Who Is Tom Schwartz? How the Minnesota Boy Took on Vanderpump Rules
Get to know the former model turned bar owner also known as "Schwartzy."
A Midwestern boy with a sensitive streak and heart of gold making it big in Los Angeles — that's essentially the Tom Schwartz story, right?
When Tom joined Vanderpump Rules as a recurring cast member in Season 1, he was simply Katie Maloney's boyfriend, desperate to get a job at one of Lisa Vanderpump's establishments. Today, he's a part-owner of one of Lisa's L.A. hotspots — and even has a cocktail lounge of his own.
Keep scrolling to discover everything you've ever wondered about Tom Schwartz.
Where is Tom Schwartz from?
Schwartz was born and raised in Woodbury, Minnesota. He studied pre-med at Florida State University after high school before getting into modeling.
Today, his family lives in Florida.
Tom Schwartz's Family
Tom Schwartz hails from a fairly big family, including three brothers (the famous Schwartz triplets: Bert, Billy, and Brandon), a sister named Natalie, two half sisters, and a half brother.
"I've been getting a lot of tweets like, 'When are they getting a spin off?' The ballad of Billy, Bert, and Brandon. They're the best. I love my brothers so much," he said about the triplets in a 2017 interview with Bravo. "They're such sweet kids. They have such a great dynamic. It's a dynamic that only triplets can have. They have so much history and chemistry."
RELATED: Tom Schwartz Shares an Update on His Brother, Brandon, Amid His Cancer Battle
Tom and his mom, Kimberly, are also close. In April 2023, he shared an Instagram carousel of photos featuring his lovely mama as they explored Los Angeles together.
"Found a happy place," he wrote.
RELATED: Tom Schwartz Opens Up on His Family’s Difficult Year: “I Fell Apart a Little Bit”
Schwartz's also-beloved father, William, has been dealing with some major health issues in recent years, and was "given a 5% chance of living at one point," according to Schwartz. Luckily, the patriarch seems to be doing okay.
“He’s lucid. He’s funny. He’s got most of his mobility back. I’m so grateful to have him. I love my family," Schwartz shared on Kristen Doute’s "Sex, Love, and What Else Matters" podcast in June 2023.
What does Tom Schwartz do for a living?
While today he's busy appearing on Vanderpump Rules and Winter House, Tom is overseeing his California bars: He's a part-owner of both TomTom and Schwartz & Sandy's.
He has a long resume behind him with work as a model and bartender, but a smaller list of roles as an actor.
In 2011, he was an extra on an episode of True Blood, playing a fairy. "Yeah, they curled my hair and I had a crown. It was a good look for me," he told The Daily Dish podcast in 2018.
He also appeared on Two and a Half Men as an Italian exchange student in 2013.
Most recently, he appeared as a contestant on the reality show Stars on Mars.
Tom Schwartz's Modeling Career
In a 2016 interview with Bravo, Tom revealed he never would've started modeling had it not been for his friends Tom Sandoval and Jax Taylor. Early in the series, fans saw Schwartz hard at work modeling — he was especially great at jumping in front of the camera.
"Well, believe it or not, I had a game plan before I came here and part of that game plan included doing print work, commercials, and then eventually the idea, the goal, the dream was to transition into acting," he told The Daily Dish. "And I knew it was going to be hard, but I totally underestimated just how fierce the competition is."
"The whole way I got into was via Tom and Jax, slash also networking with friends through them," he added. "One of them gave me their old books — a book is like your portfolio, you bring pictures around. Jax and Tom would let me crash their castings, which is a very common thing to do depending on who the client is and how big of a job. Jax would let me tag along sometimes."
Did Tom Schwartz work at SUR?
Fans of VPR might remember early seasons of the show, when Katie Maloney tried hard to get her then-boyfriend, Tom, a job at her place of work. During Season 2 Episode 2, he tried to charm Lisa into offering him a job at SUR.
"Why would you want to come here now and join this craziness?" she asked the bartender, who opened up about his experience working for private celebrities in .LA. "I'm a bartending machine," he said. "I feel like I stand alone in that I'm cool, calm, and collected. And I'm educated. Well-balanced."
While Lisa was hesitant to hire him in Season 2, she did give in for Season 3 (when he also officially joined the cast of Vanderpump Rules). However, she hired him as a bartender at her then-new restaurant, PUMP, instead of SUR. He infamously quit in the middle of his first shift.
What bars does Tom Schwartz own?
Tom co-owns his namesake TomTom alongside Lisa, Sandoval, and Ken Todd. His second spot (also co-owned with Sandoval), Schwartz & Sandy's, opened in 2022.
RELATED: Does Lisa Vanderpump Have Another Business Venture with the Toms in the Works?
“I know it’s not a particularly momentous milestone, but this is a nice little moment,” Tom said in a February 2023 video of himself drinking a beer outside his bar, which he posted for "posterity" and to look at someday when he's older. “I’ve kind of been fantasizing about this moment for a long time. Sitting outside Schwartz & Sandy’s, having a brewski, just chillin."
How old is Tom Schwartz?
Tom was born October 16, 1982 (he's a Libra, if astrology means something to you). As of 2023, Tom is 41 years old.
How tall is Tom Schwartz?
Tom measures in at 6 feet and one inch, making him a couple inches taller than his reportedly 5'11" buddy Tom Sandoval.
However, during a game of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in 2019, it was revealed that Tom Sandoval's then-girlfriend Ariana Madix told producers that Tom Sandoval wears heel inserts in his shoes to make him appear taller — a fact which Tom Schwartz confirmed live on-air.
Tom Schwartz and Katie Maloney's Relationship
Tom and Katie began dating in 2011, and the ups and downs of their relationship (including Tom's admitted infidelity) were chronicled during the first two seasons, despite Tom not yet being a full cast member. He gave her a promise ring in 2014 — to her great dissatisfaction — then asked her to marry him in 2015.
Their August 2016 wedding was broadcast on Vanderpump Rules during Season 5. Unfortunately, it turned out there were legal issues with their first wedding, so their second wedding took place in July 2019 and was broadcast during Season 8.
RELATED: Katie Maloney's Dating History: From Tom Schwartz to Post-Divorce Single Life
The couple announced their split in March 2022 after a “lot of issues" and finalized their divorce that October.
“I felt like my whole world, everything I know, just sort of dissipated in that moment, you know?” Tom explained during Season 10 Episode 1. “She laid it all out, and it made perfect sense. I can’t probably give you the specifics, because I was so upset, I wasn’t really listening. But also, I don’t want to ask her again, because one of the reasons she broke up with me was because I’m not a good listener.”
Who is Tom Schwartz dating?
While Tom Schwartz is currently single, there have been some whispers about his dating life since his divorce from Katie — including his interest in his fellow Winter House cast member Katie Flood.
However, he told E! News on Nov. 21 that the two are currently "really good friends."
"We haven't like friend-zoned each other," Tom added. "We stay in touch."
RELATED: Why Tom Schwartz Is "Worried" About Hurting Katie Maloney with His Katie Flood Romance
Ariana Madix, meanwhile, revealed during BravoCon 2023 that she thinks Tom still carries a torch for his ex-wife.
"I think he, like, has a crush on you. It's very weird," Ariana said. "I mean, we all do, but..."
