He's got money ... he's in magazines ... but what else is there to know about Southern Charm's Whitney Sudler-Smith and what he's been up to lately? Well, with Season 10 of Southern Charm on the way this December, we're breaking down the latest in Whitney's life.
Since the South Carolina-based reality show premiered in 2013, Whitney has been an on-screen staple, alongside his mom Patricia Altschul, attending her parties and hanging out with the Charleston crew. Ahead, discover everything you've ever wanted to know (and more) about Whitney and some of the more recent updates on his life, where he lives, and career today.
Does Whitney Sudler-Smith appear in Season 10 of Southern Charm?
When Season 10 of Southern Charm premieres on on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Whitney will be back for the chaos and fun.
A press release for the new season teases, "Patricia Altschul is back delivering her straight-shooting guidance as the Grande Dame of Charleston, alongside son Whitney Sudler-Smith, who continues to be entangled in the group’s antics."
Check out the trailer above to sneak a peek at the new season and see what Whitney and his friends are up to.
What does Whitney Sudler-Smith do for work outside of Southern Charm?
Interestingly enough, Whitney has a way bigger hand in Southern Charm than simply being a cast member. He's the Creator and Executive Producer of the show, and also served as an EP on the show’s two spin-offs: Southern Charm Savannah and Southern Charm New Orleans.
"It was kind of a weird pipe dream and it's kind of ballooned into this monster," Whitney explained in a 2018 interview with The Daily Dish while talking about how Southern Charm came to be. "But I think we're all pleased. It's really a great show."
But the show's not the only thing on his resume.
"I am hardworking, No. 1. I have a production company [with] various shows in development or producing," he shared in the same interview. “I pursued screenwriting in the '90s to various degrees of success and then got into directing. Once I kind of laid roots here [in Los Angeles], I kind of never left. You have your ups and downs in any kind of career but especially in a film career. In the past 10, 12 years, it kind of picked back up — getting a production company together. We're doing a lot of other stuff. I have an office I got to from time-to-time. It's busy here, for sure."
What other projects is Whitney Sudler-Smith working on?
According to an October 2023 Deadline article, Whitney's production company, Vainglorious, is working on a project called Family Office — his first dip into the world of scripted television — alongside producer Nick Shumaker.
“It’s a dark comedy,” Whitney told the publication. “I guess it’s like Gossip Girl on ketamine and it takes the piss out of young London high society. It’s very funny and we’re very proud of it and we’re developing it now.”
Whitney and Nick are also working on a documentary called Mrs. America about the Mrs. America beauty pageant, which is set to be directed by Penny Lane.
"[The show is an] incredible opportunity to learn and think deeply about womanhood, marriage, and American values," the director told Deadline in a separate interview. "Excited to work with this amazing crew," added Whitney in an Instagram post when the project was announced.
We guess we'll stay tuned for any updates on those projects!
Whitney Sudler Smith's music
This is what we call a renaissance man, by the way. On top of his production work, Whitney can also "shred metal on the guitar" according to his Instagram bio. Scrolling through his feed, you can find him covering tracks like Led Zeppelin's "Rain Song" and ACDC's "Hells Bells." He also played entrance music at the infamous Southern Charm dog wedding for Peaches and Little Craig. While the marriage didn't last, his talent lives on.
Whitney Sudler-Smith Remembers Michael Kelcourse
After Michael Kelcourse passed away in October 2024, Whitney paid tribute to Michael, who retired from working for Patricia after health issues. He remained close to Patricia and Whitney and was always an extended member of their family. "RIP Michael Kelcourse, aka 'Michael the Butler,' a member of the family and a true legend. You will be missed," he wrote.
How old is Whitney Sudler-Smith?
Whitney was born June 2, 1968, which means he turned 56 years old in June 2024. (Fun fact: He has the exact same birthday as Andy Cohen, down to the year.)
Where did Whitney Sudler-Smith go to college?
Are you ready for this long list of academic successes? Whitney originally graduated from Georgetown Day School and George Washington University in Washington DC (he and Sophia Umansky are both alums!) before he headed across the pond to Oxford University in England and Alliance Française in France.
Whitney Sudler-Smith's family
Whitney is the only child of socialite Patricia Altschul (who really needs no introduction!) and the late Lon Hayes Smith, who was an investment banker.
"I put a lot of thought into what we would call the baby because when you're working with a last name as common as Smith, you have to be creative," Patricia wrote in her book, The Art of Southern Charm. "'Whitney' was the perfect choice: while it came from my mother's Mainline, Philadelphia, side of the family, it is also very Southern. Sudler was my mother's maiden name, and it was a nice alliterative companion to Smith. I thought that the hyphen added a touch of drama and made it a different name. There's no other Whitney Sudler-Smith."
After the couple divorced, Patricia made "being a good mother to Whitney" her first priority. After he went off to school, she decided to dive back into the world of romance — and two stepfathers eventually joined Whitney's family tree. For a while, Patricia was married to Edward Fleming. Later, she wed Arthur Goodhart Altschul Sr., a famous New York-based art collector and philanthropist, who passed away in 2002.
Whitney Sudler-Smith's relationship status
While Whitney keeps his romantic life under wraps for the most part, he opened up to his mom about dating during Season 9 of Southern Charm. His main point? He "can't rush" the process when it comes to find a nice girl.
"It's not as easy as you think," he said.
Does Whitney Sudler-Smith have a child?
No, Whitney doesn't have any children. Nevertheless, his mom would love for him to settle down.
“I want Whitney to have a family. He’s an only child and ... it just seems like life is slipping away," she explained during Season 9 of Southern Charm.
How many pets does Whitney Sudler-Smith currently have?
Per his Instagram bio, Whitney's household is complete with a five dogs.
Whitney Sudler Smith's house in Charleston
As Southern Charm fans know, Whitney lives with his mom while he's in Charleston. And how couldn't he? Her home is absolutely gorgeous.
Dubbed the Isaac Jenkins Mikell house, Patricia's Greek revival-style mansion boasts 9,500 square feet of space and was "built by British artisans" in the 1850s. If you want a full tour, look above: Whitney was kind enough to lead BravoTV.com through the special space in recent months.
Whitney Sudler-Smith has made the UK his second home
As a graduate of Oxford, Whitney has a soft spot for England. During a February 2024 trip across the pond, he attended the British Academy Film Awards, AKA the BAFTAs.
He's also seen his fair share of castles and estates (while wearing a bespoke tweed suit of course) and recently visited a Savile Row-trained tailor in London for a wardrobe refresh.
