Zooey Deschanel's pregnancy was discreetly hidden during her time on the hit TV show New Girl by employing a mix of creative plot devices and practical on-set solutions.
Methods Used to Conceal Pregnancy on New Girl
To accommodate Zooey Deschanel's pregnancy while filming New Girl, the showrunners devised clever strategies that maintained the storyline continuity while obscuring her baby bump. These methods ensured that her real-life pregnancy did not become a focal point of her character, Jessica Day.
Here are the primary ways they managed to hide her pregnancy:
- Utilizing Props and Plotlines:
- A significant technique involved writing a plotline where Jessica Day sustained an injury. This injury necessitated her use of a motorized scooter for movement. The scooter, along with other strategic placements of objects or changes in camera angles, effectively concealed Deschanel's pregnancy bump during filming. This allowed her to remain a central character without revealing her real-life condition.
- Character's Temporary Departure for Maternity Leave:
- As Deschanel's maternity leave approached, her character, Jessica Day, was written off the show temporarily. This was ingeniously done by having her character get called away for jury duty. This plausible excuse provided a natural narrative reason for Jessica's absence from the loft and the main group, allowing Deschanel to take the necessary time off for the birth of her child and postpartum recovery.
These creative solutions enabled the production team to navigate the practical challenges of a lead actress's pregnancy without disrupting the flow or narrative of the beloved series.
