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Entertainment

19 Times TV Shows Tried to Hide Cast Members’ Pregnancies

By Nicole Howell

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Sometimes, the course of a TV show is forever changed when a lead actress gets pregnant and they write that huge life event into the plot. But just as often, the writers decide to keep the actress’s real life separate from her character’s, so they need to come up with some very creative solutions to keep that baby bump hidden.

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via FirstForWomen.com

  1. Alyson Hannigan Cobie Smulders

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    How I Met Your Mother This show had double the trouble trying to hide a pregnancy, because both lead actresses, Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders, were expecting at the same time!

  3. Alyson Hannigan

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    In one episode, though, there was a flashback scene where Hannigan's character shows off her "food baby" after winning a hot dog eating contest.

  5. Courteney Cox

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    Friends Because Monica had fertility problems, the writers couldn’t put Courteney Cox's real-life pregnancy into the plot. The solution: Monica wore A LOT of baggy clothes!

  6. All My Children

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    All My Children Hayley and Mateo’s heartwarming wedding scene in All My Children took place in a hospital bed, which helped to hide Kelly’s VERY pregnant belly.

  7. CIS: Miami

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    CSI: Miami Emily Procter, who played Calleigh on the hit series, was pregnant during filming for season nine. Her appearances during that time were limited in general, but when she did show up on screen, it was behind desks and heavy lab coats.

  9. The Dick Van Dyke Show

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    The Dick Van Dyke Show Ann Morgan Guilbert was afraid she would be fired once she told the director that she was pregnant, but fortunately for her (and her fans) that didn’t happen. Instead, they dressed her in loose-fitting blouses until she went on maternity leave half-way through the first season.

  10. CSI Crime Scene Investigation

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    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Louise Lombard, who played Sofia Curtis, was pregnant when she first joined the cast in season 5. She even had a nursery built in her trailer for her baby boy once he was born.

  11. I Love Lucy

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    I Love Lucy I Love Lucy was the first American TV show to have an expecting actress play an expecting character, but that only happened with Lucille Ball’s second pregnancy. She was actually six months along while filming the unaired pilot, which even baggy blouses didn’t hide very well.

  13. Mariska Hargitay

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    Law and Order: SVU Mariska Hargitay was very pregnant while filming the beginning of Season 8. Desks, boxes, and dark colored clothing all worked together to keep her baby bump hidden.

  14. CSI: NY

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    CSI: NY In season three, Detective Lindsay Monroe was suddenly whisked away to testify on trial in her home town. This served a double purpose: giving her less screen time, and hiding her baby bump behind the stand.

  15. Ellen Pompeo

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    Grey's Anatomy Ellen Pompeo's pregnancy during season six was an easy fix with loose-fitting scrubs. Though we have to say--for a doctor, she sure sat a lot that season!

  17. Guiding Light

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    Guiding Light Maeve Kinkead, who played Vanessa, was pregnant while filming her wedding to Billy. Luckily, a giant bouquet took care of that!

  18. Julie Bowen

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    Modern Family Julie Bowen was pregnant with twins during the pilot episode. Luckily, a cereal box and other props did the trick of hiding her sons-to-be!

  19. Jessica Capshaw

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    Grey's Anatomy This show has certainly had a lot of practice over the years! Most recently, they hid Jessica Capshaw’s pregnant belly behind another pregnant belly!

  21. Pamela Bellwood

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    Dynasty In the beginning of season six, Claudia Blaisdel Carrington (played by Pamela Bellwood) was filmed in loose fitting clothing until she left mid-way through the season to deliver her baby. Bellwood returned later that season, only to have her character be killed off in a fire so that she could dedicate more of her time to raising her baby.

  22. Kerry Washington

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    Scandal Did you wonder why Kerry Washington's wardrobe suddenly went from fitted to super loose? Props to Shonda Rhimes for coming up with some creative hiding techniques.

  23. Lauren Lane

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    The Nanny The writers hid Lauren Lane's baby bump behind hilariously obvious props, like this giant poster that says “BABY” on it! How funny!

  25. Julia Louis-Dreyfus

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    Seinfeld Julia Louis-Dreyfus held a wide variety of odd objects in front of her during season three to hide her growing bump.

  26. Jane Leeves

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    Frasier The writers covered up Jane Leeves’ pregnancy at first, but then worked it into the plot by hiding Daphne's bump behind extra padding and a stress-eating habit.

  27. Angela Kinsey

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    The Office Angela Kinsey was pregnant during season four, but luckily, there were plenty of desks around to strategically hide her belly!

  29. Melissa Fumero

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    Brooklyn Nine-Nine Melissa Fumero’s pregnancy was hidden in plain sight: her character "pretended" to be pregnant while on an undercover assignment.

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