Acclaimed actress Claire Danes has candidly discussed the complex emotions surrounding her unexpected third pregnancy, which she affectionately calls her 'oopsy daisy baby,' two years ago.
The Surprise Revelation
Appearing on Monday's episode of the SmartLess podcast, the 46-year-old former child star revealed her initial shock. 'I was so old when that happened. I was 44,' Danes recalled. 'I didn't think it was possible! I really didn't. So, no. I was terrified but all was okay.'
Host Jason Bateman was quick to congratulate Danes and her husband, English actor Hugh Dancy, on what he termed a 'rare' occurrence and a 'blessing,' enthusiastically adding, 'Good for you! Good for Hugh!'
Navigating Complicated Feelings
The three-time Emmy winner did not hold back in describing her complicated feelings upon discovering the pregnancy. 'Well, it was actually really interesting because I did not foresee this at all. And it was weird. Suddenly I felt like a funny shame,' she admitted.
Danes elaborated on this unique sense of embarrassment, noting, 'I was naughty. I had been caught fornicating past the point I was meant to. No, it was weird, and it was like I found an edge that I hadn't been quite conscious of.'
Danes and the 50-year-old Dancy, who have been married for 16 years, have chosen to keep their two-year-old daughter's name private. They are also parents to two sons: Rowan, 7, and Cyrus, who will turn 13 on December 17.
A Welcome Daughter and Future Projects
The producer-star of The Beast In Me also shared a lighthearted moment from her pregnancy, recalling that her obstetrician-gynaecologist had predicted she was 'having another boy.' When Bateman joked that she would have been 'pi**ed off' at another son, Danes was quick to correct him. 'I would have been delighted,' she stated, 'But I am more delighted that I [have a girl]. She's pretty cool and she loves a tutu.'
The native New Yorker added that managing the age gap is 'a trip! I mean, I have a teenager and a toddler.'
The couple, who originally met on the set of the 2006 film Evening, looked deeply in love while posing together at the November 5 premiere of her Netflix show, The Beast In Me, at The Plaza Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
Professionally, Danes remains busy. On Monday, she reunited with My So-Called Life creator Winnie Holzman, and the pair are set to collaborate again on HBO's dysfunctional family drama The Applebaum Curse, which Danes will produce and star in with Holzman as showrunner.
Currently, the Homeland alum can be heard voicing Abigail Adams in three episodes of Ken Burns' 12-hour docuseries The American Revolution, which airs November 16-21 on PBS. Meanwhile, her husband Hugh Dancy continues his role in the 25th season of Dick Wolf's Law & Order, airing Thursdays on NBC.
