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Pregnant While Filming: 15 Actresses Who Worked Through Their Trimesters
Although pregnancy doesn't stop you from living your life, it does make it harder, especially the further along you are. No longer can you do jumping jacks, run a lap, or even tie your shoe.
So, how do actresses do it? And how does the film crew hide the pregnancy from storylines? Well, not all do. Some storylines are created when a major actor in a film or series becomes pregnant. Can you guess which ones?
Follow along for 15 actresses who worked through their trimesters, along with what showrunners and producers did to incorporate (or hide) the stars' pregnancies. For this slideshow, 24/7 Tempo consulted various entertainment websites and sources, including interview videos by actresses and producers.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon was pregnant while filming for "Vanity Fair." Unlike other shows or movies, producers didn't write a pregnancy into the film. Instead, the costume department got creative with historical piece dresses to hide her baby bump. The dresses were just flowy enough that you can't tell she was expecting!
Halle Berry
Although pregnancy isn't something that stops you from living life, playing an action superhero is hard. While filming "X-Men: Days of Future Past," Halle Berry was pregnant with her second child. Instead of recasting her or writing it into the story, her role and lines were limited, the costume department changed her outfit, and effects were used in action sequences.
Gal Gadot
Another superhero-playing actress who managed to hide her pregnancy while filming is Gal Gadot during "Wonder Woman." She did her own stunts, too, although some had to be re-shot. So, how did they hide her growing belly? A special costume was made to hide her bump along with purposeful camera angles.
Lisa Kudrow
"Friends" superstar and favorite, Lisa Kudrow, was actually pregnant in the TV show during her pregnancy plot. However, while she was pregnant in the show with triplets as a surrogate, in real life, she gave birth to one son.
Melissa Fumero
While filming for "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," Melissa Fumero, who played Amy Santiago, was pregnant not once, but twice! The first pregnancy was hidden with camera tricks and with her hiding behind large items. However, her second pregnancy was written into the show.
Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo wanted to keep her pregnancy a secret and continue working on the hit medical drama, "Grey's Anatomy." To help her do this, the writers and producers created a storyline where she was put on bed rest after donating part of her liver to her father, allowing her to hide her growing belly.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Although one of the easier things to do, writers and producers of "Sex and the City" didn't want to write a pregnancy into the story. So, when Sarah Jessica Parker was pregnant during season five, they had to get creative. How? First, they dressed her in baggier clothing, including dresses that hid her bump. When she got too big to hide, though, the plot was shortened.
Gina Rodriguez
While filming the first season of "Not Dead Yet," Gina Rodriguez was expecting. Although this made filming challenging, she frequently discusses how it was also very rewarding and lovely, as the cast and crew were supportive. The showrunners and writers found the most creative ways to hide her belly, including putting her in loose clothing and having her stand in front of larger props.
Kerry Washington
Filmmakers must be magicians. How else can you explain how they hide baby bumps without making it obvious? Kerry Washington was pregnant during season 3 of "Scandal," and honestly, you can't tell. The TV crew played with camera angles, props, and larger wardrobe to make her expectant belly disappear.
Mandy Moore
Another actress who filmed despite growing an entire human at the same time is Mandy Moore. While filming for "This Is Us," she was expecting her third child. Although the character is a mother, the growing belly would get in the way of many scenes as the show jumps back and forth from past to present. Still, the TV crew was able to hide her belly with props, loose clothing, and playing with filming timelines. Many of her scenes were shot before her belly got too big to hide.
Hayden Panettiere
Instead of hiding her baby bump behind loose clothing and the strangest props, Hayden Panettiere's pregnancy was written into "Nashville." Her character was also pregnant, making it easier to shoot scenes.
Courteney Cox
Another "Friends" star to film while pregnant was Courteney Cox. The producers chose to keep the pregnancy hidden and apart from the story as her character, Monica, struggled with infertility. They hid her pregnancy with camera angles and loose-fitting clothing. By the final episode, she was around 5 months along.
Amy Poehler
Writing pregnancy as a storyline doesn't always make sense, especially in a comedy show. Maybe this is why, instead of creating a pregnancy story for Amy Poehler's character in "Parks and Rec," they hid her pregnancy. Both of them! For her first pregnancy, the producers altered the filming schedule so they could quickly shoot scenes before her bump was too big to hide comfortably and she went on maternity leave.
Angela Kinsey
"The Office" had its fair share of pregnant actresses, including Angela Kinsey. Her pregnancy in season 4, though, was hidden by baggy clothing, funny angles, and the use of filing cabinets. It sorta worked, but there are a few scenes where her bump is more visible.
Kelly Rutherford
Last but not least is Kelly Rutherford, who was pregnant while filming the show "Gossip Girl." For the most part, the show did an excellent job of hiding her growing belly, but there are scenes where you can see the bump behind props like large handbags and coats.