The performers go through numerous phases of their lives while filming for a series, especially ones that last multiple seasons. It’s not rare for actors to become pregnant during filming, and many shows either make it a part of the plot or ignore it entirely.
Here are some examples of how actors’ real-life pregnancies on TV series were artistically handled.
Desperate Housewives: Marcia Cross
When Marcia Cross was pregnant with twins during Season 3 of Desperate Housewives, her doctor advised her to stay in bed. They moved the scene to her residence to continue filming because she couldn’t get to the site for shooting.
Her pregnancy was also not allowed on the show, so they had to think outside the box when it came to filming. Cross admitted to Good Home Keeping that she wore a lot of sweaters to cover her baby belly, and they also employed props like a gingerbread house.
How I Met Your Mother: Alyson Hannigan
During the filming of How I Met Your Mother, Alyson Hannigan became pregnant twice. And the pregnancies were handled differently on the show each time.
Her character, Lily, competed in a hot dog eating competition and ate 29 hot dogs during her first pregnancy. The series depicted her growing tummy due to her eating too much during the competition to give a comic touch to the episode and to conveniently portray her pregnancy bulge.
It was considerably easier with Hannigan’s second pregnancy because they didn’t have to come up with any inventive ways to hide it because her character was also pregnant.
Grey’s Anatomy: Chandra Wilson
During the second season of Grey’s Anatomy, Chandra Wilson was expecting her youngest son, Michael. Shonda Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, had decided to focus on Dr. Bailey’s (Wilson’s) personal life, which worked out perfectly.
Finally, we received a dramatic narrative that included Dr. Bailey giving birth, her husband’s brain surgery, and a bomb in the hospital.
Friends: Lisa Kudrow
When Lisa Kudrow became pregnant during the fourth season of Friends, the show’s creators decided to include it in the episode. Her character, Phoebe, took on the role of surrogate mother for her half-brother Frank Buffay Jr. and his wife, Alice Knight.
It was a heartwarming development in the series, and the filming procedure was equally so. In an interview, Kudrow talked about a pre-show routine she and her co-stars used to do before filming and how her pregnancy impacted it. Julian Murray Stern was born on May 6, 1998, to the actress and her spouse Michael Stern.
Grey’s Anatomy: Jessica Capshaw
Chandra Wilson wasn’t the only Grey’s Anatomy actress who became pregnant during filming. During the seventh season of the medical drama, Jessica Capshaw, who plays Dr. Arizona Robbins, became pregnant.
Capshaw’s pregnancy, however, was handled differently from Wilson’s. Her character was sent to Africa, which caused her to end her relationship with Callie Torres.
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