It happens all the time: Actresses sign a contract to play a character and they get completely, totally pregnant soon after. But directors often deal with a baby on the way, and the best know how to get a little creative. From CGI to low-tech props, the studios try to make it work. Do they always succeed? You be the judge!
Courtney Cox and Monica Sure Had Us Fooled on Friends
For years, Courtney Cox had tried to get pregnant with her husband at the time, David Arquette. She struggled with infertility, just like her Friends character Monica. According to the actress: "I get pregnant pretty easily, but I have a hard time keeping them.” Quite sadly, Courtney's real life fit with the show.
Until it didn't, that is! After success with IVF, Court's belly started to grow. But then, it didn't quite fit with the storyline. To make things work that season, viewers saw Monica in many headshots, coats, and baggy clothes. This shot from far back shows the sneaky truth, which admittedly, none of us ever noticed.
Claire Danes and Her Belly Were as Sneaky as a CIA Plot on Homeland
On Homeland, Clare Danes played a CIA operative tracking terrorism. That's definitely an intense line of work, and the character had no time to be a mommy. But in real life, the actress was planning exactly that. It was quite visible on set!
Claire ballooned, but the edits took care of it. She shared: “I was pregnant for a lot of (filming). With Cyrus, I started (filming) in my second trimester. I was eight months pregnant when we finished the season...With Rowan, I was filming during the first and second trimester. So, I got it from both ends. I got the nausea and fatigue, and then the huge belly they had to digitally erase.” Be honest: Could you even tell?
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Was Told Elaine Might Just Get Fat on Seinfeld
Julia Louis-Dreyfus was an irreplaceable part of Seinfeld. Her sassy quips and crazy dance moves are memorable to this very day. The series wouldn't have made any sense if Elaine left for a season. But the real Elaine got pregnant. How did Jerry the creator deal with this development?
Julia shared: “I was about three or four months into my pregnancy, and Jerry, I remember vividly, pitched to me… ‘Hey, how about this for this season, how about we write it in that Elaine just gets fat?’” It didn’t go down well. I burst into tears. Just started to bawl, uncontrollably. I was so humiliated and horrified." In the end, the answer was loose tops and baggy jackets.
Jane Leeves Got Super Chunky as Part of the Plot on Frasier
Jane Leeves got pregnant on Frasier during a slightly different era. It wasn't truly all that long ago, but it does seem like the writers made a plot choice they may have avoided today. During season eight, it was decided her character Daphne Moon would have a compulsive-eating disorder.
How was that shown to fans? Baggy clothes were the uniform for a while. And plot-wise, Niles sent her to a fat camp. She literally went way for a few episodes, presumably to shed pounds. Obviously, the real actress was away dealing with a real pregnancy.
Anna Paquin Showed Us How It Was Done on True Blood
Actress Anna Paquin usually freaks out audiences on True Blood. But on season six, she had something heartwarming going on in her life: She was pregnant. Her character wasn't, and the writers wanted to keep it that way. What solution did they find to hide her growing bump?
Co-star Todd Lowe revealed what he witnessed, back then: “I know that her stunt double has had more work than needed before...I know that and they’re pretty creative with staging and costuming.” Looking at her with a pillow over her stomach doesn't seem that creative, we must say. But then again, millions were fooled.
Kristen Bell Used CGI Lies on House of Lies
In real life, actress Kristen Bell is known as a passionate parent. She regularly shows off the brood she's made with her husband Dax Shephard. But she's also a highly employed actress. Surely, some of those pregnancies happened on set?
Indeed, House of Lies fans witnessed those months, whether they knew it or not. For a while, the costume ad props department was a big help. But eventually, Kristen was seven months pregnant and still working! At that point, the studio just paid for CGI editing. The baby bump was removed, like digital magic.
Leah Remini Really Just Lounged Around on King of Queens
King of Queens star Leah Remini was actually pregnant during the filming of season six. But as it so happened, the plot of the show really fit with her own bodily changes. Her character was unemployed. And that meant two things: Sweatpants and bathrobes!
There are no limits to robe colors, as Leah found out over time. She wore, pink, blue, and white, and kept things interesting. If she needed a real outfit, the costume department approached it with intention. Overall, Leah successfully hid it all.
