Cheryl Hines' Daughter Has Grown Up To Be Her Twin
On March 8, 2004, actor Cheryl Hines welcomed her daughter, Catherine Rose Young, into the world. Hines shares Catherine with her ex-husband, producer Paul Young. And like many other mothers know all too well, becoming a parent took some getting used to for the TV star. As Hines once said on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Suddenly, you're responsible for this little baby 24/7. You [used to be able to say]: 'Oh, I'm on my way home. I'm going to stop at my friend's house and say hi.' You don't do that anymore, you can't, and it's sad." That said, the adjustment was worth it.
In a 2010 feature for Redbook, the "A Bad Mom's Christmas" actor sat down with her daughter for an interview. Catherine asked a lot of sweet questions, including whether or not her mom remembers the day her first and only kid was born. Hines replied, "Of course I remember! What I remember most is that it was the happiest day of my life." Catherine also asked the all-important question of whether or not her mom remembers the first time her first and only kid tried chocolate, to which the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actor said, "How could I forget? You couldn't talk yet, so when you ate a piece, you started clapping."
Catherine is now all grown up, and she and her mom remain close, even joining together for an exciting business venture. Meet Cheryl Hines' daughter, a young woman who is beautiful, intelligent, and eager to use her platform to make a difference.
Reading played an important part in Catherine Rose Young's childhood
When she was first starting primary school, reading was not exactly Catherine Rose Young's favorite thing. However, Cheryl Hines made the activity a top priority in their household, encouraging her daughter to always find time for books and get more comfortable with the practice of reading. "For some reason, she hasn't loved learning how to read. I think it's like taking a bath — kids never really want to do it, but afterward, they feel better," Hines told People in 2010. "We read a lot of books together. Every night we carve out time to read, and now she's even reading some books to me, too."
It's safe to assume that reading practice stuck, as Young continued her studies after high school and headed to Southern Methodist University. Hines is also passionate about education and has worked with organizations that strive to help underfunded schools, as seen on the short-lived reality show "School Pride." "When [Young] started school, it made me think about other parents and children, and made me feel like it does take a village. The idea of a child going to a school where the lights don't work, where the toilets don't flush, it makes me sad," Hines told The Mercury News in 2010. As such, it's unsurprising that she emphasized the importance of learning at home.
Catherine Rose Young gave her mama a hard time
According to Cheryl Hines, Catherine Rose Young knew how to cause a little bit of harmless chaos from an early age. In an interview with People in 2011, the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actor shared that her daughter had a mischievous side. "She's not well-behaved at all," she quipped. "She's wild. She took a bath the other night, and when I went in there, the bathtub was covered with my makeup. I said, 'It's only you and me here, and it wasn't me.' And she said, 'I don't know how that happened.'"
Hines is a doting mom and regularly tells her daughter how much she means to her, which Young cleverly used to her advantage as a child. What's more, comedy always seems to win Hines over when it comes to making low-stakes trouble. "So when she misbehaves, she says something that she knows will make me laugh. Then it softens me up a bit, and I think, 'Who cares if there's makeup in the bathtub?'" the actor told People. But having a child who likes to push boundaries was not the star's only challenge as a mom. "You think the spit-up and the poop are going to be the hardest things, and it doesn't even scratch the surface," Hines told People in 2009 about the lack of sleep.
She's been around showbiz ever since she was a little kid
Cheryl Hines is a successful actor, which means she spends a decent amount of time away from home. In 2009, Hines discussed her work-life balance with People. Speaking of Catherine Rose Young, she said her kid had a grasp on what her career entailed from an early age. In the same interview, she discussed bringing her daughter on set. "You're fortunate as an actress, and it's not always the best idea to bring your daughter to your trailer because if you're working out something, sometimes you need that 20 minutes to clear your head. But I would rather spend that 20 minutes with her," she said.
