Actor Cheryl Hines has admitted she was “surprised” to see friends peel away over her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Curb Your Enthusiasm star, 60, described how her husband’s political move from Democrat to leading MAGA figure had “divided” people in her life, during an interview on NewsNation’s Elizabeth Vargas Reports.
“I have some friends that I’ve known for 30 years… people just started dividing,” Hines said, when asked what had “most surprised” her about her marriage to Donald Trump’s anti-vaxxer health secretary.
“Politics is so emotional to some people, and some people cannot separate… politics from… friendships,” she added.
Hines said she has also been stunned by the online bile towards her over her relationship with Kennedy, 71, whom she met in 2011 and married three years later. “Some of the things that people… post… to you, a person not in political office… are pretty astounding.”
She added that, while people “for the most part are very kind” when she is out in public with her husband, such abuse wasn’t limited to online. “I would say 90 percent of the people that come up to Bobby love him.
“And then there’s a certain percentage that will come up and need to tell something about him or how they feel.”
Recalling one incident where they were out for coffee, Hines said a woman approached Kennedy and said things that “weren’t nice.” She added, “Then she looked at me, and she said, ‘and I know you love him,’ and stormed off.”
Hines admitted that Kennedy‘s move into politics had also surprised her, as she had asked him early on in their relationship if he’d “ever wanted to go into politics.”
“At the time, he was an environmental attorney, and he said that he didn’t have a desire,” she recalled. “So I was like, great. We’re going to get along great. And then he went into politics. Then he decided to run for president.”
The actress said the sharpest backlash first came from the left. “Even when Bobby was running… he started out running as a Democrat, and the Democrats were… not happy because he was running against Biden… they really attacked him,” she said.
By contrast, she added, “The Republicans… did not feel like a character assassination every day.” Hines had previously told podcast host Bill Maher that “the Republicans have been very kind to me.”
Hines also laughed off chatter that Kennedy might run again. Asked about 2028, she answered, “Gosh, he’s not going to run for president,” but then conceded he has surprised her before.
Her NewsNation appearance came as she promotes her memoir, Unscripted, published by Skyhorse.
The book tracks her path from Curb Your Enthusiasm to Washington—where she says attention on her husband eclipsed her acting career—and notes how online harassment intensified after his political bid.
The cost of those politics extends to friendships. Comedian Tig Notaro has said she “needed to step away” from Hines as Kennedy’s profile rose, ending their podcast partnership, EW reported.
“I’ve had to pivot to be ready to answer questions… people are curious,” Hines told Vargas about her new role as a political wife.
The Daily Beast has contacted Health and Human Services for comment.
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