Gijs van der Most: The Remarkable Life, Career, and Inspiring Story of Michelle Buteau’s Husband

Gijs van der Most is a Dutch professional photographer, entrepreneur, and creative businessman who is widely recognized as the husband of American comedian and actress Michelle Buteau. Although his connection to the entertainment industry has brought him public attention, he has established an independent career in photography and furniture design. Originally from the Netherlands, he developed his artistic interests through formal education before moving to the United States and building his professional life in New York. His marriage to Buteau, their journey to parenthood, and his commitment to his creative work have made him an interesting figure beyond his wife’s celebrity.

While Michelle Buteau enjoys a successful career in television, comedy, and entertainment, her husband generally maintains a more private lifestyle. Their relationship, which began in 2008, has developed through professional achievements, demanding schedules, and important family milestones. His story offers a closer look at the life of a creative professional who balances entrepreneurship, marriage, and fatherhood.

Quick Bio

Details	Information
Full Name	Gijs van der Most
Nationality	Dutch
Birth Country	Netherlands
Profession	Photographer and Entrepreneur
Education	Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU)
Known For	Photography and Furniture Business
Business	Van der Most Modern
Wife	Michelle Buteau
Marriage Year	2010
Children	Two, Hazel and Otis
Children’s Birth Year	2019
Residence	New York City, USA

Who Is Gijs van der Most?

Gijs van der Most is a Netherlands-born creative professional whose experience includes editorial photography, portrait photography, and furniture entrepreneurship. He built his professional background independently of his marriage, though Michelle Buteau’s growing fame introduced him to a wider international audience. Unlike many individuals connected to Hollywood personalities, he has not pursued a conventional career in acting or television. Instead, he has kept his professional interests focused on photography and design. His images have appeared in recognized publications, while his furniture business reflects his appreciation for European craftsmanship and decorative objects. His public identity combines these professional achievements with his role as a husband and father.

Early Life, Dutch Background and Education

Born in the Netherlands, van der Most spent many years in Amsterdam before eventually relocating to New York City. His European upbringing shaped his appreciation for art, photography, and design, interests that later became central to his career. He attended Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU), where he studied photographic design from 2000 to 2005. This education gave him a formal foundation in image-based work and visual communication. The Netherlands has a long tradition of influential visual artists and designers, making it a significant environment for someone pursuing a creative profession. However, detailed information about his childhood, parents, siblings, and early family experiences has not been widely documented. Rather than sharing extensive personal information, he has largely allowed his professional work and occasional family appearances to define his public profile.

Photography Career and Professional Achievements

Photography has been central to van der Most’s professional identity for many years. According to his publicly reported career history, he began working as a professional photographer in January 2008, following his studies in photographic design. His work has appeared in publications including People, Esquire, Men’s Health, and Fast Company. These credits demonstrate his work in editorial photography, where photographers must create images suited to different audiences and publication styles. His portfolio has focused on portraiture and documentary photography, two approaches that require an understanding of composition, observation, and visual storytelling.

His career also reflects the difference between working within the creative industries and being a public celebrity. While his wife appears regularly in front of cameras, he has spent much of his professional life working behind them. This distinction gives his biography a perspective that extends beyond his marriage. His interest in people, surroundings, and visual detail has shaped a career focused on creating images rather than seeking attention as a performer.

His Furniture Business: Van der Most Modern

Beyond photography, Gijs van der Most has built business interests through Van der Most Modern, a vintage furniture and home décor venture based in Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York. He is a co-owner of the business alongside Michelle Buteau. The company became known for offering selected furniture and decorative pieces, including items personally sourced from the Netherlands. This business connects his Dutch background with the American market for vintage and European-inspired interior design. Furniture selection involves considerations of appearance, construction, historical character, and practical use, making it a natural area of interest for someone with training in visual design.

The venture also shows that his creative interests extend beyond photography. Moving between image-making and furniture sourcing allows him to work with different forms of visual expression. Although public reporting has documented the business and its Brooklyn location, detailed financial information and its current commercial performance are not publicly established.

How Gijs van der Most Met Michelle Buteau

Gijs van der Most and Michelle Buteau began their relationship in 2008, when Buteau was still developing her career as a stand-up comedian. During that period, she traveled extensively across the United States, performing at colleges and comedy venues as she gradually established herself in the entertainment industry. Their early relationship was shaped by distance, but they kept building their connection despite demanding schedules and different cultural backgrounds. After approximately two years together, they married in July 2010.

Their relationship began well before Buteau achieved some of her biggest television successes. This timing matters because van der Most witnessed the demanding early stages of her comedy career. Rather than entering her life after she became widely recognized, he was already there as she worked toward bigger professional opportunities. Their marriage grew alongside her career, allowing them to experience major personal and professional changes together.

Marriage, Communication and Their Strong Relationship

Michelle Buteau has frequently discussed the couple’s long-lasting marriage in interviews. In April 2026, she spoke to People about the importance of clear communication, understanding, and mutual support in their relationship. She explained that communication is especially important because English is her husband’s third language and their professional responsibilities can create demanding schedules. When filming television projects, she tries to explain when she may be particularly busy or unavailable, helping prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.

Buteau has also credited her husband with believing in her abilities before she fully recognized the possibilities of her entertainment career. She described her professional achievements as shared successes, acknowledging the encouragement she received during years of hard work. Their relationship shows how two people in different professions can keep their own identities while supporting each other’s goals. In July 2026, the couple marked 16 years of marriage, an important milestone in a relationship that has continued through changing careers and family responsibilities.

