Cheri Steinfeld built her own path long before her daughter became a household name. She trained in interior design and later became Hailee Steinfeld’s manager. Her calm, steady presence has guided Hailee through more than a decade in Hollywood. She rarely seeks the spotlight for herself.

This article gathers verified facts about Cheri Steinfeld’s life, family, and career. It covers her marriage to Peter Steinfeld, her two children, and her professional background. It also includes the newest update in her story. In 2026, Cheri became a grandmother for the first time, and that milestone reshaped her public presence in a meaningful way.

Quick Facts

Family Roots and Heritage

Cheri Steinfeld carries a mixed cultural background. Her father had Filipino and African-American ancestry. Her mother’s side is Caucasian, adding a European branch to the family tree. This blend gave her children a genuinely multicultural upbringing.

Her daughter Hailee has spoken openly about this heritage in interviews. Hailee described how her mixed-race background shaped her connection to certain acting roles. She specifically pointed to her grandfather’s Filipino and African-American roots as part of her identity. That heritage played into her preparation for her 2025 film Sinners.

Cheri’s extended family also has ties to entertainment. Her great-uncle, Larry Domasin, worked as a child actor. Her first cousin, actress True O’Brien, appeared in television commercials. True’s early acting work later inspired a young Hailee to pursue the craft herself.

Peter’s side of the family brings its own entertainment connection. His brother, Jake Steinfeld, is a well-known fitness trainer and entrepreneur. Jake built a recognizable career of his own outside the Steinfeld household. This gave both Griffin and Hailee an uncle already familiar with public life and media attention.

Career Before Fame

Cheri did not start out in design. She earned a cosmetology license first but found it was not the right fit for her. She then worked as a flight attendant, a job that put her on a very different path.

It was during this period that she met Peter Steinfeld, who would become her husband. Meeting him sparked her interest in interior design. She later explained that decorating her own home after marriage led her into the profession full time. That shift became her long-term career.

Cheri has worked as a professional interior designer for decades since. She built her career in the Los Angeles area, where the family has long been based. Her design background gave her a creative outlet separate from her role as a Hollywood parent.

She has described her path into design as unplanned rather than a childhood dream. Marriage and setting up her own home first pulled her toward the field. From there, the work grew into a lasting profession. This unplanned start shaped how she later approached guiding her daughter’s own unplanned rise to fame.

Marriage to Peter Steinfeld

Cheri married Peter Steinfeld on May 24, 1992. Peter works as a personal fitness trainer and has appeared in television projects over the years, including a handful of episodes of Married… with Children. He is Jewish, adding another cultural thread to the family’s background.

The couple settled in the Los Angeles area to raise their children. Their marriage has lasted more than three decades. Both parents have stayed visibly involved in their children’s lives and careers, often appearing together at family milestones and public events.

Raising Griffin and Hailee Steinfeld

Cheri and Peter had two children. Their son, Griffin Steinfeld, was born on January 9, 1994. Their daughter, Hailee Steinfeld, followed on December 11, 1996. Both children grew up in the Los Angeles area under their parents’ guidance.

Griffin built a career of his own in motorsports. He began competing in desert races before moving into stock car racing around 2013. He later worked as a stunt driver on the 2018 film Bumblebee, which starred his sister. The siblings have described their bond as close, with Hailee publicly calling him one of her best friends.

Hailee has spoken about watching Griffin race in person. She described the experience as far more intense than it looks on video. The two have supported each other’s careers publicly for years, appearing together at premieres and family events alike.

Hailee’s path led to Hollywood instead. She earned an Academy Award nomination for her role in True Grit at just 14 years old. Her career since has spanned film, television, and music, including roles in Pitch Perfect, The Edge of Seventeen, Bumblebee, and Hawkeye, along with voice work as Gwen Stacy in the Spider-Man animated films. In 2025, she starred in Sinners alongside Michael B. Jordan.

Cheri’s Role as Hailee’s Manager

Cheri has managed Hailee’s career since it began. Her involvement started with a simple but firm decision. When eight-year-old Hailee asked to try acting, Cheri required her to study and train for a full year first.

That early discipline shaped how Hailee approached her craft going forward. Hailee later credited her mother directly for this grounding. She has said she would not be where she is without her mother, father, and brother supporting her every step.

Cheri’s role has stayed consistent through Hailee’s rise to major roles and award nominations. She continues to be closely involved in her daughter’s professional decisions. Their relationship blends a working partnership with a close personal bond, something Hailee has spoken about in multiple interviews over the years.

Becoming a Grandmother in 2026

Hailee Steinfeld married NFL quarterback Josh Allen in May 2025 in California. The couple announced they were expecting their first child in December 2025. Hailee shared the news through a video posted to social media, showing off her pregnancy.

Their daughter arrived in the spring of 2026. Hailee and Josh announced the birth on April 2, 2026, through a newsletter post titled “Special Delivery.” They shared that they were “grateful and blessed” while adjusting to early parenthood.

Cheri celebrated the news publicly online. She commented on the announcement with the words “Cha Cha officially clocked in,” revealing her chosen name as a grandmother. Peter used the nickname “Pop Pop” in his own comment, and Griffin welcomed his niece as well. In June 2026, Hailee revealed her daughter’s name: Harper Haize Allen.

Instagram and Public Life

Cheri maintains an active presence on Instagram under the handle @cheristeinfeld. She began posting on the platform in 2014, with some of her earliest shared photos showing the Manhattan skyline. Her account today features family moments, travel photos, and support for her children’s achievements.

She occasionally appears at red carpet events and award shows alongside Hailee. In 2020, Hailee interviewed her own mother for Allure magazine to mark Mother’s Day. During that conversation, Cheri opened up about her early jobs and how she found her way into interior design.

Despite her daughter’s fame, Cheri has kept a relatively private personal life. She shares family updates online but avoids constant media attention. Her public image centers on steady, low-key support rather than personal celebrity.

Final Thoughts

Cheri Steinfeld’s story extends well beyond being known as someone’s mother. She built a career in interior design, raised two children in very different fields, and later took on the demanding role of managing a Hollywood career. Her decisions, from requiring a year of training before Hailee’s first audition to staying closely involved in her daughter’s choices, shaped the direction of that career in lasting ways.

Her marriage to Peter Steinfeld has lasted more than three decades, and both children have gone on to build recognized careers of their own. In 2026, Cheri stepped into a new role as a grandmother, welcoming her first grandchild, Harper Haize Allen. Through each stage, from flight attendant to designer to manager to grandmother, Cheri Steinfeld has remained a consistent, private, and steady presence behind one of Hollywood’s more visible families.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Cheri Steinfeld?

Cheri Steinfeld is an American interior designer. She is the mother and longtime manager of actress and singer Hailee Steinfeld.

Who is Cheri Steinfeld married to?

She is married to Peter Steinfeld, a personal fitness trainer. The couple married on May 24, 1992.

How many children does Cheri Steinfeld have?

She has two children. Her son, Griffin, was born in 1994, and her daughter, Hailee, was born in 1996.

Is Cheri Steinfeld Hailee’s manager?

Yes. Cheri has managed Hailee’s acting and music career since it began, staying closely involved in major decisions.

What is Cheri Steinfeld’s ethnicity?

Her father had Filipino and African-American heritage. Her mother’s side of the family is Caucasian, giving the family a mixed background.

Is Cheri Steinfeld a grandmother?

Yes. Hailee and her husband Josh Allen welcomed a daughter, Harper Haize Allen, in April 2026.

Does Cheri Steinfeld have a career outside her family?

Yes. She has worked as a professional interior designer in Los Angeles for decades, separate from her role managing Hailee’s career.