The Most Iconic Celebrity Pregnancy Announcements
There are approximately 140 million babies born each year, so naturally, some of them have to belong to famous people. It's always exciting to learn a celebrity is pregnant, but sometimes the manner in which they share this announcement is even more exciting than the news itself. Most everyone who becomes pregnant eventually shares that information with the world, or at least the people in their inner circle. But famous people have a greater number of people interested in their personal lives — maybe that's why some celebs feel inspired to share the news in the most dramatic and interesting way possible.
In 1991, Demi Moore arguably ushered in a new age of delivering such news when she posed naked on the cover of Vanity Fair while seven months pregnant. While the photoshoot wasn't necessarily an announcement, it certainly drew a great deal of attention and controversy. On an episode of "No Filter with Naomi" in 2021, Moore mused that the cover story allowed her to simply be herself. However, she was also proud that it helped to alter how pregnancies could be seen and celebrated. "I understand what impact it had on the world," she said. "On women, on our permission to embrace ourselves in a pregnant state."
While most celebs post photos to social media or announce the news via a representative, others use national stages and red carpets to make their big reveals, and those celebs deserve homage. In honor of those daring people, these are the most iconic celebrity pregnancy announcements.
Rihanna's iconic Super Bowl pregnancy reveal
There's a longstanding debate over which Super Bowl Halftime Performance is the best. Although on some lists Rihanna's 2023 halftime show might only rank in the middle, her performance will still go down in history. That's thanks to her status as the first person to ever perform at the big game while pregnant, as well as the first person to ever reveal their pregnancy on such a platform. RiRi began her 13-minute set by staring deeply down the camera lens before singing her 2018 hit, "B***h Better Have My Money." The camera then panned down her body, allowing the superstar to quickly caress her burgeoning baby bump, leading fans to wonder whether she was announcing a pregnancy or not. Before the game was over, Rihanna's team had confirmed to Rolling Stone that she was indeed expecting her second child with boyfriend, A$AP Rocky.
Prior to her performance, as is custom with every Super Bowl Halftime Show, the public theorized over whom Rihanna might feature as a guest during her performance, or whether she'd be joined by anyone at all. "I'm thinking about bringing someone, I'm not sure. We'll see," the Grammy winner told CBS Sports ahead of her show. Not only had her special guest been present for the interview in question, but she also had the unborn guest of honor with her during her 12-song performance, too.
Beyoncé showcased her new bump on the VMAs stage
Celebrities have far more options for announcing their pregnancies than the rest of us do. And we sure do love it when they take full advantage of those options and gift us with a major pop culture moment like Beyoncé did when she announced her first pregnancy. While promoting her 2011 album "4," Queen Bey took to the MTV Video Music Awards stage to sing one of her singles, "Love on Top." After a seriously impressive performance, Beyoncé dropped her microphone and opened her blazer to reveal her growing bump. The crowd erupted further, leaving Beyoncé beaming. The camera then switched to show her husband Jay Z's reaction, who was receiving plenty of love from those surrounding him, including his then-longtime friend and collaborator, Kanye West.
The internet being the way it is, soon after she'd announced her pregnancy, netizens began circulating a strange conspiracy theory suggesting that Beyoncé wasn't actually pregnant. Instead, she was rumored to have been wearing a prosthetic belly while a surrogate was carrying her child. This particularly strange allegation went viral following the superstar's appearance on the Australian talk show, "Sunday Night" (via TMZ) in which some viewers speculated that her baby bump appeared to deflate when she sat down. Speaking with People (via Billboard) about the rumor, Beyoncé noted, "That was crazy. It wasn't hurtful, it was just crazy ... Where did they come up with this?"
Blake Lively loves a red carpet reveal
No one does anything more stylishly than Blake Lively. A fact that was very apparent when she took pregnancy announcements to a new level at the 2019 premiere of "Pokemon: Detective Pikachu." Supporting her husband, Ryan Reynolds, on the red carpet for his movie, the star strolled up in a stunning yellow dress while sporting a visible baby bump. At the time, Lively was pregnant with her third child. The actor used her now go-to announcement method again in 2022 at a Forbes event red carpet when she shared she was expecting her fourth child. "I just like to create. Whether that's baking or storytelling or businesses or humans, I just really like creating," Lively joked at the event, as reported by Grazia.
For us, Lively's pregnancy announcements have provided high-quality pop culture content. But for the actor, her pregnancies have obviously been slightly more meaningful. In an interview with Forbes, Lively detailed how much of a positive impact becoming a mother has had on her confidence. "Having children for me made me feel so much more in my skin," she said. "I never felt more myself or at ease in my own body or more confident — not to say that there aren't a bevy of insecurities coming at me a million times a day, but I just feel incredibly settled."
Meghan Trainor surprised everyone on TikTok
In 2022, Meghan Trainor emerged as the queen of TikTok, a title she clearly doesn't take lightly. Between taking over the app with her hit song "Made You Look" and posting the cutest videos of her son Riley, Trainor is consistently giving fans the clips they want to see. She gave fans more to fawn over when she posted her pregnancy announcement on the app. But Trainor did things a little differently than usual. Instead of coming out directly with the information, the singer posted a teaser video on TikTok featuring footage of her loved ones reacting excitedly to her news, with the caption, "Telling my family the secret I've been keeping for the past few months."
