10 Times an Actor’s Pregnancy Was Written Into the Story of the Show

Pregnancy is a very special occasion in life, but when a pregnant actor is a star of a television show, it also calls for a major decision on the part of the showrunners and writers. They can either figure out ways to cover the actor’s pregnancy or subtly include it in the show’s storyline itself.

While hiding the pregnancy might be easier in the first few months, it does get troublesome in the later stages, where the actor has to be either shown from the chest up or sitting at all times. The problem is that it gets difficult for the writers to include such instances throughout the ongoing storyline and still portray the actor as actively contributing to the plot. Hence, some may say it’s better to choose a way to make the actor’s character in the show pregnant as well.

10 Melissa McCarthy – ‘Gilmore Girls’ (2000 – 2007)

Played Sookie St. James

Sookie St.James, played by Melissa McCarthy, was the perfect best friend and business partner a girl could hope for in Gilmore Girls. She was incredibly sweet, kind, and always the best chef in the room. Her culinary skills might have been above par, but as a scene-stealing supporting character, she was definitely one of the best!

McCarthy’s character in Gilmore Girls got pregnant due to the actor’s real-life pregnancy in the last season of the CW dramedy. However, the writers had no easy out. The character was in a relationship with Jackson Belleville (Jackson Douglas), who had gotten a vasectomy after their on-screen couple’s second child, leading to a subplot revealing that he lied about the operation. The pregnancy was added to the plot to keep the character’s journey interesting and exciting even though it was not originally intended.

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9 Alyson Hannigan – ‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005 – 2014)

Played Lily Aldrin

We saw a tiny glimpse of Alyson Hannigan’s first pregnancy in How I Met Your Mother even though she was not meant to be pregnant in the show. This was in the fourth season when her character, Lily was shown participating in a hot dog-eating competition. This was a hilarious scene as her little belly was shown being full of hot dogs that she ate.

Ultimately, Hannigan’s second real-life pregnancy was written into the plot when Lily and Marshall get pregnant at the end of Season 6, leading to her character’s first child in Season 7. The pregnancy plot explores Lily and Marshall’s road to parenting and gives their characters a new depth. The program explored the pleasures and difficulties of being a parent, interspersing touching and funny moments.

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8 Jenna Fischer – ‘The Office’ (2005 – 2013)

Played Pam Beesly

The beloved Pam in The Office was played by Jenna Fischer. While her romance with Jim (John Krasinski) blossomed early in the seasons, they had their first kid together in the fifth season, which was introduced to further the plot. The writers made the decision to explore the difficulties and rewards of approaching parenting by giving lovable TV couple Jim and Pam’s plot more depth through the pregnancy. Character development and more poignant moments were introduced to the series as a result of the development.

Later, when Fischer got pregnant in real life, the writers decided to avoid the hassle of hiding her belly and made Pam pregnant with baby no. 2. This also gave way to a hilarious rivalry between Angela (Angela Kinsey) and Pam, as both the characters ended up pregnant at the same time.

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7 Cynthia Nixon – ‘Sex and the City’ (1998 – 2004)

Played Miranda Hobbes

In actual life, both Sarah Jessica Parker, who portrayed Carrie, and Cynthia Nixon, who played Miranda, were expecting. Only one person’s pregnancy was, however, mentioned in Sex and the City. Miranda’s pregnancy storyline was woven into the fabric of the series, providing both comedic and heartfelt moments due to Nixon’s real-life pregnancy.

The authors chose to have Miranda give birth rather than Carrie because they did not want Carrie to be a single parent. This was a wise decision for the writers because it eventually allowed Miranda and her erratic lover to commit to one another and get married. The birth episode (“I Heart NY”) is among the show’s finest hours. The show delves into the challenges, fears, and joys that come with impending motherhood and becomes an important arc for Miranda.

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6 Ginnifer Goodwin – ‘Once Upon a Time’ (2011 – 2018)

Played Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard

During the filming of Once Upon a Time Season 3, Ginnifer Goodwin, who played Snow White, found herself expecting a child with her co-star and real-life husband, Josh Dallas, who portrayed Prince Charming on the ABC fantasy drama series. Their on-screen chemistry turned into a real-life romance, and the couple welcomed their first son in May 2014.

In a unique twist of life imitating art, Goodwin’s first pregnancy was seamlessly integrated into the show’s storyline as the characters, Snow White and Prince Charming, had their second child, Neal. However, the show chose to discreetly handle her second pregnancy during its later seasons, employing various techniques to conceal it from the viewers.

