Tess Sanchez is much more than the wife of actor Max Greenfield. She built a respected career behind the scenes in Hollywood, spending about two decades in television casting and eventually becoming an executive vice president at Fox. Today, she is also known as an author after turning a difficult career transition into her debut essay collection, We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction.
Sanchez and Greenfield have been married since 2008 and share two children, Lilly and Ozzie. Their relationship has remained relatively private, but Sanchez’s career and recent writing have offered readers a closer look at the woman behind the Hollywood connection. Her story includes professional success, marriage, motherhood, unexpected change, and the challenge of rebuilding an identity after losing a career that had defined much of her adult life.
Tess Sanchez Quick Bio
Full Name: Tess Sanchez
Profession: Former Television Casting Executive and Author
Entertainment Career: Approximately 20 Years
Former Employer: Fox Entertainment
Former Fox Position: Executive Vice President of Casting
Former Employer Before Fox: The WB
Former WB Position: Vice President of Talent and Casting
Husband: Max Greenfield
Marriage Year: 2008
Children: Two, Lilly and Ozzie
Debut Book: We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction
Book Release: April 1, 2025
Book Publisher: Gallery Books
Book Genre: Essays and Memoir
Foreword: Max Greenfield
Career Transition: From Television Casting to Writing
Notable Television Work: Felicity, Dawson’s Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, Supernatural, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 9-1-1, and The Mindy Project
Current Creative Focus: Writing and Personal Storytelling
Who Is Tess Sanchez?
Tess Sanchez is a former Hollywood casting executive and the wife of actor Max Greenfield, best known for New Girl and The Neighborhood. Although her marriage has made her recognizable to entertainment audiences, Sanchez has an accomplished professional history of her own. She spent around 20 years working in the entertainment industry, eventually reaching a senior casting position at Fox.
Her professional journey later took an unexpected turn. In 2020, Sanchez lost the Fox position she had worked so hard to build. Rather than allowing that experience to become the end of her story, she began writing about her career, family, relationships, and changing sense of identity. The result was We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction, her first book, published by Gallery Books in 2025.
Tess Sanchez’s Career in Television Casting
Sanchez spent two decades in television casting, a part of the entertainment industry that most viewers rarely see. Casting directors and executives play a crucial role in deciding which performers bring television characters to life, and Sanchez worked her way from early industry positions to senior executive leadership.
Her career included work at The WB, where she served as vice president of talent and casting from 2000 to 2007. During those years, she was involved with casting for well-known series such as Felicity, Dawson’s Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, and Supernatural. The Los Angeles Times notes that her career also included early experiences watching industry leaders recognize potential in performers who later became major stars.
Tess Sanchez at Fox
After working independently for a period, Sanchez joined Fox in 2009. Her responsibilities grew over the years, and she was promoted to executive vice president of casting in 2016. During her Fox career, she was connected with major television projects including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 9-1-1, and The Mindy Project.
By the end of her time at Fox, Sanchez had become one of the network’s longest-serving senior programming executives. Her departure in 2020 therefore represented much more than a routine career change. She had spent years building relationships and establishing a professional identity in an industry she deeply understood. Losing that role became the central event that eventually inspired her first book.
How Did Tess Sanchez Meet Max Greenfield?
Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield met at a Hollywood bar when both were still building their careers. Greenfield was an unemployed actor at the time, while Sanchez was working in the entertainment industry. Their meeting eventually became the beginning of a relationship that has lasted for more than two decades.
Their early courtship had a distinctly old-school touch. After their second date, Greenfield made Sanchez a mix CD called “Cool Jams.” Their relationship was not completely straightforward, however. Sanchez’s book explores the ups and downs of their early romance, including a breakup, reconciliation, and Greenfield’s struggle with addiction before their eventual marriage. The couple’s willingness to acknowledge difficult chapters adds depth to their story rather than presenting it as a perfectly uncomplicated Hollywood romance.
When Did Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield Get Married?
