Max Greenfield

Max Greenfield is an American actor and author best known for his comedic timing and sharp delivery. He rose to fame playing Schmidt on the Fox sitcom New Girl, a role that earned him Emmy, Golden Globe, and Critics' Choice Television Award nominations. Greenfield brought a unique blend of vanity and vulnerability to the character, making Schmidt a fan favorite. From 2018 to 2026, he starred as Dave Johnson on the CBS sitcom The Neighborhood, a role that showcased his ability to navigate cross-cultural humor with warmth. Beyond live-action, he has voiced characters in the Ice Age franchise, Bob's Burgers, and BoJack Horseman. He has also written several children's books, including I Don't Want to Read This Book and Good Night Thoughts, bringing his humor to a younger audience. Greenfield lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. [edit]

Max Greenfield was born and raised in Dobbs Ferry, a village in Westchester County, New York. He is Jewish and had a Saturday Night Live-themed Bar Mitzvah. He graduated from Dobbs Ferry High School in 1998, where he played wide receiver for the football team. After high school, he attended college before moving to the West Coast to be near his family. Once there, he decided to pursue an acting career and struggled initially to land jobs. His first television appearance was on the MTV series Undressed in 1999. He followed this with guest appearances on Boston Public in 2002 and Gilmore Girls in 2003. His first film role was in the independent feature Cross Bronx in 2004. Greenfield gained early recognition through recurring roles on Veronica Mars, where he played Deputy Sheriff Leo D'Amato from 2005 to 2007, and on Ugly Betty from 2007 to 2008. [edit]

Greenfield's breakthrough came in 2011 when he was cast as Schmidt on the Fox sitcom New Girl. The role earned him nominations at the Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Critics' Choice Television Awards. The show ran for seven seasons until 2018. During and after New Girl, he expanded into voice work, voicing Roger in the Ice Age franchise in 2016 and appearing in Bob's Burgers, Robot Chicken, and BoJack Horseman. In 2018, he starred in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Later that year, he began his role as Dave Johnson on the CBS sitcom The Neighborhood, which ran for seven seasons until 2026. In 2025, he appeared in Netflix's Running Point. He has also published four children's books, including I Don't Want to Read This Book and Good Night Thoughts. [edit]

Greenfield is known for his comedic timing and sharp delivery, particularly in his role as Schmidt on New Girl, where he brought a blend of vanity and vulnerability to the character. His role on The Neighborhood showcased his ability to navigate cross-cultural humor with warmth. He maintains a family-oriented public image, often sharing glimpses of his life with wife Tess and their two children on social media. [edit]

Max Greenfield's cultural footprint is anchored in the electric energy of Schmidt from *New Girl*, a character who turned vanity into vulnerability and made awkwardness an art form. For seven seasons, he commanded the screen with a specific cadence that turned simple lines into viral moments, earning him nominations for an Emmy and a Golden Globe. His fanbase operates under general identifiers like "New Girl fans" rather than a singular, branded moniker, gathering on social media to celebrate his work without the organized rituals seen in other celebrity spheres. While rumors of a reunion sparked fresh excitement in mid-2026 after Greenfield praised scripts as "amazing," the core of his legend remains the show itself. Recent anecdotes about Taylor Swift calling him a better actor than the cast have circulated widely, adding a modern layer to his story without altering the fundamental mythos built over a decade of television. He continues to navigate new projects like *The White Lotus* and *Don't Say Good Luck*, though none have eclipsed the iconic status of his time in Los Angeles. Max Greenfield is currently not ranked in the iFANN Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. The iFANN Global Fame Engine has evaluated this person, but they do not currently hold a placement in the published rankings.[edit]

Greenfield celebrated his Bar Mitzvah with a unique *Saturday Night Live* theme, a nod to his early comedic influences. Before acting took center stage, he was a wide receiver on his high school football team. His commercial work includes a memorable spot for McDonald's Sirloin 1/3 Pound Burgers. He founded a connection with the Young Storytellers Foundation, driven by a desire to help children find confidence and creativity inspired by his own kids. His bibliography features children's books such as *I Don't Want to Read This Book* and *Good Night Thoughts*. A popular story among fans involves Greenfield revealing details about Taylor Swift's 2013 cameo on *New Girl*, where he claimed she outperformed the main cast. In 2026, he fueled reunion buzz by confirming he had read amazing scripts for a potential return to the show. These stories blend verified career milestones with the enduring lore of his most famous role.[edit]

Greenfield married Tess Sanchez, a television executive, on August 8, 2008. The couple has two children: daughter Lily and son Ozzie James. His parents are Lilly Greenfield and Ozzie James Greenfield. The family lives in Los Angeles. Greenfield frequently shares glimpses of family life on social media. [edit]

Greenfield has worked closely with Zooey Deschanel, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris, and Hannah Simone on New Girl, and with Cedric the Entertainer and Tichina Arnold on The Neighborhood. He also starred alongside Kristen Bell on Veronica Mars and America Ferrera on Ugly Betty. [edit]

Max Greenfield has been married to Tess Sanchez since August 8, 2008. Sanchez is a television executive. The couple met through work connections in the entertainment industry. They have two children together: daughter Lily and son Ozzie James. The family resides in Los Angeles. Greenfield's relationship history is notably stable, with no other publicly confirmed romantic relationships documented in credible sources. [edit]

Per iFANN's editorial analysis, Max Greenfield's net worth stands at $12 Million as of 2026. This figure reflects his sustained success as a lead actor on major network sitcoms. During the later seasons of *The Neighborhood*, which concluded its run on CBS after seven seasons, he commanded a per-episode salary between $100,000 and $200,000. Residual earnings from *New Girl*, which aired for six seasons on Fox, provide a steady income stream. Additional revenue streams include roles in films like *Max* (2015) and voice acting contributions to the *Ice Age* franchise. Royalties from his four published children's books and appearances in commercials further bolster his financial standing. Real estate investments in Los Angeles round out his portfolio.[edit]