Michelle Obama has reportedly banned Cheryl Hines from appearing in a new HBO show she is executive producing over her MAGA links.

June 30 2026, Published 8:32 a.m. ET

Michelle Obama has banned Cheryl Hines from appearing in a new HBO series honouring America's 250th birthday, according to new claims, RadarOnline.com can reveal.

The former First Lady, 62, is an executive producer on Larry David's new seven-episode sketch show, Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness: An Almost History of America, and reportedly used her influence to stop Hines from featuring.

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Michelle Obama does not want Hines anywhere near her show, according to reports.

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Hines, 60, starred alongside David, 78, in the hit comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm; however, their relationship has become strained in recent years due to her relationship with the nation's Health and Human Services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The actress dropped her long association with the Democrats to form a friendship with Donald Trump's allies.

And her ties to MAGA have resulted in Hines being omitted from the series, with insiders claiming the prospect of her featuring would make Michelle go "absolutely ballistic."

Michelle and husband, Barack Obama, are executive producing David's show through their film and TV production company, Higher Ground. The ex-president, 64, will also be guest-starring in the series.

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Hines was desperate to link up with 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' co-star Larry David again, insiders claimed.

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A source told The Daily Mail: "Cheryl felt terribly hurt and emotionally injured because she had worked so closely with Larry for the entire 12 seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm and they had become like bosom buddies.

"Cheryl's dream was to work with Larry again and be part of the cast of the new show. She firmly believed that the staunch anti-Trumper could put aside his negative political views about MAGA and Kennedy."

The insider continued, "But banning Cheryl was a command from Michelle that Larry could not go against, even if he had wanted to, for old time's sake, and mend their past close ties.

"He always respected her as an actress. But Michelle's the boss. And you don't cross the boss, especially a powerful anti-MAGA force like Michelle."

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Michelle Obama made it clear Hines, here with husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr., would not be allowed on show.

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Insiders claim Michelle’s role within the production does not influence the script; however, she has a say in casting and signed off on all the guest stars.

But she made it known to those working on the show, "No Cheryl Hines!"

A source added: "Michelle can be a b---h on wheels when she wants to."

Another insider claimed Michelle doesn't even rate Hines as an actress, adding: "Michelle felt that Cheryl wasn't any great shakes as an actress, but mainly she felt she was disgustingly all MAGA because she was married to Bobby Kennedy Jr who she described as a turncoat to the Democratic party and a verifiable whack job as Trump's Secretary of Health and Human Services.

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Larry David was recently critical of Donald Trump's White House UFC event.

"Clearly, Michelle's a victim of what they call Trump Derangement Syndrome, because her true feelings surfaced in her clear-cut rejection of Cheryl."

The insider added, "It had nothing to do with Cheryl as an award-winning actress, but rather her supposed politics because of her marriage to Kennedy and being part of Trump's inner circle of supporters."

Radar recently told how David slammed Trump's White House UFC event at the premiere of his new show last week.

The funnyman said the spectacle made him "embarrassed to be American."