Nicolle Wallace is an American journalist, television host, and author best known for anchoring MSNBC's Deadline: White House. Born on 4 February 1972 in Orange County, California, she built her career across politics, publishing, and broadcasting. A former White House Communications Director under President George W. Bush, she later became one of MSNBC's most recognised voices.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace was born in Orange County, California, USA.
- She is the eldest of four children.
- Her siblings are Zachary, Courtney, and Ashley.
- Nicolle's net worth is estimated at approximately $3 million.
Profile summary
Full name | Nicolle Wallace (née Devenish) |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 4 February 1972 |
Age | 54 years (as of 2026) |
Place of birth | Orange County, California, United States of America |
Current residence | Manhattan, New York City, United States of America |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Mixed White (English and Greek) |
Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexual orientation | Straight |
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) |
Weight | 143 lb (65 kg) |
Hair colour | Light brown |
Eye colour | Brown |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Michael S. Schmidt (m. 2022) |
Ex-spouse | Mark Wallace (2005–2019) |
Children | 2 |
Father | Clive Devenish |
Mother | Veronica Devenish (née Zadis) |
Siblings | 3 |
Alma mater | Miramonte High School, University of California Berkeley, Northwestern University |
Profession | Journalist |
Social media |
Who is Nicolle Wallace?
Nicolle is a respected journalist recognised as a television host and author. She is a political commentator and host of Deadline: White House. She also anchors MSNBC news.
How old is Nicolle Wallace today?
Nicolle Wallace's age is 54 years old as of 2026. She was born on 4 February 1972, and her Zodiac sign is Aquarius.
Where is Nicolle Wallace from?
MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace is from the United States of America, and her nationality is American. She was born in Orange County, California, United States of America. The journalist spent most of her childhood in the Bay Area suburb of Orinda in Northern California.
Where does Nicolle Wallace live?
The seasoned media personality is based in Manhattan, New York City, United States of America, where she lives with her spouse and children.
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Family background
The journalist was born into a family of four children and is the eldest. Her siblings are Zachary, Courtney, and Ashley.
Nicolle's mother, Veronica Devenish, was a third-grade assistant teacher, while her father, Clive Devenish, dealt with antiques, a craft he inherited from Nicolle's grandfather.
In 1947, the journalist's grandfather, originally from England, immigrated to the United States of America.
Nicolle Wallace's education
The author and television host went to Miramonte High School and graduated in 1990. She proceeded to the University of California, Berkeley.
She studied for a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and graduated in 1994. She earned her master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and graduated in 1996.
Career
After completing her studies, Nicolle Wallace started her career as an on-air reporter based in California, United States of America. Later, she entered politics and relocated to Florida to work as the press secretary for Jeb Bush.
In 2000, she was appointed the communications director for the Florida State Technology Office. She then became a staff member at the White House.
She was a special assistant to the president and director of media affairs during George Bush's first term. She also worked as the communications director during Bush's 2004 presidential campaign.
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In early 2005, George Bush named her White House Communications Director. In July 2006, she left the White House and moved to New York City to be with her now ex-husband, Mark Wallace.
At the time, Mark Wallace was representing the Bush Administration at the United Nations. During the 2008 election, she was John McCain's senior advisor.
Authorship
The seasoned journalist is one of the top-selling authors in America. She authored the novel Eighteen Acres in 2010. The book is fictional and revolves around three elite women at the top of their careers.
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In 2011, she published a sequel to Eighteen Acres titled It's Classified. The fictional novel is about a presidential campaign troubled by a mentally ill vice presidential candidate. In 2015, she published her third novel, Madam President.
Television career
In early September 2014, ABC announced that Nicolle Wallace would be joining the network as The View's co-host alongside Rosie Perez. She made her debut on the screen in the show's 18th season. She left the series at the end of that season.
Not long after leaving ABC, she became a political analyst at NBC News and its cable network, MSNBC. She has appeared in different shows on the network as a guest or co-host, including NBC's Today Show and The 11th Hour. She also did live coverage of the election results in November 2016.
Why is Nicolle Wallace not on MSNBC today?
There are no reports that Nicolle will be leaving MSNBC any time soon. She occasionally takes scheduled days off, during which guest hosts fill in for her on Deadline: White House.
Alicia Menendez is one of the guest hosts who have filled in for Nicolle, the latest being in October 2026, when she was joined by Rep. Jason Crow on the show. Nicolle's role was taken by several replacement hosts until she returned from maternity leave or vacations.
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Nicolle Wallace's net worth and salary
Her net worth is estimated at approximately $3 million, making her one of the wealthiest news hosts. Her wealth comes from her career in media and from being a published author.
How much money does Nicolle Wallace make a year?
Nicolle Wallace's salary at MSNBC remains undisclosed to the public.
