Actors Who Were Forced to Hide Their Pregnancies During Filming Using Clever Tricks

Making a movie or TV show takes a lot of time, and unexpected things often happen during filming. When a leading actor becomes pregnant, directors and costume designers have to find clever solutions. They might use props or camera angles to hide the pregnancy from viewers. Here are some actors who gave fantastic performances while secretly dealing with pregnancy during production.

Gal Gadot

The Israeli actress known for ‘Wonder Woman’ secretly filmed additional scenes while five months pregnant. To hide her baby bump, the costume team removed a section of her suit and replaced it with green fabric, which visual effects artists would later digitally erase. Despite performing challenging stunts, the crew made sure she was safe and comfortable. Her dedication helped the movie stay on schedule and maintain a high level of visual quality.

Scarlett Johansson

Production on ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ faced a challenge when one of its stars became pregnant. The team quickly filmed all her scenes they could before her pregnancy became noticeable. They then used three look-alike stunt doubles for wider shots and action. Director Joss Whedon cleverly used close-ups and props to conceal her changing body during speaking parts. The finished film smoothly combines footage of the actor and her doubles, so audiences never realize a change was happening with the Black Widow character.

Kerry Washington

The popular drama ‘Scandal’ had a tricky situation during its third season when the lead actress became pregnant. Rather than include the pregnancy in the storyline, the show’s creators decided to conceal it from viewers. Throughout the season, observant fans might notice the actress frequently positioned behind objects like lamps and chairs, or holding large items, to hide her growing belly. The camera work also focused closely on her face to avoid showing her changing shape. Ultimately, the season had to be cut short to allow for her maternity leave.

Courteney Cox

The show ‘Friends’ had previously decided that the character Monica couldn’t have children, which created a challenge when the actress became pregnant. They couldn’t include the pregnancy in the storyline, so the costume department used loose clothing – like baggy shirts and large jackets – to hide her growing belly. The camera work also helped, often filming her sitting down or behind objects. These techniques allowed the show to finish its final season without changing the planned story.

Julie Bowen

When filming the first episode of ‘Modern Family’, the actress who played Claire Dunphy was pregnant with twins. To hide her baby bump, she cleverly used props like laundry baskets and cereal boxes, and the script was written so she often folded laundry or stood behind counters. The fast pace of the episode helped keep her pregnancy under wraps. Her performance earned her the part, and the show became a huge hit.

Sarah Jessica Parker

The fifth season of ‘Sex and the City’ had only eight episodes because the lead actress was pregnant. To hide her condition on screen, the costume designers put her character, Carrie Bradshaw, in loose, flowing clothes that were still stylish for the time. They also avoided filming her in profile. Instead of including the pregnancy in the storyline, the writers used the early 2000s fashion trend of looser clothing, which allowed the show to continue focusing on Carrie’s dating life.

Cobie Smulders

During the fourth season of ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ the actress who played Robin Scherbatsky and her co-star Alyson Hannigan both became pregnant. However, the show’s writers decided not to write the pregnancy into the storyline, as Robin’s character had always been firm about not wanting children. To hide the actress’s pregnancy, the production team used common television tricks, like having her carry large bags or sit behind objects. They worked hard to conceal her changing shape from viewers, and she was able to continue filming until just before her baby was born.

Ellen Pompeo

During the sixth season of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, one of the show’s lead actresses became pregnant. To accommodate this, the writers created a storyline where her character, Meredith Grey, donates a portion of her liver to her father. This allowed the actress to primarily film scenes lying down in a hospital bed, effectively concealing her pregnancy. The plot provided a believable reason for her character’s limited movement, and the show was able to continue filming without pausing production.

January Jones

When the actress playing Betty Draper on ‘Mad Men’ experienced physical changes, the show’s writers cleverly worked it into the plot without mentioning a pregnancy. They created a storyline where her character gained weight due to stress and a supposed thyroid problem. The makeup team used prosthetics to enhance the effect. This allowed the actress to continue performing comfortably and naturally, and it added complexity to Betty’s character and her emotional journey.

