Cheryl Hines Appears to Dismiss RFK Jr. Cheating Rumors After Ethel Kennedy’s Passing

Amid rumors of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s alleged "personal relationship" with journalist Olivia Nuzzi, Cheryl Hines commended her 70-year-old husband for the “beautiful” tribute he shared on social media to honor his late mother, Ethel Kennedy, who passed away on Thursday, October 10.

Ethel, the activist and widow of Robert F. Kennedy, passed away at 96, as confirmed by a family statement. Renowned for her commitment to social causes while raising her 11 children as a widow, Ethel suffered a stroke on October 3. Her grandson, John Kennedy III, shared on social media that she experienced the stroke while sleeping, which resulted in her hospitalization before her passing.

Shortly after the news broke, actress Cheryl Hines and her husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, both released separate statements.

In a post shared on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Cheryl Hines shared, "My mother-in-law, Ethel Kennedy, Bobby's mother, passed this morning. It has been my great honor to have shared laughter and love with Ethel."

The actress continued, "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. My love is with the family."

In a lengthy X post RFK Jr. paid tribute to his mom, calling her " intensely loyal" as she would always "stand fiercely behind us when we came under attack by others."

"My mother invented tough love, and she could be hard on her children when we didn’t live up to her expectations," he wrote. "But she was also intensely loyal, and we always knew that she would stand fiercely behind us when we came under attack by others. She was our role model for self-discipline, for resilience, and for self-confidence."

He continued, "She deeded to each of her 11 children her love of good stories, her athleticism, her competitive spirit, and the deep curiosity about the world, and the intense interest in people of all backgrounds, which caused her to pepper everyone she met — from cab drivers to presidents — with a relentless cascade of questions about their lives. She also gave us all her love of language and for good storytelling. I credit her for all my virtues. I’m grateful for her generosity in overlooking my faults."

In his X post, RFK Jr. revealed that Ethel died in Boston, surrounded by many of her nine surviving children and her friends.

"God gave her 34 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and the energy to give them all the attention they required," he said. "He blessed her with a rich and eventful life. Even as she declined in recent months, she never lost her sense of fun, her humor, her spark, her spunk, and her joie de vivre."

In the comment section, his wife, "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress Cheryl Hines, said, “This is beautiful. Your mother was very proud of you.”

Her support comes weeks after cheating allegations surfaced involving RFK Jr. and journalist Olivia Nuzzi.

On Thursday, September 19, reports emerged regarding an alleged "personal relationship" between former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and journalist Olivia Nuzzi, following New York Magazine’s announcement of Nuzzi's leave of absence.

In a note to readers, the magazine revealed that Nuzzi had been placed on leave due to her involvement with a subject connected to the 2024 campaign. A source familiar with the matter informed CNN that the individual was Kennedy.

The magazine further explained that the relationship breached its conflict-of-interest and disclosure policies, noting that Nuzzi would not have been permitted to continue covering the campaign had they known.

A source close to Cheryl Hines and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has not spoken with the couple since the scandal surfaced, voiced doubts about the longevity of their relationship, suggesting it may not withstand the current turmoil.

“I’ll be shocked if Cheryl stays,” the source told the New York Post. “[Kennedy’s] always been known as a flirt and more, even Cheryl knows that. But it seemed like at least publicly he was faithful [until now]. It’s not good for Cheryl in Hollywood.”

Another insider speculated to Page Six, “He was on the road a lot this year, so maybe it was different and tested the relationship. I don’t imagine her putting up with this. She has a backbone. She’s not a little housewife at home. She is successful financially independent on her own.”

Cheryl Hines has yet to speak out on the allegations.