Richert Schnorr is one of those rare people who manages to live a creative, accomplished life while staying almost entirely out of the celebrity machine that surrounds him. If you’ve heard his name at all, there’s a good chance it came up because of his marriage to acclaimed actor BD Wong. But reducing him to “the famous guy’s husband” misses the bigger picture. Schnorr has built a genuine career in digital media and editing, comes from a tight-knit Minnesota family, and has quietly become a creative partner to one of theater and television’s most respected performers.
Who Is Richert Schnorr, Really?
Richert Schnorr is an American digital media professional, videographer, and editor whose work has touched film, theater, and online storytelling. He was born on July 28, 1983, in the small town of Rice, Minnesota, which sets him apart from the coastal entertainment crowd he later married into. Professionally, he’s been credited as an editor on the documentary-style project Amanda Lepore: Doin’ It My Way (2011), and at the time of his 2018 wedding he held the title of Director of Digital Media at the New York Public Library. That’s a meaningful detail, because it tells you he’s a working creative with institutional credibility, not someone coasting on a partner’s fame. Over the years he has described himself as a multidisciplinary content creator with extensive experience telling stories across digital platforms, and that self-definition fits the trajectory of his career pretty well.
Growing Up in Rice, Minnesota
Long before the Brooklyn wedding receptions and Broadway opening nights, Schnorr was a Midwestern kid. Rice is a tiny community in central Minnesota, the kind of place where everybody knows everybody and life moves at a gentler pace than it does in New York City. Being raised in that environment seems to have given him a grounded, low-drama temperament that contrasts nicely with the high-wattage world of entertainment he would eventually marry into. His family later put down roots in Northfield, Minnesota, a college town known for its small-town charm and academic atmosphere. There isn’t a flashy origin story here, and that’s kind of the point. Schnorr’s beginnings were ordinary in the best way, and his eventual move into creative media looks less like a fairy tale and more like the steady, deliberate path of someone who simply followed his interests.
Family Background: The Schnorr Side
Richert’s father is John R. Schnorr, a longtime resident of Northfield, Minnesota. While John R. Schnorr has kept an entirely private life and has never sought any public attention, his name appears in the family records connected to his son’s wedding and in genealogical documentation tied to the family’s Minnesota history. What’s clear is that Richert grew up in a stable, two-parent household rooted firmly in the Midwest. The Schnorr surname itself has deep German and Scandinavian-American threads running through Minnesota, which is consistent with the broader settlement patterns of that part of the country. John R. Schnorr represents the paternal anchor of a family that valued steadiness, and that influence arguably shows up in his son’s measured, behind-the-scenes approach to a life lived adjacent to fame.
Family Background: The Frederickson Side
On his mother’s side, Richert is the son of Marie E. Frederickson, who, like her husband, has lived in Northfield, Minnesota. Marie E. Frederickson is the reason Richert carries “Frederickson” in his full name, Richert John Frederickson Schnorr, which beautifully blends both sides of his heritage. The Frederickson family has a richly documented Minnesota story that stretches back generations. Richert’s maternal grandfather was John Frederickson, who was born on a family farm near Murdock, Minnesota, in 1915 and passed away in January 2007. John Frederickson lived a classic Midwestern American life: he attended a one-room country school, studied at the University of Minnesota’s farm campus, and spent nearly five decades farming. His wife and Richert’s maternal grandmother was Eileen Frederickson, born Eileen Shields of Benson, Minnesota, whom John married in February 1944. Together, John Frederickson and Eileen Frederickson built the kind of enduring farm family that anchored small-town Minnesota for much of the twentieth century, and their grandson grew up as part of that legacy.
A Brother and a Close-Knit Family
Richert isn’t an only child. He has a brother named Steven Schnorr, and the two were raised together as part of the larger extended family that gathered around the Schnorr and Frederickson households in Northfield. Steven Schnorr appears in the same family documentation that lists Richert as a grandson of John and Eileen Frederickson, which confirms the close generational ties that ran through the family. Having a sibling like Steven Schnorr meant Richert grew up with a built-in companion and a sense of family loyalty that, by all appearances, stuck with him into adulthood. While Steven has stayed completely out of the public eye, his presence rounds out the portrait of a man who comes from a genuinely connected, family-first background rather than a solitary climb to relevance.