Claire Danes

While filming the second season of the drama ‘Homeland,’ the actress had to conceal her pregnancy while portraying a CIA officer. When practical methods weren’t enough, the production team used digital editing to subtly remove her baby bump from some scenes. She filmed challenging physical scenes and emotionally draining moments while seven months pregnant. The director used dim lighting and clever camera work to keep the show’s suspenseful atmosphere. Despite the physical difficulties, her performance remained strong and captivating.

Lena Headey

Filming ‘Game of Thrones’ presented a challenge when the actress playing Cersei Lannister became pregnant during the first season. The costume designers cleverly used the show’s medieval-style dresses – with their thick fabrics and flowing sleeves – to hide her changing body. They often filmed her seated or with her hands covering her stomach. Later, a stand-in was used for a scene requiring nudity. The detailed costumes successfully concealed her pregnancy without disrupting the show’s fantasy aesthetic.

Penélope Cruz

While filming ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’, the Spanish actress was pregnant. To work around this, the costume designer made a corset that could expand as her belly grew, while still looking accurate to the time period. Her sister stepped in as a stand-in for scenes requiring a lot of movement, like sword fights and wider shots. The director filmed her face for close-up dialogue and used her sister for the more physically challenging parts. This teamwork between the sisters helped the movie stay on schedule.

Kate Winslet

While filming the sci-fi movie ‘Divergent’, the actress playing the villain, Jeanine, was five months pregnant. To conceal her condition on camera, she often held props like an iPad or clipboard in front of her stomach. The costume designers used dark, structured suits to minimize the appearance of her baby bump, and she bravely performed many of her own stunts. Through careful planning of the shots and camera angles, her pregnancy remained hidden from viewers.

Halle Berry

The actress found out she was pregnant right before starting work on ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’. Because her character, Storm, wore a very tight costume, she couldn’t hide her pregnancy. The director quickly filmed all her scenes within the first two weeks of production, before her baby bump became noticeable. Later, they used visual effects like storms and fog to disguise her midsection. Although she appeared less on screen than in previous movies, Storm remained an important part of the story.

Emily Blunt

I recently rewatched ‘Into the Woods,’ and it’s amazing how much thought went into everything! The actress playing the Baker’s Wife was pregnant during filming, and the costume designer was a genius. She subtly raised the waistlines of the dresses and added lots of fabric and detail to camouflage it. Plus, the director cleverly positioned her behind props or other characters during the musical numbers. It was a sweet irony – her character longed for a baby, and she was actually expecting! You’d never even know she was pregnant watching the movie, it was so well done. It really added another layer to her performance, even if it was a secret the cast all shared.

Reese Witherspoon

The historical drama ‘Vanity Fair’ featured the main actress wearing detailed gowns from the 1800s. These dresses, with their high waistlines typical of the Regency period, conveniently concealed her pregnancy, which was about five months along. The director also used dim lighting and rich set designs to help hide her figure when needed, often filming her behind furniture or inside carriages. The style of clothing from that era made it much simpler to keep her pregnancy hidden compared to if the show had been set today.

Isla Fisher

During filming of the historical comedy ‘Burke and Hare,’ the lead actress needed to wear restrictive corsets. As she became pregnant, the production prioritized filming her scenes early on. Later, costume designers adjusted her wardrobe to looser clothing, like peasant blouses and high-waisted skirts, to accommodate her changing body. She cleverly used props, such as laundry baskets and market stalls, to subtly conceal her figure. The film’s fast-paced, lively style also helped to naturally disguise her condition during filming.

