20 TV Shows That Tried to Hide Pregnant Actresses (And Failed)

TV shows typically keep filming even when cast members become pregnant. This leaves show creators with a tough choice: include the pregnancy in the story or try to hide it. Costume and set teams work hard to conceal pregnancies with clever clothing and props. Sometimes they succeed beautifully, but other times the attempts at hiding a baby bump are noticeable and become a distraction. Here are some shows that tried to conceal their stars’ pregnancies with mixed results.

‘Scandal’ (2012–2018)

While filming the third season of the popular show, Kerry Washington became pregnant. To hide her baby bump, the show’s crew used large objects like lamps and oversized purses strategically placed in front of her. They also filmed her from the chest up as much as possible, avoiding her stomach. Fans noticed these tricks and they became a running joke among the show’s devoted followers.

‘Sex and the City’ (1998–2004)

While filming the fifth season of the popular HBO series, Sarah Jessica Parker found out she was pregnant. To conceal her changing body on screen, the costume designers had Carrie Bradshaw wear flowy, empire-waist dresses. Ultimately, the season was shortened to accommodate her pregnancy instead of trying to work around it with restricted camera angles. The show’s stylists used bold accessories and fuller fabrics to draw attention away from her figure, creating a distinctive and memorable fashion look for the character that differed from previous seasons.

‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005–2014)

While Alyson Hannigan was pregnant during the fourth season of the sitcom, the writers cleverly concealed her baby bump with large objects like basketballs and globes. They even wrote a storyline where her character won a hot dog eating contest to playfully explain her changing shape. Later, her character briefly left the show after being upset by a joke, which allowed Alyson to take maternity leave without majorly impacting the plot.

‘Seinfeld’ (1989–1998)

While Julia Louis-Dreyfus was pregnant twice while playing Elaine Benes on the popular sitcom Seinfeld, the show never included a pregnancy storyline for her character. Instead, the writers cleverly concealed her changing body in scenes, often having her stand behind the famous couch or carry large props. To accommodate one pregnancy, her character was written to take a trip to Europe. Throughout these times, oversized coats and lots of layers became a common part of Elaine’s on-screen look.

‘Friends’ (1994–2004)

During the last season of the show, Courteney Cox became pregnant, which created a challenge since her character, Monica, was unable to have children. The show had already committed to a major storyline about adoption, so they couldn’t write her pregnancy into the script. To hide her growing belly, the writers filmed her mostly in close-ups and had her wear loose clothing like baggy shirts and scarves. Despite these efforts, viewers still noticed she was pregnant. It was ironic that Courteney Cox was experiencing a pregnancy herself while filming the emotional season finale where her character welcomed twins through adoption.

‘Modern Family’ (2009–2020)

As a big fan of the show, I always found Julie Bowen completely convincing as a frazzled mom! What’s amazing is she was actually pregnant with twins while they were shooting the pilot. To work around it, the script already had her character, Claire, as a super busy mom constantly hauling laundry. They cleverly filmed her hiding behind things like cereal boxes and kitchen islands to disguise her growing belly. Honestly, the show’s naturally chaotic vibe meant she could carry all sorts of things around the house without it looking strange. It was a really smart solution that let them keep her in the role and get the pilot finished on time!

‘The Nanny’ (1993–1999)

During the fifth season of the show, actress Lauren Lane became pregnant, and the writers cleverly incorporated this into the storyline. Her character, C.C. Babcock, started comically hiding her pregnancy behind a series of ridiculous props – everything from signs and plants to a poster that literally said “Baby!” Instead of trying to conceal the pregnancy seriously, the show openly joked about the attempts to hide it, breaking the fourth wall. This self-aware humor was a perfect fit for the show’s overall comedic style.

‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013–2021)

While filming the third season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Melissa Fumero was pregnant in real life, playing the character Detective Amy Santiago. To accommodate this, the writers created a storyline where Amy went undercover in a women’s prison, which allowed her to wear a loose-fitting uniform. During scenes at the precinct, she was often positioned behind things like desks or stacks of files to subtly hide her growing belly. Eventually, the show cleverly incorporated her pregnancy into the plot – Amy faked being pregnant as part of an undercover sting operation, giving Melissa a temporary break from needing to conceal her condition.

‘New Girl’ (2011–2018)

During the fifth season of the show, Zooey Deschanel became pregnant. To cover this, the producers initially used props like blankets and tables to hide her during scenes where her character was supposed to be resting in bed. Later, they wrote her character out of a few episodes with a storyline about jury duty. This allowed Megan Fox to temporarily join the cast as a roommate while Zooey Deschanel was on maternity leave. The show cleverly adjusted the plot to work around the lead actress’s absence during filming.

