Michelle Buteau’s husband, Gijs van der Most, has shared her journey from years of modest stand-up bookings to award-winning television, historic comedy performances, and international recognition. A Dutch photographer, design entrepreneur, and father, Gijs has remained comparatively private while becoming an important part of Michelle’s personal and professional story.
The couple met in 2008 and married in July 2010. They later welcomed twins Hazel and Otis. Their relationship combines two cultural backgrounds, contrasting personalities, creative careers, and a shared commitment to family. Michelle has frequently credited Gijs with believing in her talent before her career reached its present scale.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Subject | Michelle Buteau and Gijs van der Most |
| Michelle’s birth date | July 24, 1977 |
| Michelle’s age | 48 years old as of July 10, 2026 |
| Michelle’s birthplace | Hamilton Township, New Jersey, United States |
| Michelle’s height | 5 feet 7 inches, or 1.70 metres |
| Michelle’s professions | Comedian, actor, writer, producer, and television host |
| Husband | Gijs van der Most |
| Husband’s nationality | Dutch |
| Husband’s professions | Photographer and design-business owner |
| Marriage | Married since July 2010 |
| Children | Twins Hazel and Otis |
| Shared business | Van der Most Modern |
| Family residence | The Bronx, New York City |
Who Is Michelle Buteau’s Husband?
Gijs van der Most is a Netherlands-born photographer and entrepreneur whose work has included editorial and commercial photography. Although he sometimes accompanies Michelle to premieres and awards events, he generally maintains a lower public profile. His identity is closely connected to visual creativity, Dutch design, family life, and the vintage-furniture business he operates with his wife.
Gijs is more than the person beside a successful entertainer. He developed an independent creative career before Michelle became a widely recognized television star, and the couple built a relationship in which both partners understand irregular schedules, artistic work, and the practical demands of running a household with twins.
Gijs van der Most’s Dutch Roots and Education
Gijs was born in the Netherlands and lived in Amsterdam before establishing his life in New York. His Dutch upbringing remains visible in his professional interests, particularly his appreciation for European photography and furniture design. Michelle has also used their cultural differences as material in her comedy, describing the amusing adjustments involved in joining a Dutch family.
He studied photographic design at HKU, the Utrecht School of the Arts, from 2000 to 2005. That formal creative education gave him a foundation in visual composition, image-making, and design before he began working professionally as a photographer in 2008.
His Photography Career and Furniture Business
Gijs began his professional photography career in 2008. His portfolio has included portrait, editorial, advertising, and lifestyle work, with photographs appearing in publications such as Esquire, Men’s Health, Fast Company, and People. His work reflects a polished commercial style while keeping him mostly behind the camera rather than in the celebrity spotlight.
He and Michelle also operate Van der Most Modern, a vintage-furniture business in Brooklyn. Its collection focuses on carefully selected furnishings and decorative pieces, including items sourced from the Netherlands. The venture combines Gijs’s design knowledge with the couple’s interest in distinctive interiors and functional mid-century pieces.
How Michelle Buteau and Gijs van der Most Met
Michelle and Gijs met in 2008, when she was still working steadily to establish herself as a touring comedian. Her career involved travelling across the United States for college shows and relatively modest performance fees. Gijs entered her life before major film roles, Netflix hosting jobs, bestselling essays, and acclaimed comedy specials changed the scale of her public career.
Their relationship initially included a long-distance period, requiring commitment and clear communication. They came from different countries and family traditions, yet those differences became part of their connection. Michelle’s expressive New Jersey and Caribbean-influenced personality formed an entertaining contrast with Gijs’s more relaxed Dutch manner.
Their Wedding and Long-Lasting Marriage
The couple married in July 2010, approximately two years after meeting. Michelle wore a fitted white wedding gown, while Gijs chose a formal dark three-piece outfit. What began before Michelle’s mainstream breakthrough has grown into a marriage spanning stand-up tours, business ownership, infertility treatment, parenthood, television production, and increasing public attention.
Michelle describes communication as one of their most important marriage habits. She explains demanding work periods in advance so that quietness or exhaustion is not misread as a personal problem. Their partnership also follows a shared-success philosophy: Gijs supported the early hustle, so Michelle views her later achievements as victories belonging to both of them.
Their Journey to Parenthood
Michelle’s path to motherhood involved years of personal challenges and emotional struggles. She continued working through these experiences, later incorporating them into her writing, interviews, and comedy. These experiences also helped her connect more deeply with audiences facing similar struggles.
Their journey eventually led to the birth of Hazel and Otis in 2019, a moment Michelle has described as deeply meaningful and filled with gratitude. It marked a new chapter in their lives, bringing joy after years of uncertainty.
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Family Life With Hazel and Otis
Hazel and Otis are a daughter-and-son pair whose arrival changed Michelle and Gijs from a couple into a family of four. Michelle has spoken warmly about watching the twins develop separate personalities while maintaining a strong bond. As they grew older and entered different school classes, their affectionate reunions became especially meaningful to their parents.
