she and her husband ended up at Castro’s house in Cuba. A man in a white suit met them at their hotel and said, “El Presidente will see you,” before taking them to meet him—where they drank lemonade.
Cheryl’s first marriage was to producer Paul Young. The two wed in 2002 and welcomed a daughter, Catherine Rose, in 2004. After seven years, they divorced but remained close friends and continued working together.
Joking with Fox News, Cheryl once quipped, “Larry David was my first husband—I was single when I started Curb Your Enthusiasm. Then I married Paul Young. And later, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.”
She began dating RFK Jr. a year after her divorce. He’s the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Cheryl said their shared values—especially around family—brought them together.
Interestingly, she met RFK Jr. through her on-screen husband, Larry David, who later said the match was probably a bad idea. “Don’t get involved,” he warned, after they were married.
In 2014, Cheryl and Robert tied the knot at the Kennedy compound in Cape Cod, with guests including Larry David and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Since their relationship began, Cheryl has been amazed at the impact the Kennedy family has had on people. “Someone will come up to Bobby in tears, telling him what his family has meant to them,” she said.
Still, RFK Jr. has attracted controversy—especially after his remarks at an anti-vaccine rally. Cheryl publicly called his comments “reprehensible and insensitive” and emphasized how they continue to learn from each other. She told Yahoo, “I’ve probably taught him how to… I don’t want to say lighten up, but he’s more funny and warm than people realize. Sometimes, I just tell him, ‘Let’s watch 30 Rock and chill.’”
In 2011, Cheryl joined the ABC comedy Suburgatory, where she played Dallas Royce, an over-the-top suburban mom obsessed with appearances. The show only ran three seasons, but Cheryl’s role was unforgettable.
In one episode, Dallas gets so much Botox that her face becomes unnaturally frozen—played for laughs, of course. Though Cheryl has a naturally youthful appearance, it’s unclear if she’s ever had cosmetic work in real life.
Currently, she’s a regular panelist on I Can See Your Voice, and her career shows no signs of slowing down.
Is it just me, or is Cheryl aging like a fine wine? Thanks for the laughs, Cheryl—we can’t wait to see what you do next.