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Who Is Stephen Colbert's Wife? All About Evelyn McGee-Colbert

Stephen Colbert (R) and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City.
Stephen Colbert (R) and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City.

Noam Galai/Getty

Stephen Colbert immediately knew Evelyn McGee-Colbert was the woman he was meant to marry.

The pair first met at a showing of a musical and wed in October 1993, before the talk show host became a household name. In the years following, Stephen and Evelyn welcomed three children and have also collaborated on a few projects, as Evelyn is a talented producer.

Stephen has credited his wife as one of the reasons The Late Show was still filming during the COVID-19 pandemic. While accepting an Emmy Award for outstanding variety special in 2021, Stephen said, "I'm going to call my wife to celebrate as soon as I get through all this because she was a huge part of this past year and this night, too."

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From their first meeting in a theater lobby to raising three children, here is everything to know about Stephen Colbert's wife, Evelyn McGee-Colbert, and her relationship with the late-night host.

She and Stephen met in a theater lobby

Stephen Colbert and his wife Evelyn attend the premiere of "Bewitched" at the Ziegfeld Theatre on June 13, 2005 in New York City
Stephen Colbert and his wife Evelyn attend the premiere of "Bewitched" at the Ziegfeld Theatre on June 13, 2005 in New York City

Peter Kramer/Getty

Stephen was at a showing of the musical Hydrogen Jukebox when he saw Evelyn in the theater lobby. The Late Show host later revealed that he knew Evelyn was the one immediately, telling himself, "Her. That's your wife. You're going to marry her."

Evelyn and Stephen saw each other again in a food line at the show's afterparty. Stephen recalled thinking, "You will kick yourself for the rest of your life if you do not turn around and say hello to her."

She and Stephen grew up near each other

Stephen Colbert (R) and Evelyn McGee arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California
Stephen Colbert (R) and Evelyn McGee arrives at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Nokia Theatre on September 20, 2009 in Los Angeles, California

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Once Stephen got the nerve to introduce himself, the two realized that they had actually grown together. Their families knew each other when they were children, and Stephen later said he thought Evelyn was "just being nice to me because our families know each other."

She first noticed Stephen because of the way he treated his mother

Stephen Colbert (L) and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attends the 'Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology' Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City
Stephen Colbert (L) and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attends the 'Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology' Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City

George Pimentel/WireImage

In May 2021, Evelyn revealed to Montclair Local that Stephen caught her eye on the night they met because of how he treated his mother. "He walked in with his mother on his arm. I was thinking, 'That man loves his mother,' " Evelyn said.

She has worked as an actress

Stephen Colbert (R) and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attend the Governors Ball during the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California
Stephen Colbert (R) and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attend the Governors Ball during the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 22, 2013 in Los Angeles, California

Mark Davis/FilmMagic

Like her husband, Evelyn has also worked in the entertainment industry, earning a few small acting credits throughout the years. She was featured in the comedy series Strangers With Candy, which was co-produced by Stephen, and appeared in Alpha House.

She works at the production company Stephen started

Stephen Colbert and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attend the 2018 Netflix Primetime Emmys After Party at NeueHouse Hollywood on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California
Stephen Colbert and Evelyn McGee-Colbert attend the 2018 Netflix Primetime Emmys After Party at NeueHouse Hollywood on September 17, 2018 in Los Angeles, California

Michael Kovac/Getty

Evelyn is currently the vice president of Spartina Productions, a production company started by Stephen. She also works as an independent film producer for the company. Evelyn is also the president of the Montclair Film Board of Trustees.

She made The Late Show possible during the pandemic

Stephen Colbert and Evelyn Colbert during Thursday June 18 2020 show. Image is a screen grab
Stephen Colbert and Evelyn Colbert during Thursday June 18 2020 show. Image is a screen grab

CBS via Getty

Stephen was honored at the 2021 Emmy Awards for his 2020 special, "Stephen Colbert's Election Night 2020." While accepting the award for outstanding variety special, Stephen gave Evelyn a lot of credit for helping produce the show during the pandemic.

"I'm going to call my wife to celebrate as soon as I get through all this because she was a huge part of this past year and this night, too," Stephen said. "You know, she's an absolute rock and I couldn't do this without her and I'm so glad — the only good thing that came out of COVID is that she got to be part of the show."

She and Stephen have three children together

Stephen Colbert, wife Evelyn Colbert and sons Peter Colbert and John Colbert pose with Goofy outside the Soarin Over California attraction at Disney California Adventure park in on August 28, 2010 in Anaheim, California
Stephen Colbert, wife Evelyn Colbert and sons Peter Colbert and John Colbert pose with Goofy outside the Soarin Over California attraction at Disney California Adventure park in on August 28, 2010 in Anaheim, California

Paul Hiffmeyer/Disney via Getty

Stephen and Evelyn have three children together: daughter Madeline and sons Peter and John. "Stephen and his family are very happily entrenched," a neighborhood source told PEOPLE of the Colbert family in 2015. "You can always see him with his family. Family and community have always been important to him."

She is very active in their community in New Jersey

Evelyn Colbert, Vice-Chairman of the Board MFF (L) and Stephen Colbert attend the Montclair Film Festival 2016 Opening Night "Life Animated" on April 30, 2016 in Montclair City
Evelyn Colbert, Vice-Chairman of the Board MFF (L) and Stephen Colbert attend the Montclair Film Festival 2016 Opening Night "Life Animated" on April 30, 2016 in Montclair City

Paul Zimmerman/Getty

The couple are very active in their local community of Montclair, New Jersey. Evelyn has been involved with the Montclair Film Festival since its conception, with founder Bob Feinberg telling the Montclair Local that she was his "first call" when he had the idea to start a film festival. In the years since, both Stephen and Evelyn have played significant parts in garnering publicity and raising money for the annual event.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple also raised funds for the New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund, which benefitted the state's economically devastated arts and cultural sector.

"Stephen and I know the value of a creative outlet — for ourselves, for our families, and for our community — and we can't take for granted that this industry will survive without our help. Every contribution makes a difference," Evelyn said in a statement.