Breaking Bad Was the Prefect Set for Betsy Brandt to Hide Her Belly
It was inevitable that the day would come. Breaking Bad ended, after five glorious seasons. But it still has a legion of cult followers to boast, and they know their show trivia. What's not to love about meth and mayhem?
Still, there is one thing even the most passionate viewers probably didn’t know until now. That pregnant belly that Skylar had during season two? That was actually real-life Betsy Brandt. Cameras hid it during her own scenes and used the footage for a different character altogether. The more you know!
In the End, Blake Lively Split the Filming For The Shallows
Blake Lively was surrounded by CGI sharks in The Shallows. Maybe she got away, maybe she didn't. We don't want to spoil a perfectly good movie just to talk about her pregnancy. But it is worth mentioning that she did a lot of her own stunts in a wetsuit while carrying a child. Didn't you notice her bump?
No, nobody did. Part of the movie was filmed during her pregnancy, and part of it afterward. But losing weight to finish the film was tough after she gave birth. To get back to beach-ready, Blake hired two personal trainers and a nutritionist to guide her. Nobody could have guessed the gap, since the film makes it look like she didn't skip a beat.
Isla Fisher Was Pregnant With Borat’s Baby During Burke and Hare
Funny lovers Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher met over twenty years ago, and they are now on baby number three. What a lucky pair! Fans may not know that one of the little ones was secretly a part of Burke and Hare. How so?
During work, Isla was about three months along. But no one noticed anything was off, since she was wrapped up in the perfect vintage costumes. It was the Regency period, and layers were all the rage. From gowns to capes to strategically placed hand warmers, the costume department had plenty of variety to conceal her growing stomach.
Sarah Jessica Parker Was Secretly Preggers on Sex and the City
On Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw was never one to dream about motherhood. That was Charlotte's role on the show, if anything. How would the queen of the dating columns be able to prance around NYC in Manolos with a big bump?
When Sarah Jessica Parker herself became preggers, it presented a problem for costume designers on set. Just how many ways could they hide her belly, all year long? They did a decent job, for a while. But in the end, the season simply ended early. There was no hiding it until month nine!
Gossip Girl Found Cozy Coat Solutions for Actress Kelly Rutherford
On Gossip Girl, character Lily Van der Woodsen was already a mom. The actress who played her was Kelly Rutherford, and she was on a different life schedule. In season five, she announced her own pregnancy. How did the writers handle it?
In the end, no significant storylines were changed. But they did place her in outdoor settings to meet other characters, which allowed her to wear baggy jackets all season long. Trenchcoats have plenty of room and an adjustable belt. Clever, clever!
Alanna Masterson Had a Zillion Props on the Walking Dead
Actress Alanna Masterson found out she was pregnant in 2015. Obviously, that was a happy development in her personal life. But professionally, it might have interfered with her role on The Walking Dead. Would the writers make her character Tara Chambler pregnant, too?
No way! That made no sense, they claimed. The show went with props on top of props. Sometimes, she would sit in a chair backward. Other times, she stood behind a dish rack. It wasn't high-tech at all. Just strategic, that's all.
Michelle Pfeiffer Was More Pregnant Than We Knew in Dangerous Minds
It's been a while since anyone mentioned Michelle Pfeiffer's role in the movie Dangerous Minds. The original teacher in the inner-city drama was fascinating for audiences back in the '90s. The one thing they never knew about the scenes? Michelle was pregnant the whole time!
During filming, lots of closeups of Michelle's famous face distracted from her tummy. Even though she was already in baggy outfits, she was still obviously pregnant. Angles became her saving grace, thanks to the camera guys. No side shots, thank you very much.
Angela Kinsey Truly Hid in Plain Sight on The Office
The American version of The Office ran for nine seasons. There had to be life changes for the actors and actresses over that period of time. Is it any surprise that actress Angela Kinsey got pregnant during season four?
Her character Angela many have had the same name, but she didn't have the same pregnancy. Luckily, since The Office takes place in an office, there were plenty of desks to sit behind. There were printers, copiers, and folders to carry back and forth. This one was an easy fix!
Helena Bonham Carter Was Very Visibly Expecting During Sweeney Todd
Fans of Helena Bonham Carter are aware that her ex is just as dark and daring. Director Tim Burton is the father of Helena's children and often doubled as her director. They made Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street together. Right in the middle of one of her pregnancies, no less!
