Cheryl Ruth Hines (born September 21, 1965) is an American actress and comedian. She portrayed Cheryl David on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024), earning two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. She also starred as Dallas Royce on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory (2011–2014) and made her directorial debut with the 2009 film Serious Moonlight. She is married to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the 26th and current U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Early life and education Hines was born on September 21, 1965, in Miami Beach, Florida, to James and Rosemary Hines. She spent much of her childhood in Tallahassee, where she was actively involved in the Young Actors Theatre. Due to financial hardships—she reportedly did not have her own bed until after high school—she pursued her education at Lively Technical Center and Tallahassee State College before earning a degree in radio and television production from the University of Central Florida in 1990.
Career Hines began her acting career by performing improvisational comedy at The Groundlings Theater. Her fellow students included Lisa Kudrow. Hines made guest appearances on television shows such as Swamp Thing and Unsolved Mysteries. She also appeared on an episode of The Dating Game in 1996. She was not picked on the episode.
Hines received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2003 and 2006. She has said that "Until Curb, I'd done small roles, really small roles. They wanted to cast an unknown actress. It worked in my favor that I hadn't done anything. It changed my life."
Hines appeared in RV with Robin Williams, Waitress with Keri Russell, and the 2008 mockumentary The Grand, a spoof of the World Series of Poker. Her 2009 directorial debut Serious Moonlight stars Meg Ryan with a script by the late Adrienne Shelly, Hines's director and co-star in Waitress.
Hines played Jane in the 2009 ABC sitcom In the Motherhood. It is a loose adaptation of the web series of the same name. The series was dropped due to low ratings after five of its planned seven episodes were aired. During the 2009–2010 season of Brothers & Sisters, Hines guest-starred as Kitty Walker McCallister's campaign manager, Buffy. In July 2010, Hines was announced to be joining the cast of the Nickelodeon film based on The Fairly OddParents, A Fairly Odd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner! as a human disguise of Wanda, Timmy's fairy godmother.
Hines served as executive producer for the 2010 reality series School Pride, which follows the renovation of a different school each week. Hines starred as Dallas Royce on the ABC sitcom Suburgatory. The series ended in 2014 after three seasons. She appeared in We Need Help, a web series airing on Yahoo! Screen. On January 29, 2014, Hines received the 2,516th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Hines is a panelist on a singing game show, I Can See Your Voice.
Personal life Hines married Paul Young, the founder of the management firm Principato-Young, on December 30, 2002. They had a daughter, Catherine Rose Young, on March 8, 2004. After nearly eight years of marriage, Hines and Young filed for divorce on July 20, 2010. Zoe Hines, the daughter of Hines' sister Rebecca, was signed by the WWE as a professional wrestler in April 2026.
Hines has been actively involved in advocacy work, particularly with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). Her involvement began after a nephew was born with cerebral palsy, prompting her to seek resources and support from the organization. Over time, she became a vocal advocate and now serves on UCP's board of trustees. In 2015, Hines and her family won $25,000 for UCP while competing on Celebrity Family Feud.
Hines was raised Roman Catholic.
Marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Hines began dating Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in December 2011 after being introduced by her Curb Your Enthusiasm co-star, Larry David. The couple announced their engagement in April 2014 and married on August 2, 2014, at the Kennedy Compound on Cape Cod. In June 2019, Hines accompanied Kennedy on a trip to Samoa where they were special guests at the country's 57th Independence Celebration in Mulinu'u. Her presence added a degree of Hollywood visibility to the trip.
Hines publicly supported Kennedy during his 2024 presidential campaign and subsequent confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services. She appeared at his Senate confirmation hearing alongside other supporters of his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) platform.
Both Hines and Kennedy attended the memorial service for conservative activist Charlie Kirk in September 2025, saying that the dangerous political climate frightens her "more than anything."
