Cheryl Hines’ Surprise RFK Jr. Mention After His Mom’s Death

Actress Cheryl Hines has broken her silence on her husband, former longshot presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., amid his cheating scandal as they mourn the death of his mother, the human rights advocate Ethel Kennedy.

On Thursday, soon after news of the elder Kennedy’s death broke, Hines remembered her mother-in-law, the widow of assassinated attorney general and presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy, in a heartfelt Instagram post.

“It has been my great honor to have shared laughter and love with Ethel,” she wrote. “Her charisma, wisdom and strength will live on with me in every memory of her. Bobby and I spent many warm nights in Hyannis Port having dinner with her and hearing stories from her extraordinary life. She always made me laugh. She was never too serious except when she needed to be. She dressed to nines with bare feet. She will be missed.”

Ethel Kennedy, who raised 11 children, was a key figure in the Kennedy political dynasty and never remarried after her husband’s death. She died at 96 from a stroke after being hospitalized last week.

Notably, the post was the first time the Curb Your Enthusiasm star has publicly mentioned her husband—who was also tagged in the post—since he has been embroiled in scandal over the past month for a sexting affair with star political reporter Olivia Nuzzi.

Hines and her husband were, however, spotted together in Malibu, California, for the first time since the scandal last week, although Hines was not wearing her wedding ring.

Hines had reportedly found the affair “embarrassing,” and has been mulling the prospect of divorce.

“She’s been talking about filing for divorce, but he's begging her not to file,” an anonymous source told People last week. “But how many times can you forgive a partner that’s dishonest and goes behind your back? It’s just ridiculous behavior from a grown, married man.”

Nuzzi disclosed the affair to her employer, New York magazine, last month and was placed on leave. She said that it never became physical.

Kennedy denied the affair altogether and said the pair only met once.

Page Six reported, however, based on anonymous sources, that the two had “incredible” FaceTime sex and both said “I love you.”