Education and Creative Roots
Schnorr’s intellectual and creative foundation is impressive, and it explains a lot about the career he went on to build. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College, a school famous for its interdisciplinary, arts-forward approach to education. That kind of environment tends to attract curious, creatively restless students, and it clearly suited him. He then went on to complete a master’s degree in design and technology at Parsons School of Design in Manhattan, one of the most prestigious design programs in the country. That combination, a liberal-arts undergraduate experience paired with a cutting-edge graduate program in design and technology, gave Schnorr a toolkit that bridges storytelling and digital craft. It’s exactly the sort of preparation you’d want if your goal was to work at the intersection of media, technology, and culture, which is precisely where his career landed.
Building a Career in Digital Media and Editing
Professionally, Richert Schnorr has carved out a niche that’s both creative and technical. His editing credit on Amanda Lepore: Doin’ It My Way (2011) showed his willingness to work on bold, culture-forward projects, and his longtime role as Director of Digital Media at the New York Public Library demonstrated that he could operate inside one of the most respected cultural institutions in the world. Managing digital media for an organization like the NYPL is no small thing; it involves storytelling, strategy, and an understanding of how audiences engage with content online. In more recent years, he has continued to expand his portfolio, taking on roles as a creative director and content producer. What ties all of this together is a clear through-line: Schnorr is a storyteller who happens to specialize in the digital and visual mediums. He’s not chasing the spotlight, he’s shaping the things audiences see and experience, which is a different and arguably more sustainable kind of creative power.
How Richert Schnorr Met BD Wong
The love story between Richert Schnorr and BD Wong has a refreshingly modern and relatable beginning. The two met in 2010 in New York City at a singles mixer organized through an online dating service. There was no glamorous Hollywood meet-cute, no chance encounter on a film set, just two people showing up to an event hoping to make a connection. And make a connection they did. From that mixer, the pair began a relationship that would last for eight years before they formally married. It’s worth pausing on this, because it humanizes both men. BD Wong, despite being a Tony Award-winning actor with a career spanning M. Butterfly, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, the Jurassic Park franchise, Oz, and Mr. Robot, found lasting love the same way a lot of regular people do. The relationship grew steadily and privately, away from cameras and press releases, which set the tone for the kind of partnership they’d go on to build.
The 2018 Brooklyn Wedding
After eight years together, Richert Schnorr and BD Wong tied the knot on October 7, 2018, in a heartfelt ceremony in Brooklyn, New York. The wedding took place at Giando on the Water, a venue offering beautiful waterfront views, and the ceremony was officiated by Cantor Sheera Ben-David. By all accounts, it was a warm, personal celebration surrounded by family and close friends rather than a flashy industry event. The reception had plenty of joyful, memorable touches; guests danced the night away, the couple cut into a wedding cake topped with a charming horse figurine, and the atmosphere reflected the genuine affection between the two. Richert marked the occasion on Instagram with a sweet black-and-white photo, the kind of low-key, authentic gesture that fits his personality. The couple has continued to celebrate their anniversary year after year, and they reached their seventh wedding anniversary in October 2025, a milestone that speaks to the strength of their bond.
Becoming a Stepfather in a Blended Family
Marrying BD Wong meant Richert Schnorr also stepped into a family that already had its own history. Wong has a son named Jackson Foo Wong, born in 2000 through surrogacy during Wong’s earlier long-term relationship with talent agent Richie Jackson. Jackson was a twin; sadly, his brother, Boaz Dov, passed away shortly after birth. Jackson grew up co-parented by Wong and Jackson, and by the time Richert came into the picture, he embraced the role of a supportive stepfather. The family has been known to share moments from their travels and theater outings, painting a picture of a loving, blended household built on care rather than convention. For Schnorr, becoming a stepfather wasn’t an afterthought; it was part of fully committing to the family he married into, and he appears to have done so with warmth and dedication.
