50 Years of Oscar Babies
1. Catherine Zeta-Jones, 2003
Catherine Zeta-Jones was just entering her ninth month when she walked down the red carpet in a low-cut black gown with beaded straps and pink coral Fred Leighton earrings. When she won for Best Supporting Actress (for Chicago), the actress cried “My hormones are way too out of control to be dealing with this!” Backstage, Zeta-Jones reported that her unborn daughter Carys was “kicking like crazy.”
2. Naomi Watts, 2007
Naomi Watts hadn’t yet announced her pregnancy (five months along) when she walked the red carpet in a yellow drop-sleeved Escada gown — but the loose fit and empire waist had tongues wagging. Lucky for gossip hounds, before Naomi could confirm or deny, the Escada PR department released a statement announcing that the dress “set off her most precious new asset — the baby she is expecting with longtime boyfriend Liev Schreiber.”
3. Eva Marie Saint, 1955
Eva Marie Saint, who won for her performance opposite Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, has the distinction of being the most pregnant woman ever to attend the Oscars — in a time when many people found it downright improper. Her giddy comment when she accepted the award — “I think I may have the baby right here” — shocked the day’s gossip columnists, who accused her of being “tasteless” (Louella Parsons) and “cheapening the ceremony” (Hedda Hopper). Saint’s first child, Darrell, was born just two days after the ceremony.
4. Ann Blyth, 1953
Actress Blyth caused a minor scandal at the Academy Awards when, visibly pregnant, she performed the Best Song nominee “Secret Love” ? with the lyric “And my secret love’s no secret anymore.” The awards committee nearly prohibited Blyth the song, but ultimately decided that it was okay — since she was married.
5. Meryl Streep, 1983
Unbeknownst to the public, Meryl Streep was six months pregnant with Mamie Gummer when she won the Oscar for Sophie’s Choice. The beading on her stunning gold gown kept all eyes on the star’s face, and the clever pleated skirt disguised her bump.
6. Lauren Bacall, 1952
Lauren Bacall wasn’t nominated for any awards in 1952, but she got to watch her husband Humphrey Bogart walk away with his first and only Oscar, for Best Leading Actor in The African Queen. As she recalls in her autobiography: “I was in my fourth month, but had managed to squeeze myself into the only original Christian Dior dress I would ever own.”
7. Rachel Weisz, 2006
Designer Narcisco Rodriguez made three separate dresses for seven-months-pregnant Rachel Weisz to choose from; the Best Supporting Actress winner (for The Constant Gardener) selected a black off-the-shoulder number the day of the ceremony.
8. Nicole Kidman, 2008
Five-months-pregnant Nicole Kidman, in black Balenciaga, kept things simple — except for that L’Wren Scott diamond necklace, which weighed in at a whopping 1,399 carats.
9. Annette Bening, 2000
Pregnancy has never kept Annette Bening away from an awards ceremony; she attended the Golden Globes for Bugsy just ten days after giving birth, and in 2000, she made the rounds (along with husband and baby-daddy Warren Beatty) to accept accolades for her role in American Beauty. Although she lost the Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Hilary Swank (for Boys Don’t Cry), Bening looked stunning at the ceremony. She gave birth to daughter Ella two weeks later.
10. Cate Blanchett, 2008
2008 was a big year for Cate Blanchett, nominated in two Academy Awards categories (Best Actress for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Best Supporting Actress for I’m Not There) and eight months pregnant at the ceremony. Rather than downplaying her bump, Cate Blanchett decked it out in the night’s most intriguing ensemble — lethal stilettos, a blue satin Dries Van Noten gown, oversized jewellery by Lorraine Schwartz jewels and a Roger Vivier clutch.
11. Vanessa Williams, 2000
Best Original Song presenter Vanessa Williams selected a basic black Carmen Marc Valvo gown to try and downplay her 18 kilos of pregnancy weight (and show off her fabulous mum-to-be cleavage). Her daughter was born two months later.
12. Judy Garland, 1954
No designer was making glamorous maternity gowns in 1955, but Judy Garland (nominated for A Star is Born) looked swanky in satin at the Oscar nominations telecast. She had to skip the actual ceremony, as her son Joey Luft was born the day before.
13. Jessica Alba, 2008
Given her year of clunkers (Good Luck Chuck, anybody? Fantastic Four 2?), Jessica Alba (7 months pregnant at the ceremony) failed to secure any Oscar nominations in 2008. However, her wine-colored, feathered Marchesa gown and Cartier diamonds put her at the top of many of the year’s best-dressed lists.
14. Marcia Gay Harden, 2004
Other stars have attended the ceremony seven months pregnant — but so far, Marcia Gay Harden (nominated for Mystic River) is the only one to have done it with twins. Her royal blue Badgley Mischka gown, lined at the waist with antique beads, was selected to show off her growing belly.
15. Glenn Close, 1988
Nominated for Fatal Attraction, Glenn Close nearly didn’t make the ceremony because of a horrendous traffic jam — she was one of several stars who got out of her limo and walked! Her daughter Annie was born just fifteen days after the ceremony.
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