Are Nicolle Wallace and Mike Schmidt still married?
Yes, the two media personalities are still married. Michael S. Schmidt is an American journalist, author, and correspondent of The New York Times. He joined The New York Times in 2005 as a desk journalist and scaled the heights of his career.
Michael specialises in Washington-based federal investigations of national interest. He won two Pulitzers for his work with The New York Times.
The Lafayette College graduate has covered crucial news, including President Donald Trump's impeachment cases, the Iraq War, and the 2021 Capitol insurrection.
Michael and Nicolle got married in April 2022 after dating since 2019. Nicolle Wallace and Mike Schmidt's wedding pictures are scarce online because they had a private ceremony. Nicolle is 11 years older than Michael, who was born on 23 September 1983.
The journalist was previously married to Mark Wallace, an attorney, former diplomat, and businessman. The two got married in 2005 and divorced in 2019. She and Mark caught the media's attention for openly supporting gay marriage.
Did Nicolle Wallace have a new baby?
Yes, she and Michael Schmidt welcomed a daughter via a surrogate in late 2023. She is a mother of two, a son and a daughter.
She and her ex-husband, Mark, welcomed a son named Liam in 2011. In November 2023, the journalist announced that she and Michael welcomed a daughter.
Fans questioned why she did not appear to be pregnant before the announcement. She confirmed that she welcomed her daughter at 51 via a surrogate.
On 21 November 2023, she tuned in to her show from home to announce the new addition to her family. Gushing about her new baby, named Isabella Sloane Schmidt, she said:
"I understand why the truth was ruled out by so many people that Mike and I had a baby... I have not looked at my phone in a week and am amazed at the theories out there. Mike and Liam and I are smitten with her.
Our dogs are still rendering judgment. But we were able to keep it secret, obviously, because I wasn't pregnant, but I never meant to keep it secret from our beloved viewers. I am so happy to share our happy news today."
She went on to say that her son Liam was taking good care of his little sister:
"My son Liam is 11 and was in the hospital and scooped her up in his arms and was calmer than we were at the beginning. He just has a knack for the sway and the 'shh,' you know, all the things that you do no matter where you are when you have a baby."
Nicolle Wallace's son's illness speculations
There are no public records or reports indicating that Nicolle Wallace’s son, Liam, has any illness. This is a misunderstanding from March 2025, when she was criticised for comments she made about DJ Daniel, a 13-year-old with brain cancer.
Wallace and Rachel were discussing the boy's brain cancer survival and his aspiration to be a police officer after he was honoured by Donald Trump. Their comments were interpreted by critics as a politicisation of the child's illness.
Wallace expressed hope that the boy would have a long life but also connected his situation to the events of January 6, 2021, stating she hoped he wouldn't have to defend the Capitol from Trump supporters or witness others who did being pardoned.
President Trump claimed that Wallace and fellow MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow "should be forced to resign" while addressing their comments about Devarjaye 'DJ' Daniel.
Where is Nicolle Wallace today?
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The renowned TV host is still working for MSNBC. She returned to work in late February 2024 after being on maternity leave. She is still the anchor of the MSNBC news and politics programme Deadline: White House.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nicolle Wallace related to Mike Wallace? No, Nicolle and Mike are not related; they share the same last name but have no known familial connection.
- What is Nicolle Wallace's ethnic background? She is of mixed White ethnicity, with English and Greek heritage.
- Was Nicolle Wallace married before? Nicolle was previously married to Mark Wallace from 2005 to 2019, before tying the knot with Michael Schmidt.
- What is the age difference between Michael Schmidt and Nicolle Wallace? Nicolle Wallace is 11 years older than Michael Schmidt. She was born on 4 February 1972, while he was born on 23 September 1983.
- How did Nicolle Wallace have a baby? Nicolle welcomed her daughter, Isabella Sloane Schmidt, via a surrogate in November 2023. She was 51 years old at the time.
- Did Nicolle Wallace give birth at 51? Yes, she welcomed a daughter at age 51, but via a surrogate. Nicolle confirmed the news live on her show on 21 November 2023.
- What is Nicolle Wallace's height and weight? The TV host and author is 5 ft 6 in or 168 cm tall and weighs about 143 lb or 65 kg. She has light brown hair and brown eyes.
Nicolle Wallace is a diligent television host who has warmed the hearts of many with her boldness and expressiveness. In addition to hosting Deadline: White House on MSNBC, the mother of two is a successful author and news anchor.
Legit.ng recently published Kaitlan Collins' biography. Collins is the anchor of The Source with Kaitlan Collins on weeknights. She has been in the media industry for several years and has an impressive career record.
She is known for asking her interviewees candid questions and expressing her opinions on various issues. She has interviewed high-profile people in government.
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