Amy Poehler

When the lead actress on ‘Parks and Recreation’ became pregnant during the second season, the show had to change its filming plan. The writers filmed episodes in a different order to get footage in the can before she took maternity leave. They creatively worked around the situation by having her character, Leslie Knope, featured in scenes where she was seated at her desk or wearing bulky park ranger jackets. The pregnancy wasn’t written into the show’s storyline because it didn’t align with the character’s development. This careful planning ensured the season aired smoothly without any major interruptions.

Angela Kinsey

I always noticed how they handled Angela’s pregnancy on ‘The Office’! She’s so small and always wore very professional clothes, so when the actress got pregnant, the crew had to be really clever with the shots. They mostly filmed her sitting at her desk with a lot of papers, or standing near the copier. They were careful to avoid filming her from the side, so you couldn’t really see her belly. It worked for a while! They managed to keep it hidden until the writers actually wrote Angela getting pregnant on the show later on.

Keri Russell

The TV show ‘The Americans,’ a spy thriller, faced a challenge when the lead actress became pregnant. To hide her condition during filming, the crew used props like winter coats and large bags to conceal her stomach in outdoor shots. They also filmed her mostly sitting down, in cars, or behind objects like kitchen counters. The writers cleverly added a plotline where her character was injured, which explained why she wasn’t doing as much physical activity and allowed the show to keep its suspenseful tone without revealing the pregnancy.

Gillian Anderson

During the second season of ‘The X-Files,’ a problem arose when the actress who played Dana Scully became pregnant. To accommodate her maternity leave, the writers came up with a plotline where her character was abducted by aliens, which allowed her to be absent from the show for a while. Before filming the abduction, they cleverly used large coats and lab coats to conceal her pregnancy. This storyline proved to be a significant turning point for the series.

Marcia Cross

During the third season of ‘Desperate Housewives,’ one of the show’s main actresses became pregnant, and the writers cleverly used this in the storyline. Her character, Bree Van de Kamp, pretended to be pregnant to conceal the fact that her daughter was actually expecting. This allowed the actress to visibly show her baby bump on screen while maintaining the fiction that it wasn’t really hers. When the story needed to show Bree not pregnant, the filmmakers used careful camera angles. It was a creative solution that hid the pregnancy right in front of the audience.

Kelly Rutherford

The TV show ‘Gossip Girl’ cleverly hid the actress playing Lily van der Woodsen’s pregnancy through fashion. She wore stylish, tailored coats and carried large handbags to discreetly cover her stomach. Directors also used close-up shots at parties and had her character sit down during conversations to further conceal her changing body. Her character’s fashionable clothes effectively camouflaged the pregnancy.

Sarah Wayne Callies

Filming the intense series ‘The Walking Dead’ was physically challenging, and actress Sarah Wayne Callies, who played Lori Grimes, became pregnant during the second season. Rather than write around the pregnancy, the show’s creators decided to have her character killed off in a compelling storyline, which also allowed Callies to take maternity leave. To conceal her pregnancy during filming before her character’s departure, she wore baggy, layered clothing typical of the show’s style, and camera angles often focused on her crouching or sitting to minimize the visibility of her changing shape. This solution worked for both the story and the actress’s personal needs.

Alanna Masterson

During the run of ‘The Walking Dead,’ another actress became pregnant – this time while playing Tara Chambler. The show addressed this by writing her character off on a lengthy supply mission to a faraway settlement. While filming, she wore baggy clothes and carried large weapons to conceal her pregnancy. Directors also used dim lighting and close-up shots during action sequences to further hide her changing body. After her maternity leave, the character eventually rejoined the main plot.

Christian Serratos

Christian Serratos, who played Rosita on ‘The Walking Dead,’ secretly filmed while pregnant. To hide her condition, the show used props like bulky tactical vests and military clothing. During action scenes, she was often filmed from angles that hid her body, like behind cars or walls. When the scenes required more physical activity, a body double stepped in. Thankfully, Rosita’s character’s clothing style made it fairly simple to conceal the pregnancy.

