Many people know Anna Chlumsky from My Girl and Veep. Fewer people know the man she has been married to since 2008. His name is Shaun So. He is not an actor, and he has stayed out of the spotlight. But his story is an interesting one. He is a U.S. Army Reserve veteran who served in Afghanistan, and he later became a business founder.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Shaun So |
| Known for | Husband of actress Anna Chlumsky |
| Age | Mid 40s (exact birth date not confirmed) |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Chicago |
| Military service | U.S. Army Reserve, deployed to Afghanistan |
| Time in Afghanistan | 2004 to January 2006 |
| Work background | Counterterrorism and intelligence work for the U.S. Army and Department of Defense |
| Business | Founder and CEO of The So Company (since April 2012) |
| Wife | Anna Chlumsky |
| Wedding date | March 8, 2008, in Brooklyn, New York |
| Children | Two daughters, Penelope Joan and Clara Elizabeth |
| Net worth | Not confirmed by any reliable source |
Who Is Shaun So?
Shaun So is an American businessman and military veteran. Most people hear his name because of his wife, but he has built his own career. He spent about ten years in counterterrorism and intelligence work for the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense. After that, he moved to the private sector and started his own company.
He keeps a low profile. You will not find him on red carpets very often, though he and Anna have been photographed at events such as the American Ballet Theatre Gala in New York in 2022. He does not give many interviews about his private life. Most of what we know about their story comes from Anna, who has written and spoken about it.
Be careful when you search for him online. Some low-quality websites say he is an actor, a film director, or a tech millionaire. Reliable sources do not support those claims. Parade, which wrote a detailed profile of him, describes him as a veteran and entrepreneur.
How Shaun So Met Anna Chlumsky
They met at the University of Chicago. Wikipedia says they were students there in 2000. Anna became famous as a child after My Girl came out in 1991. At 18, she stepped away from acting to go to college. That break changed her life in more ways than one.
In her Glamour essay, Anna described seeing Shaun for the first time at a rare dance party on the college quad. She wrote that they fell for each other quickly. She also knew they would stay together after she graduated.
Anna finished her degree in international studies in 2002 and moved to New York City for a job as a fact-checker. Shaun still had one year of college left. So the couple dated long distance, traveling back and forth by bus. When Shaun graduated, he worked for the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. They were still living in different cities.
Shaun So’s Time in the U.S. Army Reserve
After college, Shaun joined the U.S. Army Reserve. Anna has said the choice was not normal in her friend group. In her essay, she wrote that war felt very far away from the world they lived in. She was nervous, but she was also proud of him.
About three years into their relationship, Shaun was deployed to Afghanistan. Anna wrote that if long-distance dating is a sport, deployment is the X Games. She also told her friends she was building a fortress around herself so she could stay strong for her soldier.
This was a hard time for both of them. Anna wrote that Shaun’s Humvee was once hit by an IED, and that he was also ambushed in the field. Even then, he was able to call her right away. She said she believed he could stay whole and happy if he knew she was waiting for him on the other end.
Shaun came home in January 2006. Coming back was not easy. Anna wrote that he was jumpy for a while and sometimes woke up suddenly at night. But the couple stayed together. Shaun also kept serving in the Army Reserve for about five more years after he returned.
The Proposal and the Wedding
Parade reports that Shaun proposed about four months after he returned from Afghanistan. Anna’s engagement was announced publicly in October 2007. They married on March 8, 2008, in Brooklyn, New York.
Anna has said that during his leave, they talked a lot about their future. They decided that life was better with each other in it, even with all the unknowns. They also said they would rely on what Anna called their shared stubbornness to last for the long run.
As of October 2026, they have been married for more than 18 years. That is a long time in the entertainment world, and both of them have kept the relationship fairly private.
How He Supported Anna’s Return to Acting
After college, Anna first tried an ordinary office life. She worked as a fact-checker and then in publishing. Later, she felt she wanted to go back to acting. She said she wanted to do it right this time as an adult.
Shaun supported the idea. Parade shares Anna’s memory of what he said: he could hardly sit there training for the Army and tell her not to take a risk with her life. Anna studied at the Atlantic Acting School in Manhattan. Soon after, she got roles in shows like Law & Order and 30 Rock, then in the film In the Loop. From 2012 to 2019, she played Amy Brookheimer on HBO’s Veep, which brought her six Emmy nominations. She also starred in Inventing Anna on Netflix.
What Does Shaun So Do for a Living?
When he left the military world, Shaun moved to the private sector. According to his professional bio on Forbes, where he has written as a contributor, he spent ten years as a counterterrorism expert and special agent for the U.S. Army and the Department of Defense.
Since April 2012, he has been the founder and CEO of The So Company. His own LinkedIn description says he grows revenue, forms strategy, and manages employees at a company that improves public services for users. In simple words, his company helps make government services work better for people.
This was not his first business. Parade notes that his profile also lists:
- Founder and CEO of Cubby, a startup focused on urban logistics
- Co-founder of Digital Services Coalition, a non-profit group
So he has worked in the military, in government, in startups, and in consulting. That is a wide mix, and it fits with someone who likes to solve practical problems.
Shaun So and Anna Chlumsky’s Children
Shaun and Anna have two daughters:
- Penelope Joan So, born in July 2013
- Clara Elizabeth So, born in August 2016
The name Penelope has a story behind it. In The Odyssey, Penelope waits for years for her husband Odysseus to come home from war. Anna wrote about that story in her Glamour essay, and it clearly meant a lot to her during Shaun’s deployment. TODAY also noted that the family has a reminder of their own odyssey in their first daughter’s name.
The couple keeps their children out of the media. Anna has said she does not want her daughters to work as professionals in entertainment until they are grown up. In a 2017 interview with People, she said her plan is to offer them any activity they want, but they do not need the pressure of earning money until they are adults.
What Is Shaun So’s Net Worth?
Many websites give a number for his net worth. Some say about $3 million, and others say $10 million. These numbers do not come from a reliable source. Shaun has not shared his income, and no trusted business outlet has reported it.
If you see an exact figure, treat it as a guess. A more honest answer is that his net worth is not publicly known.
Why His Story Matters
Shaun So is a good example of someone who lives next to fame but does not chase it. He served his country in a hard place. He came home, built businesses, and became a father. He also supported his wife through a big career change.
For readers who search his name, the simple answer is this: he is Anna Chlumsky’s husband, a U.S. Army Reserve veteran, and the founder and CEO of The So Company. Everything else you may read about him online should be checked carefully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shaun So?
Shaun So is an American veteran and businessman. He is the husband of actress Anna Chlumsky. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve, was deployed to Afghanistan, and now runs a company called The So Company.
Is Shaun So an actor?
No. Some websites say he is an actor or a film director, but reliable sources do not support that. He works in business and public services.
When did Anna Chlumsky and Shaun So get married?
They got married on March 8, 2008, in Brooklyn, New York. They had announced their engagement in October 2007.
Do Shaun So and Anna Chlumsky have children?
Yes. They have two daughters. Penelope Joan was born in July 2013, and Clara Elizabeth was born in August 2016.
What does Shaun So do now?
He is the founder and CEO of The So Company, which he started in April 2012. The company works to improve public services. He has also started other projects, including a logistics startup and a non-profit group.
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