Sanchez and Greenfield married in August 2008, several years before New Girl premiered in 2011. Their marriage therefore began before Greenfield became widely recognized as Schmidt, the memorable character who helped make him a household name.
Greenfield has spoken warmly about their wedding, particularly the ceremony and the vows. He wrote his own vows and has said that he enjoys the emotional side of weddings. Over the years, the couple have described their relationship as a partnership built around communication, time together, and mutual support. Their long marriage has continued through major career changes and the demands of raising a family.
What Is Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield’s Marriage Like?
One of the most interesting things about Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield is how they describe their marriage in practical terms. Rather than pointing to one secret formula, they have emphasized making each other a priority. Sanchez has said that Greenfield puts her first, while Greenfield has described himself as a strong listener.
That communication also extends into their everyday family life. Sanchez has spoken about the importance of spending enough time together, while Greenfield has said that when she tells him she needs to see him, he makes an effort to be there. Their relationship appears to have evolved alongside their careers, with both partners learning how to balance professional commitments, parenting, and time together.
Does Tess Sanchez Have Children?
Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield have two children, Lilly and Ozzie. Their daughter Lilly was born in 2010 according to a Los Angeles Times report, while their son Ozzie was born in 2015. Some secondary sources have reported a different year for Lilly’s birth, so the 2010 date is the better-supported figure from the available contemporary reporting.
The couple have spoken openly about how parenthood changed them. Greenfield has explained that he was not initially certain he was ready to become a father, but after Lilly was born, he knew he wanted her to have a sibling. Sanchez had been deeply focused on her career and was initially more comfortable with having one child, but the family eventually grew to four.
Tess Sanchez’s Parenting Philosophy
Sanchez and Greenfield place particular importance on kindness and empathy when raising their children. They have described themselves as fairly relaxed about many aspects of parenting, but they take the way their children treat other people seriously.
Their message is simple: everyone has a story, and children should learn to be interested in other people’s experiences. Sanchez has also described herself as the practical, organized side of the family operation, while Greenfield brings a more playful energy. That division does not mean one parent is more important than the other; instead, it illustrates how the couple complement one another at home.
Why Did Tess Sanchez Leave Fox?
Sanchez’s departure from Fox in 2020 became the defining turning point of her later life. The loss was especially difficult because her career had become closely tied to her identity. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she explained that losing the job left her questioning who she was without the professional role that had occupied so much of her life.
The experience ultimately became the foundation for her writing career. Sanchez has described writing as therapeutic because it gave her a way to examine what had happened, revisit her professional history, and understand why the job had meant so much to her. Her story is therefore not simply about losing a prestigious position. It is about what happens when a person suddenly has to separate personal identity from professional success.
Tess Sanchez’s Journey From Casting Executive to Author
Sanchez’s move into writing was a natural extension of the storytelling skills she had developed throughout her casting career. A casting executive spends years observing people, recognizing personality, understanding relationships, and thinking about how individuals fit into stories. Sanchez eventually turned that same perspective toward her own life.
Her debut book, We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction, examines career change, identity, family, relationships, and the messy process of starting over. The official publisher describes it as a funny and heartfelt essay collection about navigating an unexpected career change and rediscovering identity.
What Is Tess Sanchez’s Book About?
We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction was published by Gallery Books on April 1, 2025. The 256-page collection combines humor and personal reflection, using Sanchez’s Hollywood experiences as a way to explore broader questions about change and resilience.
The book is particularly personal because Sanchez writes about the moment her professional life changed dramatically. She also discusses her family and relationships, including her marriage to Greenfield. The publisher explains that the book explores how losing her career forced her to reconsider the role work played in her identity. Max Greenfield wrote the foreword, and Sanchez dedicated the book to him.
Tess Sanchez’s Family and Rescue Dogs
Family life remains an important part of Sanchez and Greenfield’s story. They have two children and have also welcomed rescue dogs into their home. Their dog Darlene was adopted in 2023 after spending about 400 days in the shelter system through Wags and Walks. The family celebrated giving her a loving home, but Darlene later died of cancer in 2024.
