When Michelle Buteau and Gijs van der Most welcomed Hazel and Otis in January 2019, the moment closed a long chapter of fertility treatments, pregnancy losses, difficult decisions, and hope. The girl-boy twins arrived through gestational surrogacy and turned the couple’s household into the family Michelle had imagined since childhood.
Today, Hazel and Otis are seven years old as of July 2026. They are growing up around comedy, photography, design, Dutch traditions, and their mother’s Haitian and Jamaican family roots. Although Michelle occasionally shares stories about them, the twins remain children rather than public personalities.
Quick Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full names | Hazel van der Most and Otis van der Most |
| Relationship | Girl-boy twins |
| Birth | January 2019 |
| Age | Seven years old as of July 2026 |
| Birthplace | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Birth method | Gestational surrogacy |
| Mother | Michelle Buteau |
| Father | Gijs van der Most |
| Parents’ marriage | July 2010 |
| Family heritage | Dutch, Haitian, Jamaican, and American |
| Birth announcement | Shared shortly after their arrival |
| Magazine milestone | Appeared with their mother on a December 2020 cover |
| School milestone | Prepared to begin kindergarten in fall 2024 |
Who Are the Gijs van der Most Twins?
Hazel and Otis van der Most are the boy-girl twins shared by Dutch photographer Gijs van der Most and comedian Michelle Buteau. Unlike many celebrity kids, the twins aren’t public figures or child actors—their names became familiar purely through Michelle’s candid stand-up specials, memoirs, and family interviews.
Interest in the twins also reflects the unusual path their parents followed to build a family. Their story combines a long marriage, demanding creative careers, fertility treatment, gestational surrogacy, and the experience of raising two same-age children whose personalities developed in noticeably different directions.
The Five-Year Journey to Parenthood
Michelle has described spending about five years pursuing pregnancy, beginning after she was diagnosed with a prolactinoma, a benign pituitary condition that can affect fertility. She underwent several rounds of IVF and experienced four miscarriages. The process became physically exhausting, emotionally isolating, and financially demanding.
Gijs played an important role when continuing treatment no longer seemed healthy. Their decision to stop trying to carry a pregnancy did not end their wish for children. Instead, it opened another path through gestational surrogacy.
“I want you back. You are so unhappy and just physically wrecked.”
— Gijs van der Most
Why Hazel and Otis Were Born in Pennsylvania
The twins were born in Pennsylvania, rather than the family’s home state of New York, because the surrogacy arrangement they needed was not legally permitted in New York at the time. Michelle and Gijs had to travel approximately three hours to work with an agency in Pennsylvania.
New York’s legal position later changed. The Child-Parent Security Act established a framework for gestational-surrogacy agreements and parental rights when it took effect on February 15, 2021. Hazel and Otis had arrived more than two years earlier, making Pennsylvania central to their birth story.
Their Birth and First Days as a Family of Four
While filming Always Be My Maybe, Michelle learned that the couple’s surrogate was pregnant. Hazel and Otis were born in January 2019, and Michelle was present in the delivery room after the surrogate chose who could attend. Holding the babies completed a journey marked by exhaustion, uncertainty, relief, and joy.
The couple celebrated their transformation from a family of two to a family of four. Michelle’s earliest descriptions already treated the twins as individuals: Hazel was the more compact baby and began crawling first, while Otis was the larger baby boy who was still learning to coordinate his movements.
Meet Their Parents, Gijs and Michelle
Gijs van der Most is a Dutch photographer who studied photographic design in the Netherlands and began working professionally in 2008. His career includes portrait and editorial photography. He also co-owns Van der Most Modern, a furniture and décor business featuring pieces sourced from the Netherlands.
Michelle Buteau is a comedian, actor, writer, producer, and host whose work includes films, stand-up specials, The Circle, and Survival of the Thickest. She and Gijs met in 2008 and married in July 2010. Michelle has described him as a supportive partner who believed in her career before its biggest milestones.
A Multicultural Home Life
Hazel and Otis are being raised within a blend of Dutch, Haitian, Jamaican, and American influences. Gijs was born in the Netherlands and lived in Amsterdam before building his life in New York. Michelle was raised in New Jersey by a Haitian father and Jamaican mother.
Those backgrounds shape more than travel or family celebrations. They influence the parents’ expectations around independence, safety, communication, and community. Michelle has contrasted the freedom often given to Dutch children with the more protective instincts she developed through her own upbringing.