Their Journey to Parenthood and Welcoming Twins

One of the most meaningful chapters in their family history was their journey to parenthood. Buteau has openly discussed experiencing fertility difficulties, several rounds of in vitro fertilization, and four miscarriages. These experiences created considerable emotional and physical challenges before the couple decided to explore gestational surrogacy. In a personal account published in Glamour, Buteau described the exhausting nature of fertility treatment and the difficult decisions that followed. Her husband played an important role in encouraging her to consider an alternative approach when continuing treatment became increasingly distressing.

Their persistence eventually led to the arrival of twins Hazel and Otis in January 2019, born through a surrogate. The birth transformed their household into a family of four and marked the beginning of an entirely new stage of life. Buteau later described the emotional experience of meeting her children and thanked the woman who helped them become parents. Their experience has contributed to public conversations about infertility, reproductive treatment, and the different ways families are formed.

Family Life and Parenting in New York

Gijs van der Most and his family have built their home life in New York City, where they balance work commitments with raising their children. Buteau has occasionally discussed their different parenting approaches, explaining that her husband tends to be more relaxed while she often takes a particularly cautious approach to safety. She has connected these differences to their contrasting childhood experiences and cultural backgrounds. Their parenting styles have also become material for her comedy, letting audiences see everyday aspects of their family life through humor.

Despite these differences, the couple shares the responsibility of raising Hazel and Otis. Their children turned seven in January 2026, and Buteau has spoken positively about watching them develop their personalities and become increasingly independent. The family generally maintains boundaries around private matters, even though occasional interviews and public appearances offer glimpses into their home life.

Supporting Michelle Buteau’s Entertainment Career

Van der Most has appeared alongside his wife at several entertainment events, including television premieres and awards ceremonies. They attended the Writers Guild Awards in 2023, the NAACP Image Awards in 2024, and the Made in NY Awards in 2025. They were also photographed together at a New York film premiere in June 2026. These appearances reflect his visible support for Buteau as she continues expanding her career across comedy, acting, and television production.

Buteau’s professional achievements include her Netflix comedy work, hosting The Circle, and co-creating and starring in Survival of the Thickest. Her success has increased public curiosity about her marriage and family. Nevertheless, her husband has generally remained focused on his own interests rather than using the attention to establish a separate entertainment career.

Gijs van der Most’s Latest Updates in 2026

Public interest in van der Most increased in 2026 after Michelle Buteau made significant comments about their relationship and personal circumstances. In April, she discussed their communication habits and the importance of supporting each other’s achievements. Later, during Hoda Kotb’s Joy 101 Fall Retreat in September 2026, Buteau revealed that her husband had been diagnosed with cancer. USA Today reported the disclosure on 1 October 2026, after she addressed the subject during an audience discussion about finding humor during difficult experiences.

Buteau did not disclose the specific type of cancer, when the diagnosis occurred, or details of his treatment. Consequently, there is no reliable basis for claiming a particular prognosis or recovery. Her comments instead highlighted the importance of emotional resilience and family support while facing personal challenges. Respecting the family’s privacy remains important, particularly because the publicly available medical information is limited.

Gijs van der Most’s Age, Net Worth and Private Life

Despite increasing public curiosity, several personal details about the photographer remain unconfirmed. Major published profiles have not reliably established his exact birth year, making precise claims about his age difficult to support. Similarly, no publicly verified figure exists for Gijs van der Most’s net worth. His photography career and association with Van der Most Modern establish professional activities, but neither provides enough information to calculate his personal wealth.

His relatively private lifestyle also distinguishes him from many celebrity spouses who regularly share extensive personal updates. Available information focuses mainly on his creative career, marriage, family milestones, and occasional public appearances, not undisclosed financial or personal matters.

Conclusion

Gijs van der Most has developed a distinctive personal and professional life through photography, entrepreneurship, marriage, and fatherhood. His Dutch background and creative education laid the foundation for his career, while his relationship with Michelle Buteau introduced him to a wider audience. Their journey through career changes, fertility challenges, and family milestones demonstrates the importance of communication and mutual support. Although he maintains a relatively private lifestyle, his professional achievements and family story offer a meaningful perspective on the man behind the public recognition. As of 2026, he remains best understood as an independent creative professional and an important part of the family life Buteau has openly celebrated.

(FAQs)

1. Who is Gijs van der Most?

Gijs van der Most is a Dutch photographer and entrepreneur best known as the husband of American comedian and actress Michelle Buteau. He has worked in photography and has been associated with the vintage furniture business Van der Most Modern.

2. When did Gijs van der Most marry Michelle Buteau?

The couple married in July 2010 after beginning their relationship in 2008. They celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in July 2026.

3. What does Gijs van der Most do for a living?

He is a professional photographer whose work has appeared in publications such as People, Esquire, and Men’s Health. He has also worked in the furniture industry through Van der Most Modern.

4. How many children does Gijs van der Most have?

He has two children with Michelle Buteau, twins Hazel and Otis. They were born through gestational surrogacy in January 2019.

5. What is the latest news about Gijs van der Most?

In September 2026, Michelle Buteau publicly revealed that her husband had been diagnosed with cancer. She did not disclose the specific type of cancer or further medical details.

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