That update is important when discussing Tess Sanchez in 2026. Earlier profiles described Sanchez and Greenfield as the owners of two rescue dogs, but Darlene’s death means that information is now outdated. Accurate biographies should reflect that change rather than repeating older descriptions without context.
Where Is Tess Sanchez Now?
As of 2026, Tess Sanchez is best understood as an author and former senior television casting executive who has entered a new creative chapter. Her publisher continues to identify her as the author of We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction and notes that she lives in Los Angeles with Max Greenfield and their two children.
Sanchez has also indicated that she remains open to future opportunities in entertainment while considering what comes next creatively. The Los Angeles Times reported that she was interested in both a possible return to casting and the possibility of writing another book. That uncertainty is actually part of what makes her story compelling: she has not presented reinvention as a finished process.
Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield: A Timeline
Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield’s story stretches across several major chapters. They met while both were still establishing themselves professionally, married in 2008, and became parents to Lilly and Ozzie. Sanchez continued building her television career while Greenfield’s acting career expanded through New Girl and later The Neighborhood.
Sanchez’s professional rise reached its highest point at Fox, where she became executive vice president of casting before leaving in 2020. The same career loss that initially left her searching for direction later became the inspiration for her 2025 book. By 2026, her story had evolved from Hollywood casting executive to published author, showing how dramatically one professional transition can reshape a person’s life.
Final Thoughts
Tess Sanchez’s story is much broader than the familiar phrase “Max Greenfield’s wife.” She built a substantial career in television casting, reached an executive leadership position at Fox, raised a family with Greenfield, and then faced the difficult loss of the career that had shaped much of her identity.
Her response to that setback became the most unexpected chapter of her professional life. Through We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction, Sanchez transformed a painful period into an opportunity for reflection, humor, and reinvention. Her journey shows that a career change does not necessarily mean an ending. Sometimes, it becomes the beginning of a completely different story.
FAQs About Tess Sanchez
Who Is Tess Sanchez?
Tess Sanchez is a former Hollywood casting executive and author who is married to actor Max Greenfield. She spent about 20 years in entertainment, working at The WB and Fox before publishing her debut book in 2025.
Who Is Tess Sanchez’s Husband?
Tess Sanchez’s husband is actor Max Greenfield. He is widely known for playing Schmidt on New Girl and Dave Johnson on The Neighborhood. The couple married in 2008 and have two children.
How Did Tess Sanchez Meet Max Greenfield?
Sanchez met Greenfield at a Hollywood bar when he was still an unemployed actor. Their relationship developed from that meeting and eventually led to marriage. Their early relationship, including its challenges and reconciliation, is discussed in Sanchez’s book.
How Many Children Does Tess Sanchez Have?
Tess Sanchez and Max Greenfield have two children, Lilly and Ozzie. Lilly was born in 2010, while Ozzie was born in 2015. The family has largely kept the children’s private lives away from excessive media attention.
What Did Tess Sanchez Do Before Becoming an Author?
Before becoming an author, Sanchez spent about two decades working in television casting. She held senior positions at The WB and Fox and was eventually promoted to executive vice president of casting at Fox.
What Is Tess Sanchez’s Book Called?
Her debut book is titled We’ve Decided to Go in a Different Direction. It was published by Gallery Books in April 2025 and explores career change, identity, family, relationships, and starting over after an unexpected professional setback.
Did Max Greenfield Help With Tess Sanchez’s Book?
Yes. Greenfield wrote the book’s foreword, and Sanchez dedicated the collection to him. His involvement reflects the supportive relationship the couple have described publicly.
What Happened to Tess Sanchez’s Rescue Dog Darlene?
Sanchez and Greenfield adopted Darlene in 2023 after she had spent around 400 days in the shelter system. Darlene later died from cancer in 2024. Her adoption gave the senior rescue dog a loving family for her final chapter.
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