As the child of a well-known actor and established producer, Catherine would become familiar with the ins and outs of the entertainment industry, including traveling to various destinations with her mom. "If I'm on location, she generally comes with me, although it'll get a little trickier now that she's in school. She's actually very good in studios — she sits at the monitors and knows that she can't make a peep or she'll get kicked out," Hines told People in a 2010 interview. The proud mom also said her daughter will use industry lingo like "Let's take five!" in everyday conversation. "She's got a little bit of showbiz in her blood, I'm afraid," Hines said. And while she would support her if she chose to become an actor, Hines was in no hurry to encourage this career path.
Cheryl Hines has always been there for her
Spending quality time with Catherine Rose Young has always been important to Cheryl Hines. "I think it's good to unplug as much as possible when you're with your family, which sometimes feels impossible. ... when I'm not working, I'm 100 percent with my daughter," she said in a 2016 interview with Mom. In a 2007 chat with Women's Day, she dished that she and Young, who was 3 years old at the time of the interview, enjoy traveling together. Reminiscing about one particularly fun vacation they took to the City of Light, Hines said, "I think we went on every carousel in Paris!"
Quality time isn't just about going on special trips or having once-in-a-lifetime experiences. As Hines told People in 2010, "I do everything I can to make sure I'm home to put her to bed, and I'm there in the morning when she wakes up so I can send her to school. You just have to carve out time." But the "Suburgatory" actor also received help from her former assistant and nanny, a woman named Sarita. Growing up, Young had a strong bond with Sarita, but this is not something Hines envies. Rather, she is grateful. "As a parent, the only thing that matters really is that you're raising your child to be the best person they can be, and Sarita knows that, and she knew that then," Hines told People in 2022. "She taught Cat so much."
Catherine Rose Young has many step-siblings
Catherine Rose Young's parents, Cheryl Hines and Paul Young, divorced in 2010 when she was 6 years old. "They will remain extremely close friends and will raise their daughter together," their representative said in a statement, as reported by E! News at the time. Hines would find love again, this time with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Hines and RFK Jr. married in 2014, and it was the third marriage for the politician. Hines became stepmom to RFK Jr.'s six children, and Young also became part of the blended family. Suddenly having a bunch of new siblings definitely took some adjusting for Catherine, and Hines commented on this in a 2016 interview with Mom. "It's important to keep an open mind and to understand that relationships often have to be redefined — so, especially with kids as they grow up, your child is not the same person that she was when she was 10, if she's 13 now," she said.
Catherine's new siblings include her stepbrother Bobby Kennedy III. While Young has not decided to become an actor, Bobby did choose this career path. He also appears to have a close relationship with Hines, who has commented on becoming a grandmother for the first time (Bobby and his wife, Amaryllis Fox, welcomed their daughter in 2019). "I don't know that I want to be called Grandma," Hines told Closer Weekly before the birth. "It's a really fun time, but I have to come up with a different name."
At a young age, Catherine Rose Young showed an interest in politics
Considering her connection to American politics and the Kennedy family — don't forget her stepfather is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmentalist and controversial politician who announced his decision to run for the presidency in the 2024 presidential campaign — it may not come as too big of a surprise that Catherine Rose Young is interested in politics and cares about important issues like the environment.
"We're following Hillary's campaign closely, which is great," Hines told Mom in 2016. "My daughter is a huge fan of politics, and she's 12! So we talk about it all. We talk about the inequality of pay for men and women, and she gets very passionate about that. And we talk about things we can do to make changes to level the playing field with men and women, so it's good." In the same interview, the "R.V.: Runaway Vacation" actor shared that political conversations were commonplace in their home. As messy as they can get, she values having these conversations with family members. "It's good because my family is so big, we have lots of different views and opinions, so we learn how to listen before we start shouting our own ideas," she said.
Catherine Rose Young brings her mom 'unimaginable joy'
Cheryl Hines got her perfect child in Catherine Young and never intended to have more. "I think one good one, and I'm out. I love her so much, and I love every minute I spend with her," she told People in a 2010 interview. She went on to add that she couldn't imagine not being able to give all of her parental energy to Young at all times. "I like having one that I can give everything to," she said.