The singer officially confirmed the news a day later. While promoting her pregnancy book, "Dear Future Mama" on "Today," the singer surprised the show's hosts by sneaking in ultrasound photos in the copy of the book that Hoda Kotbe was opening in the studio. "We're pregnant!" she told the delighted hosts, while her husband, Daryl Sabara, kissed her cheek. Trainor wanted to write her book to help expectant moms after experiencing loneliness and difficulties during her first pregnancy. "I want to give future mamas permission to find the right path for them — without the judgment of others," she shared in a press release, per Cision. "I want this book to feel like a hug from a bestie."
Keke Palmer's SNL pregnancy announcement
It's iconic enough to host "Saturday Night Live," but to announce your pregnancy during your monologue is a whole new level of legendary. In December 2022, Keke Palmer hosted the sketch comedy show for the first time in her long career — and she used the opportunity to share that she was expecting her first child. Palmer arrived on the stage wearing a monochromatic outfit, hiding her bump with a buttoned coat. She began her monologue as most hosts do. But about halfway through, Palmer said, "I'm especially glad to be here, though, because there's some rumors going around. People have been in my comments saying, 'Keke's having a baby, Keke's pregnant.' And I want to set the record straight — I am." The "Nope" star then opened her coat to reveal her pregnant belly.
Per their reaction, the audience loved Palmer's announcement just as much as netizens on the internet did. Speaking to Vanity Fair, the actor noted that online comments from fans had influenced her decision to use "SNL" as the platform for her announcement. She elaborated that although she wanted to keep her pregnancy private, it was also becoming difficult to conceal. "I felt like I should probably let people know. You need a certain level of physicality to do 'SNL,'" she explained. "It was so much fun to say it during my monologue. That's something my kid can have forever."
Katy Perry announced her pregnancy via a music video
Katy Perry has always made statements with her music, and in 2020, she used it to make one of the most exciting statements of all. At the end of her music video for "Never Worn White," the pop superstar shared that she was expecting her first child. Having worn a long white dress for much of the video, the star could be seen cradling her baby bump in the visual's closing sequences, before showing it off further while wearing a sheer top that draped over her pregnant body.
The video premiered just before the world went into lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing Perry to quarantine for most of her pregnancy. That brought additional challenges to what was supposed to be a joyful time — including dealing with pregnancy cravings during quarantine. "Do I want to risk my life getting that craving?" the singer mused to Capital FM about her predicament.
In an interview with Sirius XM, Perry revealed that her pregnancy announcement didn't go quite as smoothly in her personal life. Planning to surprise her loved ones with the news, the singer and her husband, Orlando Bloom, had put the announcement on labels of bespoke bottles of wine that they would hand out as gifts or bring along to dinner parties. However, after browsing through her daughter's wine collection, Perry's mom found the bottle, with the singer telling her, "Well, you ruined the surprise."
Rihanna broke the internet with an Instagram post
It's safe to say the world is collectively obsessed with Rihanna. The Barbadian-born singer can do no wrong in the eyes of her fans. But when she revealed she was expecting her first child with A$AP Rocky in 2022, even those who maybe wouldn't count themselves as fans had to take a moment to praise the star. To share the news, Rihanna posted a carousel of photos to Instagram that showed off her bump. She charmingly captioned the set, "How the gang pulled up to Black History Month." Though fans went crazy over the news itself, they were equally excited by RiRi's outfit in three of the photos — a pink Chanel puffer coat unbuttoned at the bump. The 'fit served as the first of several iconic maternity looks the singer rocked.
Rihanna has long been a fashion icon, and she didn't let impending motherhood stop her from wearing whatever she wanted. As she told Vogue, "When I found out I was pregnant, I thought to myself, 'There's no way I'm going to go shopping in no maternity aisle.' I'm sorry – it's too much fun to get dressed up. I'm not going to let that part disappear because my body is changing." The singer graced the cover of the fashion magazine while pregnant, donning a red lace jumpsuit that's certainly near the top of the list of Rihanna's best pregnancy styles.
Beyoncé stunned in a maternity photoshoot
Beyoncé is many things — an Oscar-nominated singer, the winningest Grammy Awards recipient of all time, and a mother of three. The singer gave birth to her first child, Blue Ivy Carter, in 2012, and over five years later she surprised fans when she shared an Instagram post revealing she was pregnant with twins. The post featured a photo of the star cradling her baby bump while posing in a bridal veil before a giant bouquet of flowers. It was captioned, "We would like to share our love and happiness. We have been blessed two times over. We are incredibly grateful that our family will be growing by two, and we thank you for your well wishes." Impressively, it was named the most-liked photo on the platform in 2017.
Although she rarely participates in interviews anymore, Beyoncé did write a personal essay for Vogue regarding her experiences after she gave birth to her twins. Per her writing, the singer's second pregnancy and recovery were much different from her first, as she suffered from toxemia and was put on bed rest for a month. The singer also opened up about how her body changed but stressed her acceptance of and love for her new form. "To this day my arms, shoulders, breasts, and thighs are fuller," she wrote. "I have a little mommy pouch, and I'm in no rush to get rid of it. I think it's real."