Rosamund Pike

While filming the action movie ‘Jack Reacher’, the lead actress was five months pregnant. To conceal her pregnancy on screen, the costume designers dressed her in dark, concealing clothing like suits and trench coats. They also strategically filmed her seated in vehicles or behind objects during office scenes. The actress later shared that the most difficult part was performing the running scenes while pregnant. Low lighting and quick editing were also used to effectively hide her condition from the audience.

Zooey Deschanel

The TV show ‘New Girl’ faced a challenge when its main actress became pregnant during the fifth season. To handle this, the writers created a storyline where her character, Jess, had to serve on a jury for a month. This allowed the actress to take maternity leave while explaining her character’s absence from the show. Before her leave, they filmed scenes of her in bed or sitting at tables. To keep things moving, Megan Fox joined the cast as a temporary roommate.

Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling, who created and starred in ‘The Mindy Project,’ was pregnant while filming the show’s last season. The production team cleverly concealed her pregnancy using various techniques, like blocking her with props and filming her from the waist up. They also had her wear flowy designer pajamas. The show’s quick dialogue and colorful sets helped keep the focus away from her reduced mobility. Ultimately, she finished the series without the pregnancy being written into the storyline.

Debra Messing

I loved ‘Will & Grace,’ but it was fascinating to learn how they handled Debra Messing’s pregnancy during the sixth season! Since her character, Grace, wasn’t expecting, they had to get really creative. I remember noticing she wore a lot of baggy clothes and oversized coats! They’d often have her missing from scenes, or if she was in them, she’d conveniently be lying down. Eventually, the writers came up with a storyline where Grace went on a business trip, which explained her being away for a while. The show really centered around Will, Jack, and Karen until she came back – it was a clever way to manage things, and honestly, I barely noticed anything was different while watching!

Helena Bonham Carter

While filming ‘Sweeney Todd’, director Tim Burton had to conceal the pregnancy of his partner and leading actress. The costume designer cleverly used dresses with adjustable corsets to maintain the character’s shape as her pregnancy progressed. To further hide her changing figure, the lighting became darker and she was frequently filmed in shadows or from a distance. The film’s dark, gothic style actually helped to disguise her condition.

Catherine Zeta-Jones

The TV drama ‘Traffic’ wrote the actor’s real-life pregnancy into the storyline. However, the musical ‘Chicago’ required her to conceal her condition during demanding dance sequences. The ‘Chicago’ production scheduled filming strategically, capturing her scenes before her pregnancy became noticeable. In contrast, the director of ‘Traffic’ used her actual condition to enhance the emotional impact of the story. These two shows demonstrate very different ways of dealing with pregnancy during filming.

Madonna

Filming the musical ‘Evita’ became challenging when the lead actress discovered she was pregnant. The costume designers cleverly used clothing from the period – like high-waisted dresses and full skirts – to conceal her changing shape. During filming, she often held large flower arrangements or stood behind railings to further hide her belly. Although the director worried about the physical demands of singing and dancing, she successfully finished the movie. Interestingly, her pregnancy actually helped her connect with and understand the feelings of her character.

Blake Lively

For the thriller ‘The Shallows’, the actress spent nearly the whole movie wearing a bikini. She was pregnant with her second child when some extra filming was needed. Because of this, the filmmakers used a stunt double for distant shots and surfing scenes. They also used digital editing and strategically placed props, like a surfboard, to conceal her changing body in the finished film.

Bryce Dallas Howard

While filming the thriller ‘The Village’, the actress was pregnant and playing the role of a blind woman. The costume designer cleverly used the many layers of clothing typical of the 19th century to hide her changing shape. Filming often took place in wooded areas, and branches and leaves were strategically used to obscure her stomach from the camera. The physically demanding scenes were modified to keep her safe while navigating the rough outdoor locations. The historical setting offered plenty of natural ways to conceal her pregnancy.

Share your favorite example of a hidden movie pregnancy in the comments.

2026-01-31 05:26