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Children’s Health Defense (CHD) played a defining role in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s career, shaping the values and experiences he brings to his role as U.S. health secretary and to his broader public health mission, according to Cheryl Hines, the actress and producer married to Kennedy.
In a wide-ranging interview on CHD.TV with CHD CEO Mary Holland, Hines credited the organization — which Kennedy founded before he entered government — with helping define his sense of purpose and determination.
Hines said CHD’s close ties to parents keep him grounded in the experiences of families who feel ignored by powerful institutions.
Hines thanked CHD and its supporters directly, telling Holland their support “allows him to be fearless.” Kennedy “really listens to the moms and the parents and their experiences with health and their children,” she said.
Hines, best known for her Emmy-nominated role on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” also promoted her new memoir, “Unscripted,” released Nov. 11 by Skyhorse Publishing.
The book traces her path from a modest childhood in Florida to a decades-long career in comedy and television. It also explores the unexpected turns she encountered after she married an environmental lawyer whose work — and later political life — placed their family in the national spotlight.
“I feel like I’m coming up for air a little bit in my life,” Hines said, explaining what prompted her to write the book now. “It felt like the right time to share some of the stories from my life.”
Hines learned early that media report ‘things … that aren’t true’
Hines reflected on growing up with limited means, recalling that she was on the free lunch program and once shared a bedroom with her mother.
“We didn’t have much growing up,” she said, but it never felt bleak. Laughter helped her family cope, she said. “We always got through with comedy.”
That instinct carried her to Los Angeles, where some of her most formative years were spent bartending at a downtown hotel while auditioning.
At the time, she didn’t realize how pivotal that period would be. A chance interaction with a hotel guest asking for directions to The Groundlings comedy theater — and mentioning a brother, comedian Phil Hartman — changed everything.
Hines recalled being “blown away” when she attended a show, even though she couldn’t afford classes. Her coworkers ultimately pooled money to pay for her first course, launching the improv training she credits for her success.
“I know I would not have gotten ‘Curb’ without improv training from The Groundlings,” Hines said. She went on to star in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” for more than 20 years. The show’s unscripted format forced her to truly listen, she said. “You don’t have a script and you don’t know what anybody’s going to say.”
Hines said those same skills — staying present and adaptable — proved essential as her husband’s public life intensified. She noted that even as an actor, she learned early that the media often get things wrong.
“As an actor … people will write things about you that aren’t true,” she said, recalling a fabricated anecdote she once read about herself and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” creator and star Larry David. “So I knew then … people will say whatever they want to say.”
But when Kennedy entered presidential politics, she said the scrutiny escalated. Coverage shifted from gossip to what she described as character attacks, with headlines changing daily and little opportunity to respond.
“It’s all happening so fast,” she said. “You can’t even spend time trying to set the record straight.”
The experience forced another adjustment, Hines said. “You have to have thick skin as an actor, but as a politician, it … really has to be thick.”
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‘Why aren’t we listening to parents?’
Hines reflected on how public life has changed for her, and how the interviews she does today often extend well beyond acting projects. “I didn’t have to field questions about politics or about my husband,” she said of earlier years. “So that’s been a different experience.”
She briefly revisited her appearance on “The View,” where she pushed back against criticism of Kennedy and defended his environmental litigation record. She told Holland that the interview was one of her first encounters with that level of political confrontation, and that clips from the exchange quickly went viral.
“Every interview since, they have brought up ‘The View’ because it really kind of set things off,” she said.
Hines said the experience reinforced her belief that parents and families deserve to be heard — a point that closely aligns with CHD’s mission.
Referencing what she said on “The View,” Hines questioned why parents’ accounts of their children’s health are so often dismissed. “Why aren’t we listening to parents who are telling us their experiences with their children?” she asked.
‘It’s because of you’ that RFK Jr. is where he is today, Hines tells CHD
The interview also touched on family life, including the challenge and joy of blending a household of seven children after she married Kennedy in 2014. Hines described their life as “unpredictable,” but said the children have become adept at adjusting and finding stability amid change.
Throughout the conversation, Hines returned to gratitude — for family, close friends and the communities that sustained her during darker periods.
In “Unscripted,” she cited an observation by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross that people’s true nature emerges in times of hardship. For Hines, the quote underscores a belief that everyone carries an inner light — one that must be protected and nurtured, especially during difficult moments, when even a small spark can illuminate beauty and help guide the way forward.
“Everyone has a light within,” Hines said. “You just have to take care of it.”
For her, CHD represents part of that sustaining light — not only for Kennedy, but for families who feel sidelined in conversations about health.
She closed by telling Holland that CHD’s relationship with Kennedy matters deeply to him, and that the organization’s work helped prepare him for his current role.
“It’s because of you that Bobby’s in this position now,” Hines said.
Watch Cheryl Hines on ‘Good Morning CHD’ here:
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- New York Times’ Disgraceful and Deceitful Attack on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
- ‘Always Listen to the Mom’: U.S. to Phase Out Artificial Dyes Used in Food Products