Tim fast-tracked the filming to make sure her scenes were shot early. That way, her real belly growth would occur when she wasn't in a close-up. Mood lighting, dresses, and kitchen counters helped with the rest. Very good timing, and planning, we say.
Amanda Righetti Barely Tricked Us on While Pregnant on the Mentalist
Amanda Righetti got pregnant on season five of The Mentalist. Writers had no reasonable way to keep their plot and make her into a fictional mommy. To make sure viewers wouldn't notice her belly, character Grace was put into a lot of interesting positions.
Amanda could be seen standing behind random obstacles. She was also great at positioning her hand in front of her midsection. A water cooler helped block her one day, and bags and boxes came in handy, too. Overall, a lot of effort was made to hide the truth. But fans knew something was up!
30 Rock Had a Furry, Funny Fix for Jane Krakowski
On 30 Rock, there were plenty of laughs thanks to Jane Krakowski. The one thing we never saw from the character Jenna was a pregnancy. Maybe she would have been a bad mom, and it was for the best in that fictional world. But Jane is a different person!
The writers didn't mind, of course. Outfits for Jane changed that season, and she sported loose clothes in scenes that would have given away her secret. She even worse this charming dog costume. Bet you didn't know the real reason!
Gal Gadot Had a Totally Tech Savvy Crew for Wonder Woman
Gal Gadot has told this story over and over on late-night shows. It is certainly an amusing one, as far as pregnancy tales go. During Wonder Woman, she was expecting. The studio knew it would be visible on screen. That made no sense, obviously.
According to Gal: "On close-up I looked very much like Wonder Woman. On wide shots I looked very funny, like Wonder Woman pregnant with Kermit the Frog." The difference in the final scenes? It was CGI belly, believe it or not. Editing went a long way to make her slim physique totally real, if only to viewers.
Julia Roberts Dirty Double Crossed Us Again in Ocean's Twelve
Sometimes, pregnancy can be too much to fit into a script. But when you’re Julia Roberts, you're allowed to make demands. Ocean's Eleven was such a hit that the studio had even more reason to work everything out in the sequel. And work it out, they did!
When character Tess stood up from sitting behind a table, moviegoers saw a giant belly. They also saw a scene where she put on a fake belly as a con move. But that was the real con: Julia's pregnancy was 100% real!
Mad Men Found a Chubby Solution for Pregnant January Jones
Actress January Jones once remarked: "In this business, I don't know how you can have a plan or how you can orchestrate anything. But I've been lucky with my choices. I'm very strong-willed, so I've been able to stick with it. I'm lucky there."
That luck and will came in handy when she got pregnant on Mad Men. The writers didn't knock up her character. Instead, they decided that Betty Draper would simply overeat all season long. She developed a weight problem, visibly. That's one way to do it, we suppose!
Parks and Recreation Went the Extra Mile for Amy Poehler
Parks and Recreation star, Amy Poehler once mused: "When you are pregnant you can get away with a lot of sh*t. Women really are at their most dangerous during this time. Your hormones are telling you that you are strong and sexy, everyone is scared of you, and you have a built-in sidekick who might come out at any minute."
Amy is always full of jokes. When she was full of baby, her character sported loose tops to hide in plain sight. Fans might find it heartwarming to know that the director did Amy an extra favor: He filmed two seasons back to back, and this allowed Amy to take off more time to be with her new son during his first year. Aww!
How I Met Your Mother Used Hot Dogs to Explain Bloated Alyson Hannigan
Actress Alyson Hannigan has steadily built a fanbase since the '90s. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and American Pie won her a place in their hearts, and many followed her to the set of How I Met Your Mother. When she got pregnant in real life, they were overjoyed. But did it interrupt the show?
Interestingly, it did not. Creativity saved the season: The producers had a bit of fun with Alyson, giving her a scene that directly showed the audience her belly. They claimed it was the result of a hot dog eating contest. But it wasn't. It was a growing human being!
Reese Witherspoon Just Looked Like a Classic Lady in Vanity Fair
Reese Witherspoon was lucky to be on a set that had so many flowing gowns for Vanity Fair. This period in history seemed to feature maternity wear as daywear. Since Reese was pregnant, that was fine by her. What could be more comfortable?
Besides the flowy gowns, the lighting was perfect for Reese to hide the truth. With dim sets, it was easy to deemphasize her size. The gowns were a dark color, too, which helped with the optical illusion. Would you even know if we didn't mention it?
