Cheryl Hines

Cheryl Hines Bio

Cheryl Ruth Hines (born September 21, 1965) is an American actress and comedian whose career spans television, film, and directing. She is best known for portraying Cheryl David on HBO’s long-running comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000–2024), a role that earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Beyond acting, she has built a résumé as a director, producer, and television personality, and she is married to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., connecting her to the Kennedy family through marriage.

Hines first gained attention through her work in improvisational comedy at The Groundlings, the same Los Angeles training ground that helped launch the careers of several prominent comedians. Over more than three decades, she has moved easily between sitcoms, feature films, and behind-the-camera work, establishing herself as a versatile figure in American entertainment.

Early Life and Background

Cheryl Ruth Hines was born on September 21, 1965, in Miami Beach, Florida, to James Hines and Rosemary Hines. She spent much of her childhood in Tallahassee, where her family faced financial hardships. Despite these challenges, Hines remained committed to performing and became actively involved in the Young Actors Theatre during her school years, an experience that helped shape her early interest in acting and storytelling.

She attended Lively Technical Center in Tallahassee and later studied at Tallahassee Community College. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in radio and television production from the University of Central Florida in 1990. These formative years gave Hines a balance of stage training and technical production knowledge, preparing her for a career that would later include directing and producing in addition to performing.

Path to Celebrity

After completing her education, Hines moved into professional acting, beginning her career by performing improvisational comedy at The Groundlings Theater in Los Angeles. Her fellow students at the theater included actress Lisa Kudrow, and the training helped Hines develop a sharp, deadpan comedic style. She made early guest appearances on television shows such as Swamp Thing and Unsolved Mysteries, and she appeared on an episode of The Dating Game in 1996, where she was not selected as a contestant’s date.

These small roles built her résumé, but her casting on Curb Your Enthusiasm in 2000 marked the turning point. Producers were reportedly looking for an unknown actress to play the on-screen wife of Larry David’s character, and Hines’s relative lack of prior exposure worked in her favor. The role transformed her career and opened the door to a wider range of opportunities in film and television.

Cheryl Hines Career

Early Career (1993–2000)

Hines began her professional career in 1993, working steadily in television guest spots and improv. She took on small parts in shows like Swamp Thing and Unsolved Mysteries, gradually building a body of work that prepared her for her breakout opportunity. Her training at The Groundlings during this period sharpened her comedic timing and connected her to influential figures in the Los Angeles comedy scene.

Although she had not yet landed a defining role, these years were important for developing the craft and confidence she would later bring to Curb Your Enthusiasm. By the late 1990s, Hines was considered a reliable comedic presence, and she was being seen for more substantial television parts.

Breakthrough (2000–2014)

Hines’s breakthrough came in 2000 when she was cast as Cheryl David on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, a role she would play until 2024. Her performance as the patient, often exasperated wife of Larry David’s semi-fictionalized version of himself earned widespread critical notice and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, in 2003 and 2006. She has reflected on the role by saying that, until Curb, she had only done small parts, and that the casting changed her life.

During this period, Hines also expanded into film, appearing alongside Robin Williams in the 2006 comedy RV and starring opposite Keri Russell in the 2007 drama Waitress. She played a role in the 2008 mockumentary The Grand, a spoof of the World Series of Poker. In 2009, she made her directorial debut with Serious Moonlight, a feature film starring Meg Ryan and written by the late Adrienne Shelly, who had previously directed and co-starred with Hines in Waitress. She also took on guest roles in series such as Brothers & Sisters and joined the cast of the ABC sitcom Suburgatory as Dallas Royce, a part she played from 2011 until the show ended in 2014. On January 29, 2014, Hines received the 2,516th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in recognition of her contributions to television.

Notable Works and Milestones

Cheryl Hines’s signature work remains Curb Your Enthusiasm, a defining series of prestige comedy television. Her two Emmy nominations and her Hollywood Walk of Fame star stand as the most visible markers of her achievements, and her directorial debut with Serious Moonlight demonstrated her range beyond performing.

Cheryl Hines Award Nominations

Cheryl Hines has earned two Primetime Emmy Award nominations in her career, both for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Cheryl David on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. The first nomination came in 2003, and the second followed in 2006, reflecting sustained critical recognition for her work on the long-running comedy.

Cheryl Hines Awards Won

Cheryl Hines was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on January 29, 2014. The ceremony recognized her contributions to television and marked the 2,516th star awarded on the famous Hollywood Boulevard walkway. The honor reflected her years of work across comedy, film, and directing.

Cheryl Hines Family

Cheryl Hines was born to James Hines and Rosemary Hines and raised primarily in Tallahassee, Florida. She has spoken about the financial difficulties her family faced during her childhood, including a period in which she did not have her own bed until after high school. She also has a sister, Rebecca Hines, and Hines has been involved in advocacy work with United Cerebral Palsy, an interest sparked by a nephew who was born with cerebral palsy. She has served on the organization’s board of trustees, and in 2015, she and her family won $25,000 for UCP while competing on Celebrity Family Feud.

Personal Life

Hines married Paul Young, founder of the management firm Principato-Young, on December 30, 2002. The couple 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. She later 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. Through her marriage, Hines is connected to the Kennedy family. She was raised Roman Catholic and is also a panelist on the singing game show I Can See Your Voice.