Going through a pregnancy during a pandemic isn't ideal, but if you're a celebrity with a baby on the way, well, a silver lining may be that it's easier to keep it a secret. So, when Jenny Slate shared that she's pregnant during a December 10 interview on Late Night with Seth Meyers, it was a surprise to everyone watching, and she got to share the news on her own terms and with her signature sense of humor.
Slate, whose acting roles include Obvious Child, Parks and Recreation, and Big Mouth, was asked by host Seth Meyers what she's been up to for the past nine months since the pandemic began.
"Well, let me tell you, on night one of the lockdown, we had a really romantic night of being together, real sweet with my fiancé," she began, referring to artist and writer Ben Shattuck, who she became engaged to in September of last year. "And then I did what everyone else did. I kind of hunkered down and baked a lot of bread. But I just want to say, I think I might have baked too much bread or eaten too much bread. You tell me, Seth." With that, the Little Weirds author stood up and revealed her baby bump.
"Um, how have the exact last nine months been?" she added. "They've been real pregnant for me."
Meyers pointed out that being pregnant during the pandemic meant Slate could "hunker down" since that's what everyone had to do, anyway. And Slate seemed grateful to be expecting her first child at this time in her life.
"It's very nice to have something that's incredibly positive during a time that's hard and sad," the Saturday Night Live alum, who had a previous relationship with Marvel actor Chris Evans, said. "It's nice to have a little secret treasure. But yeah, I mean, I've basically been just chilling out, doing exactly what I wanted to do, not having to see anyone or figure out how to gracefully wear pants. I haven't worn pants in many moons."
Slate isn't the only celebrity who has been pregnant during the pandemic. Read on to find out about five more celebrities who are either pregnant or welcomed babies during 2020. And snaps of famous couples in the early stages, here are 18 Photos of Celebrity Couples When They First Got Together.
1 | Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid/InstagramSupermodel Gigi Hadid and former One Direction singer Zayn Malikwelcomed a baby girl in September. Unfortunately, the news of Hadid's pregnancy leaked before the couple was able to share it themselves. During an April interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Hadid confirmed she was pregnant, and added, "Obviously, we wish we could have announced it on our own terms, but we’re very excited and happy and grateful for everyone’s well wishes." Something she is doing on her own terms? Announcing the baby's name. She still hasn't shared it. For famous offspring who got the Hollywood genes, check out 25 Celebrity Kids Who Look Just Like Their Parents.
2 | Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore/InstagramThis Is Us star Mandy Moore and her husband Taylor Goldsmithannounced her pregnancy on Instagram in September. "Baby Boy Goldsmith coming early 2021," Moore captioned a series of photos of herself and her husband. The actor has shared a few more Instagram posts about her pregnancy, including one in December about being 30 weeks along. "30 weeks with this tiny kickboxer," she wrote, along with the hashtags "#grateful" and "#dontlookatmymessybathroom." For more stars who found fame at a young age, check out The Biggest Child Actors Ever, Then and Now.
3 | Kelly Rowland
Kelly Rowland/InstagramInstagrams and talkshows are fine, but Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland revealed she was expecting her second child on a magazine cover. Rowland and her baby bump grace the cover of the November issue of Women's Health. "We had been talking about it loosely, and then COVID happened, and we were just like, 'Let’s see what happens,'" Rowland said of her and husband Tim Weatherspoon's decision to have a second child. She added of sharing her pregnancy publicly during a tough year, "You still want to remind people that life is important. And being able to have a child… I’m knocking at 40’s door in February. Taking care of myself means a lot to me."
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4 | Bille Lourd
Billie Lourd/InstagramBooksmart actor Billie Lourd went through her entire pregnancy without fans knowing she was expecting. In September, Carrie Fisher's daughter shared that her baby her fiancé Austen Rydell had been born. "Introducing: Kingston Fisher Lourd Rydell," she wrote on Instagram. Only after announcing the baby was here did she share some pictures from her pregnancy. For more duos who like to keep things quiet, check out Celebrity Couples Who Had Top-Secret Weddings.
5 | Mindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling/InstagramAnother star who had a baby in secret, Mindy Kaling revealed she had welcomed her second child, Spencer, during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in October. "I’m telling it for the first time now. It feels so strange," the actor and writer shared. "I gave birth to a baby boy on September 3." Host Stephen Colbert noted that no one even knew she was pregnant, and she said, "I know! This is news to a lot of people, it’s true." For more celebrity babies who were born during 2020, here are 15 Celebrities Who've Had Babies During the Pandemic.