Creative Collaborations with BD Wong
One of the most interesting dimensions of the Schnorr-Wong relationship is that it isn’t just personal, it’s creative too. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple teamed up on an imaginative project, reinterpreting the theatrical song cycle Songs from an Unmade Bed as a collection of immersive, video-driven music videos. Schnorr brought his videographer and editing skills to the table while Wong contributed his performance pedigree, and together they created something that premiered in August 2020 as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The project featured an impressive lineup of special guests and reflected life during the pandemic, turning a difficult moment into an opportunity for art and philanthropy. This collaboration is a perfect illustration of how the two complement each other: Wong is the seasoned performer comfortable in front of the camera, and Schnorr is the creative architect who knows how to shape and present a story visually. It’s a partnership of equals, each contributing what they do best.
Staying Grounded and Private in a Public World
What’s perhaps most admirable about Richert Schnorr is his commitment to staying private even while being connected to a very public spouse. He maintains a presence on social media, where fans get glimpses of his life with BD Wong, but he has never tried to monetize the relationship or position himself as a celebrity in his own right. He lives and works primarily in New York while his husband travels the world for acting roles, and he seems perfectly content letting his professional work and his family life speak for themselves. In an era where proximity to fame is often treated as a career launchpad, Schnorr’s quiet, dignified approach feels genuinely refreshing. He’s a creative professional first, a devoted husband and stepfather second, and a public figure a very distant third, and that ordering of priorities tells you everything you need to know about the kind of person he is.
FAQs
Who is Richert Schnorr?
Richert Schnorr is an American digital media professional, videographer, and editor who is best known publicly as the husband of Tony Award-winning actor BD Wong. Born in Rice, Minnesota, in 1983, he has built a respected career in digital storytelling, including a longtime role as Director of Digital Media at the New York Public Library, and he is credited as an editor on the 2011 project Amanda Lepore: Doin’ It My Way.
Who are Richert Schnorr’s parents?
Richert Schnorr’s father is John R. Schnorr and his mother is Marie E. Frederickson, both of whom have lived in Northfield, Minnesota. His full name, Richert John Frederickson Schnorr, reflects both family lines. His maternal grandparents were John Frederickson, a longtime Minnesota farmer, and Eileen Frederickson (née Shields), who married in 1944.
Does Richert Schnorr have any siblings?
Yes, Richert Schnorr has a brother named Steven Schnorr. The two were raised together as part of an extended Minnesota family and appear together in the family records connected to their maternal grandfather, John Frederickson. Steven Schnorr has remained out of the public eye.
When did Richert Schnorr and BD Wong get married?
Richert Schnorr and BD Wong married on October 7, 2018, at Giando on the Water in Brooklyn, New York, in a ceremony officiated by Cantor Sheera Ben-David. The couple had been together for eight years before tying the knot, having first met in 2010 at a singles mixer in New York City.
What does Richert Schnorr do for a living?
Richert Schnorr works in digital media and creative production. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Sarah Lawrence College and a master’s in design and technology from Parsons School of Design, served as Director of Digital Media at the New York Public Library, worked as an editor, and has more recently taken on roles as a creative director and content producer.
Conclusion
Richert Schnorr’s story is proof that you don’t need to chase the spotlight to live a meaningful, creative, and deeply connected life. He comes from a grounded Minnesota family shaped by his parents John R. Schnorr and Marie E. Frederickson, his brother Steven Schnorr, and the enduring legacy of his grandparents John Frederickson and Eileen Frederickson. He built his own career through education and craft, found lasting love with BD Wong, embraced the role of stepfather in a blended family, and even collaborated creatively with his husband on meaningful projects. Through it all, he has stayed humble and private, letting his work and his relationships define him rather than his proximity to fame. In a celebrity culture that often rewards noise, Richert Schnorr’s quiet authenticity is something genuinely worth admiring.