Hazel and Otis Have Very Different Personalities
Michelle’s most memorable descriptions of the twins focus on how little they resemble a matched set. She calls them “little adults” with completely different energies. Hazel has been portrayed as direct, composed, and ready to manage the room, while Otis appears more laid-back and quietly observant.
Their differences are central to the family stories Michelle shares. She does not discuss them as interchangeable simply because they share a birthday. Instead, she notices how each child communicates, reacts to situations, and approaches new experiences, giving both room to develop independent identities.
Their Twin Bond, School Life, and Daily Routines
Michelle grew up as an only child, so watching Hazel and Otis form a sibling bond has particular meaning for her. She has described seeing them disagree, settle their conflict quickly, and return to playing. She has also shared that the twins attended different classes but hugged when reunited after school.
The twins prepared to begin kindergarten in fall 2024. School later became a central part of the household’s weekday routine, with breakfasts, lunches, supplies, and coordinated drop-offs. Michelle has arranged much of her touring around weekends so she can remain more available as a mother during the week.
Two Parenting Styles Under One Roof
Gijs and Michelle discovered after the twins’ arrival that their parenting instincts were strikingly different. Gijs tends to be relaxed and independence-oriented, reflecting the Dutch approach Michelle has observed. He is more comfortable allowing the children to explore and solve manageable problems without immediate adult intervention.
Michelle describes herself as the more protective parent, shaped by her New Jersey upbringing and Caribbean family culture. She sometimes sees Gijs as too laid-back, while he views her as more of a helicopter parent. Their contrasting instincts give the twins both close supervision and opportunities to become independent.
Growing Up Around Comedy, Photography, and Design
Hazel and Otis live in a household where creative work is part of everyday life. Their father’s photography involves observation, composition, patience, and visual storytelling. The family’s design business adds furniture, sourcing, and entrepreneurship, while Michelle’s career brings writing, performance, touring, production, and television into the home.
Michelle wants the twins to understand what she does instead of seeing work as a mysterious place that takes their mother away. She has spoken about bringing them backstage so they can observe the preparation behind a performance. Her goal is to model pride, discipline, self-care, and meaningful work.
Public Visibility, Social Media, and Family Privacy
A major early public milestone came in December 2020, when Hazel and Otis appeared with Michelle on her first magazine cover. The moment celebrated motherhood, alternative family building, body confidence, and representation. Fellow comedian and twin mother Wanda Sykes interviewed Michelle for the accompanying conversation.
Hazel and Otis also appear occasionally in Michelle Buteau’s social-media posts, including their birth announcement, family photographs, and selected milestones. Gijs maintains a quieter online presence focused mainly on photography and design. Together, the parents share meaningful family moments without turning the children’s everyday lives into continuous public content.
Fun Facts About Hazel and Otis
- Hazel and Otis are girl-boy twins who were born in January 2019.
- Michelle learned their surrogate was pregnant while filming Always Be My Maybe.
- As babies, Hazel began crawling first, while Otis was described as the bigger twin.
- Their first major cover featured a conversation between two mothers of boy-girl twins.
- Michelle says the twins behave like “little adults,” each with a completely different energy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Hazel and Otis van der Most?
Hazel and Otis are girl-boy twins born to photographer Gijs van der Most and comedian Michelle Buteau in January 2019.
How old are the Gijs van der Most twins?
Hazel and Otis are seven years old in July 2026, based on their January 2019 birth and shared milestones together.
Why were Hazel and Otis born in Pennsylvania?
They were born in Pennsylvania because New York law did not permit their parents’ required surrogacy arrangement in 2019.
When did Hazel and Otis begin school?
The twins prepared to begin kindergarten in fall 2024 and were later placed in different classes as they reached school age.
What do Gijs van der Most and Michelle Buteau do?
Gijs is a photographer and design-business owner, while Michelle works in comedy, acting, writing, producing, and hosting.
Conclusion
Hazel and Otis van der Most are best understood not as celebrity profiles, but as two children at the heart of a deeply personal family story. Their January 2019 birth followed years of IVF, pregnancy loss, legal obstacles, and a decision to embrace gestational surrogacy with the support of their parents and surrogate.
As they grow, the twins are surrounded by Dutch, Haitian, Jamaican, and American influences, along with photography, comedy, and design. Michelle and Gijs share selected stories while allowing Hazel and Otis to develop as connected siblings with distinct personalities rather than extensions of their parents’ fame.
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