The Iconic Kate Winslet Made Divergent Look Like a Regular Day
It's time for a little science fiction, with high-tech tricks. When Kate Winslet was filming Divergent, a lot more was going on behind the scenes and off the screen. Kate was pregnant, and five months along. How did the costume folks hide this reality?
Apparently, pigment was their friend. Lots of dark outfits were worn, and Kate also carried a lot of folders and iPads to further obscure her midsection. During dialogue scenes, her delivery is pretty distracting anyway. She is a three-time Oscar winner!
Naomi Watts Found Out Her Interesting News Before Eastern Promises
Sometimes, surprises really creep up on you. That seems to be exactly what happened to actress Naomi Watts. Just two weeks into shooting on the set of Eastern Promises, she learned she was expecting. Interestingly, she was already playing the role of a midwife!
It was pretty early, and no one noticed her physical bump. But it was ironic, to say the least. She shared: "It was really interesting timing actually, I didn’t know I was pregnant until…I had been in London about two weeks when I found out. I was doing all this research of midwifery and turning up at hospitals watching live births...And there I was, pregnant all that time!"
Angelina Jolie Was Secretly Well Prepared for Her Role in the Changeling
Angelina Jolie is famous for her large brood of little ones these days. For those who follow their lives, the Jolie-Pitts seem to be growing up fast. It seems like she has had her hands full, for a while. What was Angelina doing professionally, when she was creating her home?
When she found out she was carrying twins Vivienne and Knox, Angie was already filming The Changeling. She kept it a secret since she was early in her term. The film finished without an issue, costume-wise. But it must have been psychologically tough — the plot, after all, is about a grieving mother! Clearly, this actress hid a lot, emotionally.
Actress Rosamund Pike Had a Kind Colleague During Jack Reacher
Rosamund Pike became a superstar after audiences saw Gone Girl. But right before that thriller, she was involved in some action with Tom Cruise. In Jack Reacher, Tom was the star and the producer. Rosamund filmed her scenes while pregnant. How did she manage that?
Apparently, boss Tom was very understanding. Rosamund recalls: “He could not have been more supportive. Certain stars would have — or might have — said, ‘Get someone else, she’s pregnant!’ That sort of thing goes on in this day and age.”
Jill Scott Loved Her Tummy During the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Africa
Jill Scott is one of those women that totally enjoyed her maternity months. She shared: "I truly loved being pregnant and feeling what was going on inside my body and watching it change. It's difficult to recoup, but still amazing nonetheless. I would have another one."
It's incredible she was so positive, considering her circumstances at the time. During the filming of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency in Africa, the entire cast and crew had to deal with heat and bugs. The workday was a grueling 14 hours, too. But hiding the truth was no big deal. Jill just wore looser patterned dresses. Easy-peasy!
Parminder Nagra Conveniently Got Away With It All During the Filming of ER
Fans first got to know Parminder Nagra in the soccer flick Bend It Like Beckham. After that breakout hit, she landed a role on ER. At some point, Parminder got pregnant off the set. How did the show deal with the challenge?
As it turns out, no costume changes were needed. Medical professionals always wear loose scrubs. Perhaps the sizes changed over the season. But her outfits worked out just fine, and she had the added benefit of a hospital setting. Carts, counters, beds, and all sorts of objects were the perfect camouflage.
Cobie Smulders Had to Hide It on How I Met Your Mother
Comedic actress Cobie Smulders shared: "I have a very flexible and easy schedule that affords me a wonderful lifestyle in Los Angeles. I'm able to be a very present mother, able to pursue other projects." That actually has been true for a long time, all thanks to How I Met Your Mother.
The writers were happy to keep her character on the planned track. Character Robin was against having kids, and that stayed the same. Lamps and other objects just hid Cobie at all the right times. How I Met Your Mother was a great personal and professional fit, back then.
Mandy Moore Couldn’t Be A Pregnant Old Lady on This Is Us
After marrying her true love Taylor Goldsmith, Mandy Moore tried to get pregnant. She had trouble at first, before receiving a diagnosis of endometriosis. After that, she got the help she needed to make it all happen. Incredibly, she was working at the same time.
During her biggest months, the writing focused on the scenes when character Rebecca was pregnant herself. When needed, laundry baskets and purses were employed as cover. And after she gave birth, scenes as grandma Rebecca resumed. Fans never noticed all the clever planning from Mandy and friends.
