Cheryl Hines is opening up about a period in her life that pushed her further than she ever expected. The actress told Page Six she has been dealing with “a lot of darkness” over the past few years as pressure, loss and nonstop scrutiny collided in ways she never saw coming.
Much of it stemmed from her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been one of the most polarizing figures in American politics. She said the criticism directed at him has spilled into her own life, costing her friendships and even creating distance from Larry David, her longtime friend and Curb Your Enthusiasm co star.
On top of the political noise, she was grieving the devastating death of her nephew Michael, who had cerebral palsy and died in May 2024 at only 20 years old. As she explained, “I went through a lot of darkness and not only because of politics. I lost my nephew in the last year and it was heartbreaking. And to deal with that loss while this other chaos was going on, there were dark times. But I am definitely in a new chapter that I could never have predicted I would be in.”
Her new memoir Unscripted reflects on everything she has endured, including her decision to stay with Kennedy. She said people often ask why she continues to support him, and she understands why they are curious. Still, she wanted to show the full picture. “There’s extremes on both sides to Bobby — and being his wife — because there are a lot of people who absolutely love and support him.
And then there are people who, no matter what he accomplishes, are still going to criticize him,” she said. She felt it was important to explain her own reasons. “This is why I love him. This is who he is as a person and this is who we are to each other.”
Hines met Kennedy in 2004, when both were married to other people. Six years later they reconnected and felt an instant pull toward each other. They eventually married in 2014, but their relationship was tested publicly last fall when allegations surfaced claiming Kennedy had an online affair.
She learned the news while on vacation in Italy and said she had to “table my breakdown until I was alone … The swirl of headlines, rumors and insinuations was upsetting and overwhelming. I had hit a wall.”
They later talked privately and worked through the accusations. Kennedy denied having a sexual or romantic relationship with journalist Olivia Nuzzi. Hines said they spent days narrowing in on the truth, writing that the conversations helped them find their footing again.
The political spotlight made everything harder. Hines described staying dressed with her shoes on until she went to bed because of safety fears while Kennedy campaigned without Secret Service protection. She even ended up at urgent care after severe stress triggered hives and swelling.
The public backlash from Kennedy’s family also stung deeply. While she understood political disagreements, she felt the public criticism added to the emotional toll already on her husband.
Still, Hines said she is finding her strength again. She has embraced learning more about politics, spending more time in Washington and focusing on what truly matters. “I feel like I’m at a place now where I can appreciate what’s happening in my life, and I feel strong and ready, and I’m having a really good time with the people around me,” she said.