The proud mama has also shared her love for Young on social media. "I saw your face and I was never the same," Hines wrote in a sweet Instagram post when her daughter turned 18 in March 2022. "You bring me unimaginable joy. Your smile lights up the world and your laughter fills my soul. Happy Birthday my beautiful, smart, wise, caring Catherine Rose." Hines ended her message by telling her daughter how much she loves her.
She has also raised her daughter to be strong and empowered. "I think it's good to talk about it with her so she can see that women can hold jobs where people are listening, where they are leading," Hines said in an interview with Mom in 2016.
Catherine Rose Young picked and out-of-state school
Catherine Rose Young celebrated an education milestone in 2022 when she graduated from high school. Cheryl Hines was excited about the moment and posted photos of her daughter on Instagram. "It all happened so fast! One day we're twirling around in teacups & the next day you're graduating from high school! Cat, my beautiful girl, I'm so proud of you. You're everything," Hines wrote in the caption. "You're smart, bold, beautiful, funny, thoughtful & you just radiate light."
The proud mom also shared a highlights reel from graduation day and snaps they took while they made their way to Southern Methodist University, which is located in Dallas, Texas. "Road trip to college send off. Happy tears," Hines captioned the Instagram post. The actor also took to a Facebook to post about Young leaving home for college in 2022. "Trying to stay calm before I send my daughter off to college. Anyone else sending kids off? In 7 days?? Little stressed?" she wrote alongside a photo of her in yoga pose.
Despite that star being thrilled about her daughter's education milestone, she realized her presence would be missed. "I have a lot of frequent flier miles to go see her. It's just different, it takes a minute to adjust," she said in an interview with Access Hollywood in 2023. In the same interview, Young revealed that things got emotional when her mom dropped her off at school once and for all.
Catherine Rose Young and Cheryl Hines are close
As you might've noticed by now, Catherine Rose Young and Cheryl Hines have a strong and beautiful relationship. "We joke with each other that we share a part of a brain with each other. Sometimes we'll look at something or smell a fragrance, and we both know what the other person is thinking," Hines told Morning Honey in 2023.
They're inseparable as adults, but even as a child, Hines always made time for mommy-daughter moments. "I like to get my nails done with my daughter," Hines told OK! magazine in a 2010 interview. "For Catherine, the brighter and the sparklier, the better. It is fun. If I'm not shooting, I'll let her pick out my color."
Social media has also been an excellent source of information and has given fans a glimpse into their bond. In March 2023, Hines celebrated her daughter. "Happy Birthday Cat!!! You can't even imagine how much I love and adore you. Through thick & thin baby!!!!! We've got each other. I loooove you!" she captioned photos of herself and Catherine on Instagram. In September 2023, Hines posted another photo of herself and Young with big smiles. "This is what it's all about #motherdaughter #love," she wrote in the caption. The pair have also given several joint interviews, including appearing on Bethenny Frankel's podcast, "Just B," to discuss their business venture, Hines + Young.
Catherine Rose Young and her mom have a beauty line
Cheryl Hines and Catherine Rose Young are proving that sometimes it is beneficial to mix family and business. They are committed to their beauty line, aptly named Hines + Young. "When I knew that Cat was getting ready to leave [home] ... I asked her if she would like to start a company with me," Hines told Access Daily. She spoke about the idea for their skincare line again in a 2023 interview with Morning Honey. In the chat, Hines explained that it was critical that the product be affordable without cutting into the quality, feature natural ingredients, and appeal to customers of all ages.
As outlined on the website, in the cosmetic brand's effort to be eco-friendly, there are not any single-use plastics in the packaging. They've also partnered with Waterkeeper Alliance.
Hines shared the news with fans on Instagram in May 2023. "This is one of the most exciting days of my life, I can finally share that my daughter Cat and I are launching a self care line Hines+Young!" she wrote. "I am constantly inspired and amazed by my beautiful daughter, and so thrilled to start this journey together." Young also commented on the special moment with an Instagram post of her own. "More than excited to officially announce the launch of Hines + Young!" she wrote. "So grateful to have created this amazing brand with my incredible mother and best friend." If that isn't sweet, we don't know what is.