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1996Cheap Curry and CalculusSheilaShort film2004Along Came PollyCatering Manager 2005CakeRoxanneHerbie: Fully LoadedSallyOur Very OwnSally Crowder 2006Bickford Shmeckler's Cool IdeasProfessor AdamsRVJamie MunroKeeping Up with the SteinsCasey Nudelman2007WaitressBeckyGoodnight VaginaMeg MarchShort filmLainie Schwartzman2008Hollywood ResidentialHerselfHenry Poole Is HereMeg WyattBart Got a RoomBeth SteinSpace ChimpsLuna (voice)2009All in the BunkerEva Braun (voice)Animated shortLabor PainsLisa DePardoGeorgia 2010The Legend of Secret PassNitika (voice)Space Chimps 2: Zartog Strikes BackLuna (voice) 2014Life After BethJudy OrfmanThink Like a Man 2Andrea 2015The BenefactorMiaChristmas EveDawnAlso known as Stuck2016 Nine LivesMadison Camden 2017WilsonPollyA Bad Moms ChristmasSandy2021Trollhunters: Rise of the TitansMomblank (voice)2022About FateJudy2024Popular TheoryTammy Page
Television Year Title Role Notes1993Swamp ThingLouise BrennerEpisode: "Heart of the Mantis"1997Unsolved MysteriesSharon Berman (Ashley's mother)Episode: "9.18" - YouTube/FlimRise Episode: "9.15"1998HelenEpisode: "Six Degrees of Marlon"Suddenly SusanDebbieEpisode: "Poetry in Notion"1999MarlaEpisode: "The Cheerleaders"Larry David: Curb Your EnthusiasmCheryl DavidTV movie (series pilot)2000FriendsWoman #2Episode: "The One with Rachel's Sister"2000–2024Curb Your EnthusiasmCheryl DavidMain role (seasons 1–7, 9–12; guest season 8) 2002So Little TimeBarbara MorrisonEpisode: "The Job"Everybody Loves RaymondLauren WilliamsonEpisode: "Annoying Kid" 2003Reno 911!Trailer Park LadyEpisode: "Terrorist Training: Part 1"Rose GoodmanTV movieWanda at LargeDr. LindaEpisode: "Did Wanda Say a Four Letter Word?"2004–2005Father of the PrideKate (voice)14 episodes2006ScrubsPaige CoxEpisode: "My New God"2007Jack's Big Music ShowSudsy BubblesteinEpisode: "Mel's Bath Day" 2009Hannah MontanaCatherine YorkEpisode: "What I Don't Like About You"In the MotherhoodJane7 episodes 2010Wright vs. WrongKeri DalyTV movieStardust (voice)2 episodesBrothers & SistersBuffy McCreary3 episodes 2011Love BitesKristen LernerEpisode: "Too Much Information"WandaTV movie2011–2014SuburgatoryDallas RoyceMain role; 56 episodes2013Hollywood Game NightHerself2 episodes2014The Crazy OnesBeth MinkerEpisode: "Zach Mitzvah"2015The MiddleDr. Sommer SamuelsonEpisode: "The Convention"2015–2016TripTankVarious voices4 episodes2016Young & HungryKathy KaminskiEpisode: "Young & Parents"2016–2018Mike Tyson MysteriesVirgilia / Jillian Davis (voice)2 episodes2016–2017Son of ZornEdie BennettMain role; 13 episodes2017Pickle and PeanutSusan (voice)Episode: "Wet Wedding"2017–2018NobodiesHerself2 episodes2017–2019Funny You Should AskHerself35 episodes2018Fresh Off the BoatFayEpisode: "Big Baby"Hell's KitchenHerselfBlue Team's VIP guest diner; Episode: "Hell Freezes Over"2018–20193Below: Tales of ArcadiaMomblank (voice)16 episodesThis CloseStella6 episodes 2019The Good FightBrenda DecarloEpisode: "The One Where the Sun Comes Out"Drunk HistoryLady Bird JohnsonEpisode: "Fame" 2020Make It Work!HerselfTelevision specialStumptownGinger LloydEpisode: "Dirty Dexy Money"The ConnersDawnEpisode: "Mud Turtles, A Good Steak and One Man in a Tub"The Masked SingerGuest panelistEpisode: "The Group B Finals - The Mask Chance Saloon"2020–2024I Can See Your VoiceHerselfRegular panelist2021The Masked DancerGuest panelist 2022The Flight Attendant Dot KarlsonMain role (season 2)Lego MastersHerself3 episodes2023Fantasy IslandJessica WarrenEpisode: "Tara and Jessica's High School Reunion / Cat Lady"
Producer Year Title Notes2006–2007Campus Ladies3 episodes2008Hollywood ResidentialTV series
Director Year Title Notes2006Campus LadiesEpisode: "No Means No"2009Serious MoonlightFeature film debut2020Curb Your EnthusiasmEpisode: "Artificial Fruit"
Audio broadcasts Podcasts Hosted 2020–2024: Tig and Cheryl: True Story – cohosted with Tig Notaro
Guest 2020: The Modern Moron Episode 64 and 65 2020: Don't Ask Tig 2021: Literally! with Rob Lowe 2023, 2025: The Tim Dillon Show (with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.) 2026: The Joe Rogan Experience
References
External links
Cheryl Hines - Meet the Grand Marshal of the Springtime Tallahassee Grande Parade