Cardi B performed at the BET Awards
Cardi B is one of the boldest performers in the music industry, and the rapper proved that once and for all at the 2021 BET Awards when she performed while pregnant. To share the news, the rapper highlighted her bump by keeping only a layer of mesh material over her belly while the rest of her body was covered in gemstones. The pregnancy was Cardi B's second. As of this writing, she and her husband, Migos rapper Offset, share two children together, Kulture Cephus and Wave Cephus.
Ever one to be forthcoming, Cardi B shared details of her first childbirth during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," shocking the audience by disclosing information the public never expected her to tell. Explaining that the childbirth experience was far more difficult and painful than she could have ever imagined, she said of her firstborn, "She broke my vagina ... Nobody told me they were going to stitch my vagina." Taken aback by her graphic honesty, Jimmy Kimmel quipped in response, "I was always worried about stepping on a crack and breaking my mother's back."
Tan France used photoshop to announce fatherhood
Though he wasn't announcing that he was about to give birth, Tan France shared that he was about to become a father in the most Tan France way ever. The "Queer Eye" star posted a photo to his Instagram, and it was not unlike most celebs who announce via the photo-sharing platform. France's photo featured him cupping his belly as many pregnant women do, the only difference being France was not bearing a child in there. To clear any confusion, the fashion icon photoshopped his child's ultrasound photo over his belly, announcing via the caption that he and his husband were expecting a child via surrogate. "Something we've wanted for [so] many years. Our hearts are so full right now. I cannot wait to hold this baby, and to show him so much love," the designer said.
France took to Instagram once again when he and his husband brought their son, Ismali France, home from the hospital after a weeks-long stay in the NICU. "We love him so, so much. Like, fully obsessed. Our Surrogate is doing so great, post-labor, and we couldn't be more grateful for the greatest gift in our lives," France shared with fans.
Kelly Rowland covered a magazine
Kelly Rowland gave birth to her first child in 2014. Six years later, the Destiny's Child singer then revealed she was expecting her second. However, Rowland eschewed typical celebrity pregnancy announcement mediums and announced her news by posing for the cover of Women's Health. The singer stunned in a burnt orange dress, and the spread featured more photos of her flaunting her budding bump. "I was thinking, 'Oh my god, my fans are gonna be so disappointed ... They wanted an album first, but they got a baby!'" she gushed to the outlet. "And I was like, 'I have to figure this out so they get both." While fans were still left waiting for that new album, Rowland at least managed to find a compromise between her personal and professional commitments to release an EP in 2021 — a critically acclaimed six-track collection called "K."
Now that she's a mother of two, many have wondered whether the performer wants a third child. During an appearance on the "Jennifer Hudson Show," Rowland had a short, succinct response to the question as to whether there was room in her family for more children. After sharing how much she loves her two boys, Rowland promptly answered, "No, I'm done. Two and through."
Kylie Jenner announced she was pregnant after giving birth
Leave it to a Kardashian to do something the world talks about for years to come. Though she has a different last name, Kylie Jenner is as much of an icon as her siblings with the other famous surname, and her pregnancy announcement confirmed it. Before she gave birth to her firstborn, daughter Stormi Webster, Jenner was tightlipped about her pregnancy, never confirming the rumors that had been swirling for months. Then, after she had given birth, Jenner announced she had been pregnant all along but had chosen to keep it private. "I understand you're used to me bringing you along on all my journeys. My pregnancy was one I chose not to do in front of the world," Jenner wrote to her fans in a since-deleted Instagram post, per E! News. "I knew for myself I needed to prepare for this role of a lifetime in the most positive, stress-free, and healthy way I knew how."
The second time Jenner was pregnant, the makeup mogul was much more forthcoming about the news and uploaded a pregnancy reveal video to Instagram many months prior to giving birth. However, she did keep one detail private for a while — the child's name. Jenner first revealed that her son's name was Wolf, but soon after shared that they had changed it. It wasn't until her son was a year old that she shared his first name, Aire.
Gigi Hadid reluctantly confirmed the rumors
Celebrities are subject to tabloid fodder, and every once in a while, the rumors are true. In Gigi Hadid's case, it was rumors of her pregnancy. In 2020, Hadid was pregnant with her first child, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik. The public had been speculating that Hadid was expecting, and instead of making a formal announcement, the model confirmed the rumor during an appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." "Obviously we wish we could've announced it on our own terms, but we're very excited and happy and grateful for everyone's well wishes and support," the model told the comedian.
Though she wanted to share her pregnancy publicly, Hadid won't be sharing photos of her daughter's face with the public anytime soon. The model told Vogue she'll be selective with what she shares about her daughter on social media, and Hadid's sister, Bella Hadid, further clarified a desire for privacy for the child. "I think she wants to be real online, but until her child wants to be in the spotlight and can make the decision herself, she doesn't want to put her in that position," Bella told the outlet.