Michelle and Gijs approach parenting differently. She describes herself as highly alert to risks, while Gijs takes a calmer approach that encourages independence. Their styles reflect their backgrounds: Michelle remembers a safety-conscious Jamaican mother, while Gijs came from a Dutch culture she views as more relaxed about childhood exploration.
Home Life, Lifestyle, and Shared Interests
The family lives in the Bronx, balancing New York life with Michelle’s production work, touring schedule, Gijs’s businesses, and the twins’ school routines. Their lifestyle appears creative but grounded rather than built entirely around celebrity events. Design, family meals, practical mornings, school preparation, and clearly protected parenting time form important parts of their household.
Their leisure preferences are humorously different. Gijs enjoys outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, and paddleboarding, while Michelle has joked that relaxing indoors with reality television is closer to her ideal adventure. Even so, she has joined him on outdoor trips, showing that their differences frequently become shared experiences rather than divisions.
How Gijs Supports Michelle Buteau’s Career
Gijs knew Michelle when her comedy career involved constant travel and small payments rather than major premieres. She has said he recognized her potential early and imagined a larger future for her before she could fully see it herself. His confidence provided emotional stability while she continued developing her voice across stand-up, acting, podcasting, writing, and hosting.
He has also appeared beside her at significant events, including awards ceremonies and premieres. More importantly, the couple communicates about the demands behind those appearances. Michelle schedules tours around motherhood where possible, while advance conversations help them manage filming periods, travel, school responsibilities, and the recovery time required after intense work.
Michelle Buteau’s Profile and Public Image
Born on July 24, 1977, Michelle is 48 years old as of July 10, 2026. She was born in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, to a Haitian father and Jamaican mother and later studied television production at Florida International University. Her listed height is 5 feet 7 inches, or approximately 1.70 metres.
Michelle is recognizable for her curls, expressive delivery, statement eyewear, colourful fashion, and confident stage presence. She has built a public image around humour, self-acceptance, inclusion, and direct storytelling. Her professional profile now covers comedy, acting, writing, producing, podcasting, and television hosting rather than a single entertainment role.
Career Milestones and Current Work
Before becoming a comedian, Michelle worked behind the scenes in television news. The emotional impact of covering the aftermath of September 11, 2001, pushed her to reassess her direction and begin performing stand-up. Years of club shows and touring eventually led to screen roles in projects including Always Be My Maybe, Someone Great, First Wives Club, and Babes.
Her 2020 special Welcome to Buteaupia won the Critics Choice Award for Best Comedy Special. She later became the first female comedian to record a special at Radio City Music Hall. She created, executive-produced, and starred in Survival of the Thickest, whose third and final season premiered on July 2, 2026, alongside her continuing touring work.
Social Media Presence
Michelle Buteau maintains a lively social media presence featuring comedy updates, television projects, tour announcements, fashion, interviews, red-carpet appearances, and selected personal moments. Gijs van der Most shares photography, design, food, family life, and creative projects through a more understated online presence.
- Instagram — @michellebuteau
- Instagram — @vandermostmodern
Their contrasting online styles complement their public identities. Michelle’s energetic posts strengthen her connection with fans and support her entertainment brand, while Gijs’s visual content reinforces his image as a photographer and design entrepreneur while preserving the family’s sense of privacy.
Fun Facts About Michelle Buteau and Gijs van der Most
- Michelle and Gijs met in 2008, two years before their July 2010 wedding.
- Gijs studied photographic design in Utrecht before beginning his professional career.
- Their store, Van der Most Modern, features vintage pieces sourced partly from the Netherlands.
- Gijs enjoys mountains and outdoor adventures, while Michelle jokes about preferring the couch.
- Michelle became the first female comic to record a special at Radio City Music Hall.
Conclusion
Michelle Buteau’s husband is not simply a private figure attached to a famous entertainer. Gijs van der Most is a trained photographer, Dutch design specialist, entrepreneur, and hands-on father whose creative career developed independently. His work and background add another dimension to a marriage often described through Michelle’s energetic comic perspective.
Their story includes long-distance dating, a 2010 wedding, fertility struggles, surrogacy, twins, business ownership, and Michelle’s rise to international success. The durability of their relationship appears rooted in communication, humour, shared responsibility, and mutual respect, making Gijs an essential part of the life behind Buteaupia.
FAQs
Who is Michelle Buteau’s husband?
Gijs van der Most is a Dutch photographer, design entrepreneur, and co-owner of a Brooklyn vintage-furniture business.
When did Michelle Buteau marry Gijs van der Most?
Michelle and Gijs married in July 2010, around two years after meeting and beginning their cross-cultural relationship.
Do Michelle Buteau and her husband have children?
The couple have twins Hazel and Otis, a daughter and son welcomed through gestational surrogacy in 2019.
What does Gijs van der Most do for work?
Gijs works as a professional photographer and operates Van der Most Modern, a vintage-furniture business, with Michelle.
Where do Michelle Buteau and her family live?
Michelle, Gijs, and their twins live in the Bronx, New York, while their furniture business operates in Brooklyn.
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