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5 Emily Deschanel – ‘Bones’ (2005 – 2017)

Played Dr. Temperance Brennan

Emily Deschanel, who played Dr. Temperance Brennan on the long-running television series Bones, experienced significant personal changes over that time. During the 12 years that Deschanel portrayed Dr. Temperance, she had two pregnancies. Unusually, the Bones writers included both of Deschanel’s pregnancies in their respective seasons. Since Dr. Temperance and her boyfriend weren’t formally dating, the first pregnancy astonished fans but undoubtedly pushed them closer together. When the second pregnancy occurred, the characters were already married, making this change much simpler.

The pregnancy was written into the plot, allowing the writers to explore the dynamics of Brennan and Booth’s (David Boreanaz) relationship as they navigated impending parenthood. Overall, the audience had positive things to say about how Bones handled Emily Deschanel’s pregnancy. Instead of hiding or writing around the pregnancy, the writers decided to embrace it.

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4 Melissa Rauch – ‘The Big Bang Theory’ (2007 – 2019)

Played Bernadette Rostenkowski

The first couple to get serious and have an adult life on The Big Bang Theory were Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) and Howard (Simon Helberg). They get married, get a house, and embark on a virtuous marital journey. Even though they were shown to disagree with having kids, they eventually got pregnant for the first time in Season 10.

But when Rauch got pregnant in real life, they decided to include this into the plot by making the couple expect their second child soon after, in Season 11. The show used humor and heartwarming moments to depict the experiences of impending parenthood, adding a new layer to the character’s development. The storyline explored the challenges and joys of pregnancy, as Bernadette and Howard nervously prepared to welcome their second child.

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3 America Ferrera – ‘Superstore’ (2015 – 2021)

Played Amy Sosa

America Ferrera found out she was expecting her first child while shooting for the third season of Superstore. Although it may have been simple to conceal Ferrera’s pregnancy while she played Amy, the authors used it to add more drama to Cloud 9.

Thus, when Amy formally begins dating Jonah (Ben Feldman) in season three. The evolving relationship between Amy and Jonah is a significant storyline in the series, and their dynamic becomes a focal point for several episodes. However, she soon learns that she is expecting a child with her ex-husband Adam Dubanowski (Ryan Gaul). This puts Amy in an extremely awkward position as her relationship with Jonah deepens.

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2 Melissa Fumero – ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013 – 2021)

Played Amy Santiago

Melissa Fumero played the nerdy and adorable Amy Santiago in one of the best comedy shows on TV in recent times — Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Fumero, surprisingly, was pregnant during the filming of the show’s fifth season. Therefore, the show’s creators chose to incorporate Fumero’s real-life pregnancy into the storyline. In the show, Amy and Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) decide to start trying for a baby. This allowed the writers to incorporate Fumero’s pregnancy into the narrative seamlessly.

The season’s main narrative revolved around the characters’ journey through the highs and lows of trying to conceive and the eventual pregnancy. Overall, viewers seemed pleased with how Fumero’s pregnancy was handled in the plot. The show’s comic tone was upheld by the writers while they examined the pleasures and difficulties of parenthood. The way the show infused actual events into the lives of the characters gave the story a more true feel, which was well-received by viewers.

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1 Lisa Kudrow – ‘Friends’ (1994 – 2004)

Played Phoebe Buffay

One of the most well-known examples of this situation is that of Lisa Kudrow in Friends. Kudrow’s real-life pregnancy was incorporated into the storyline of “Friends” during the fourth season. Thus, the character she portrayed, Phoebe Buffay, was also made pregnant. The plot cleverly handled the pregnancy while balancing it with Phoebe’s eccentric nature.

Kudrow was married and pregnant in real life, but Phoebe was nowhere close to finding her soulmate. Therefore, it was explained that Phoebe agreed to be a surrogate for her half-brother Frank Buffay Jr. (Giovanni Ribisi), and his older wife, Alice (Debra Jo Rupp). Thanks to this, the writers were able to incorporate Lisa Kudrow’s pregnancy into the plot of the show without sacrificing the humor or distinctive qualities of the Phoebe character. Moreover, the pregnancy plot gave the show some intriguing and entertaining moments. Funny material for multiple episodes came from Phoebe’s prenatal journey, her interactions with the expectant parents, and the highs and lows of being a surrogate.

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