Zooey Deschanel Made New Girl Work as Long as She Could
Zooey Deschanel made New Girl the quirky comedy it was, through and through. It ran for seven seasons, thankfully. But fans may not know that Zooey was hiding a pregnancy right in the middle of her silly scenes! How did she do it?
Different costumes kept Zoe relaxed, and also doubled as coverups. The best example is the three-piece suit made of sweatsuit fabric. Zoe shared: “I’m the only one who wears it in the episode. It was really comfortable, and I was pregnant at the time, but I couldn’t tell anybody, so I was happy to be wearing comfortable clothes.”
Emily Blunt Was Becoming a Mom During the Girl on the Train
Two-time mom Emily Blunt found herself pregnant on the set of The Girl on the Train. She shared her feelings at the time: “The first pregnancy is the most self-indulgent thing in the world because you get massages and prenatal yoga and hypnotherapy CDs. During this one I forget that I'm even pregnant.”
Audiences could have forgotten it, too. It wasn't physically obvious, since she got the news days before filming began. But it's interesting to see how she used her hormone surge to get into character. Being visibly tired just fit the script. Perfect timing, in that regard!
Debra Messing Had Her Son During Season Six of Will & Grace
Will & Grace fans are sad that the shown has ended. But the laughs will probably be on reruns forever, and they're never far away. Actress Debra Messing was pregnant during season six of the series. Who had any idea, really?
The costume department made sure no one really saw. With flowing gowns and props galore, it wasn't hard to conceal. But admittedly, fans didn't like the outfits. They didn't seem like something Grace would ever wear by choice. And at some point, those outfits weren't enough. Grace was eliminated from the final episodes in that season. It was the best they could do!
Emily Deschanel’s Bump Became Part of the Show on Bones
Sometimes, writers are forced into strange situations. On the set of Bones, the creative solution to actress Emily Deschanel’s pregnancy was to write a new plotline. Temperance Brennan and Seeley Booth were suddenly expecting. Fans weren't really fans of this twist, for the most part.
The show kept the baby around after birth. Temperance and Seely had a daughter with a high IQ, and the plot revolved around that for some time. Now, the show is over. But it's a contrast to see how writers made a decision to go with the flow, in this case.
Rachel Bilson Was Expecting a Child During Hart of Dixie
First famous for The OC, actress Rachel Bilson found a new crop of fans with her role on Hart of Dixie. But the show was canceled pretty quickly. Some fans thought it was because Rachel got pregnant in real life. Was that the reason?
Rachel assured viewers that the cancellation had nothing to do with her pregnancy. But thinking back, it wasn't all an inconvenience for writers. The character was actually pregnant, for a bit. That was perfect for Rachel, who filmed those scenes with her belly. For flashbacks, she used baggy clothes, counters, and props to hide the view.
Phylicia Rashad Used Silly Solutions on the Cosby Show Set
Way back in the day, actress Phylicia Rashad was Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show. '80s viewers couldn't get enough of that series, and a pregnancy wasn't going to stop the show from going on. The writers did not choose to include it in the plot. How was it hidden in the end?
The writers kept Phylicia doing all sorts of normal things. She simply did them with all kinds of suspicious props in the way. Couch cushions were a great help, as well as a giant stuffed bear and newspapers. There were solutions, and it's only now that we look at it all with a skeptical eye.
Rachel Griffiths Was Pregnant Over and Over on Six Feet Under
Actress Rachel Griffiths was pregnant on a few seasons of Six Feet Under. Close observers may have noticed that she was missing in just a few episodes. She was too pregnant, and it was hard to hide it any longer. But for the most part, the writers made it work.
At times, objects were used to ide her belly. Even the bodies of other actors played the role of blocking it from sight. Over the course of the show, Rachel actually had three kids. Viewers only saw one, when her character gave birth.
Nana Visitor Couldn’t Count On CGI Back in the Day
Time for a vintage pregnancy tale. Actress Nana Visitor learned she was expecting while filming Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. As Kira Nerys, it didn't really make sense for the plot to go there, fictionally. But she did look pretty big. How did they fit this situation into space?
Oddly, the writers decided she was a surrogate mother. The pregnancy was visible on camera and even part of the plot. But since she had a lot of galactic missions planned, she couldn't be a stay-at-home mom. The baby was given away, right on schedule.