‘Homeland’ (2011–2020)

Claire Danes was pregnant during the filming of the second season of the show, which is a very serious and suspenseful spy thriller. Because of the show’s tone, they couldn’t use simple tricks to hide her pregnancy. Instead, the directors used computer graphics to remove her baby bump from some scenes. They also filmed her from above and had her wear tailored coats to help disguise her changing shape. The editing team worked hard to make sure her pregnancy wasn’t noticeable and didn’t distract from the story.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ (2005–Present)

During the sixth season of the popular medical drama, Ellen Pompeo became pregnant. To accommodate this, the show’s writers created a storyline where her character, Meredith Grey, donated a portion of her liver to her father. This allowed them to keep her character in a hospital bed, covered with blankets, for several episodes, effectively concealing her pregnancy from viewers. The storyline provided a believable reason for her character’s limited movement and explained her temporary absence from the show.

‘Gossip Girl’ (2007–2012)

While filming Gossip Girl, Kelly Rutherford was pregnant with her second child. The show’s focus on fashion helped the costume department cleverly conceal her pregnancy. They often had her carry large Hermes bags or wear oversized designer coats to subtly cover her growing belly. Directors also used framing techniques, like having her sit or stand behind objects, to minimize the appearance of her bump. Because the show was set in a world of wealth and luxury, these large accessories and clothing choices felt perfectly normal for the character.

‘The King of Queens’ (1998–2007)

While filming the sixth season of the sitcom, Leah Remini became pregnant. To address her changing body on screen, the writers created a storyline where her character, Carrie Heffernan, lost her job and became depressed, spending much of the season relaxing in comfortable clothes on the couch. This allowed Leah to be comfortable during filming and avoided having to write a pregnancy storyline. Once Leah returned from maternity leave, the character was written to have lost weight off-screen.

‘Will & Grace’ (1998–2020)

During the sixth season of the show, Debra Messing was pregnant, but her character wasn’t. To hide her baby bump on camera, the costume team used loose-fitting clothes and had her often hold props like towels or pillows, or sit behind objects. Eventually, doctors ordered her to rest, so she couldn’t film the last few episodes. Her absence was felt in the season finale, and the remaining actors had to continue the storylines without her.

‘The X-Files’ (1993–2018)

During the second season of the sci-fi series, Gillian Anderson became pregnant. To conceal her changing body on screen, the producers cleverly used large coats and careful camera angles. They then created a storyline about her character being abducted by aliens, which explained her absence during her maternity leave. This plot device unexpectedly became a significant and lasting element of the show’s overall story and mythology, influencing the series’ direction for many years.

‘Desperate Housewives’ (2004–2012)

During the third season of the popular soap opera, Marcia Cross was pregnant with twins. To hide her pregnancy on screen, directors filmed her using close-ups and strategically placed props like large gingerbread houses and countertops. Eventually, she was placed on bed rest, so the filming location moved to her actual bedroom. The crew redesigned her bedroom to look like her character’s surroundings, allowing them to finish filming her scenes before she gave birth. This resourceful approach ensured she could continue appearing in the show despite her health restrictions.

‘Once Upon a Time’ (2011–2018)

While filming the fantasy series Once Upon a Time, Ginnifer Goodwin became pregnant. To hide her pregnancy from viewers, the costume department used flowing capes and full skirts. During outdoor scenes, she was frequently filmed behind objects like trees. Later, the show’s writers even wrote a second pregnancy into the storyline for her character. Hiding her first pregnancy required a lot of careful changes to her costumes to keep the story consistent.

‘The Office’ (2005–2013)

During the fourth season of the show, Angela Kinsey was pregnant in real life. This presented a challenge since her character, Angela Martin, typically wore tight-fitting, modest clothes. The directors cleverly hid her baby bump by strategically positioning her behind office equipment like copiers and filing cabinets, or having her sit down. They also used the cubicle walls to obscure her midsection in most scenes. However, viewers could still often tell she was pregnant, especially in scenes filmed in the conference room where she had to stand.

’30 Rock’ (2006–2013)

While filming the comedy series 30 Rock, Jane Krakowski was pregnant. To hide her pregnancy on screen, the show used clever tricks. In one episode, her character wore a full-body dog costume. They also filmed her with oversized coats and positioned her behind objects to hide her changing shape. The writers thought about incorporating the pregnancy into the storyline, but decided it didn’t suit her character’s personality, so they simply concealed it without changing the plot.

‘Superstore’ (2015–2021)

Let me tell you, watching the third season of this workplace comedy, I was genuinely impressed by a bit of filmmaking magic. America Ferrera was pregnant during filming, and the showrunners cleverly worked around it without ever acknowledging it in the storyline. Because the show is set in a massive big-box store, they had a built-in solution: hiding her! I noticed they constantly positioned her behind displays, shopping carts, and stacks of boxes – even having her spend extended periods behind the customer service counter. It was a really seamless and practical way to handle the situation, and honestly, you’d never even know she was expecting while watching.

2025-11-26 16:51