Why Cheryl Hines Isn’t in Larry David’s New HBO Show

Larry David’s latest HBO series, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness, has drawn attention not only for its sharp humor but also for the presence of several familiar faces from his long-running show Curb Your Enthusiasm. Jeff Garlin, Susie Essman, and JB Smoove are among the notable co-stars who have made appearances. However, one original cast member is notably absent: Cheryl Hines, who played David’s fictional wife, Cheryl, on Curb Your Enthusiasm for 24 years.

Jeff Schaffer, a co-creator of Curb Your Enthusiasm and director of all seven episodes of the new series, revealed in an interview with Obsessed: The Podcast that he hasn’t spoken to Hines in a long time. “I’d like to think she still has that brilliant sense of humor she used to have, but I don’t know,” he said.

Hines, now 60, was a central figure on Curb Your Enthusiasm, portraying David’s on-screen spouse throughout the show’s run from 2000 to its finale. However, her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the current Health and Human Services Secretary, has led to a significant rift between her and her former collaborators.

Schaffer confirmed that neither David nor he reached out to Hines for a role in the new series. He expressed surprise at her shift toward MAGA politics, noting that his experience working with her was always positive. “My experiences working with her were nothing but the best, the warmest, the funniest, just a delight, loved working with her,” he recalled. “So, I don’t know, people make choices.”

The fact that Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness is co-executive-produced by Barack and Michelle Obama likely didn’t help Hines’ chances of appearing on the show. While it’s unclear if the former first lady personally barred her from the project, the tension between Hines and David has been evident for some time.

Hines initially downplayed the falling-out in October, stating, “I love Larry, and I think Larry loves me.” However, she later admitted that she knew David was upset about her husband’s role in Trump’s administration. She even called David “crazy” for comparing Trump to Hitler in a comedic essay about comedian Bill Maher’s White House dinner.

David’s frustration with Kennedy’s anti-science policies becomes clear in a sketch from this week’s episode of the historical comedy show, which centers on Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine. In the sketch, an unhinged character named “Bobby” — clearly modeled after Kennedy — spouts wild anti-vaccine conspiracy theories. David’s character responds with a sharp remark: “Drop dead,” adding, “God help us if some moron ever put you in charge, that would be a dark day for humanity.”

These harsh words are especially striking given that David introduced Kennedy to Hines in 2004. Hines has mentioned being surprised by friendships that have dissolved due to her marriage. Schaffer explained that the show aimed to address “vaccine ignorance and the ignoring of science that’s happening right now.” Rather than tackling the issue directly, they chose to explore it through the lens of history.

“If we’re gonna talk about that stuff that’s happening right now, let’s do it with the polio vaccine,” Schaffer said. “We’ve learned nothing, it’s insane! So when you get those opportunities to show how far we haven’t come, those are moments we wanted to take advantage of.”

New episodes of Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness air on Friday nights at 9 p.m. on HBO and stream on HBO Max.