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Twice The Secret: How Hilary Duff Hid Two Real-Life Pregnancies While Filming Younger

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The question of whether Hilary Duff was pregnant during her time on the hit TV Land/Paramount+ series Younger is one of the most frequently searched queries by fans of the show. As of the current date in late 2025, the definitive answer is a resounding yes—not just once, but twice, during the filming of the show’s later seasons. The production team, led by creator Darren Star, had to become masters of cinematic illusion to ensure Duff’s character, the ambitious publishing wunderkind Kelsey Peters, remained childless while the actress herself was preparing for a new addition to her family.

This reality created a fascinating behind-the-scenes challenge for the cast and crew, who skillfully deployed a range of tricks involving strategic wardrobe choices, clever camera angles, and even well-placed props to maintain the continuity of the *Younger* storyline. The secret was so well-kept that many viewers of the series remain unaware of the incredible production effort that went into hiding a growing baby bump across two separate seasons.

Hilary Duff: A Complete Biography and Family Timeline

To fully understand the filming challenges, it is essential to place Hilary Duff's pregnancies within the context of her career and family life. Her personal milestones directly overlapped with the production schedule of *Younger*, making the logistics of filming a complex juggling act.

  • Full Name: Hilary Erhard Duff
  • Date of Birth: September 28, 1987
  • Place of Birth: Houston, Texas, U.S.
  • Parents: Susan Colleen Duff (Producer) and Robert Erhard Duff (Owner of a convenience store chain)
  • Spouse(s): Mike Comrie (m. 2010; div. 2016), Matthew Koma (m. 2019)
  • Notable Roles: Lizzie McGuire (Lizzie McGuire), Kelsey Peters (Younger), Sophie (How I Met Your Father)
  • Children (4):
    • Luca Cruz Comrie: Born March 20, 2012 (with Mike Comrie)
    • Banks Violet Bair: Born October 25, 2018 (with Matthew Koma) — Pregnant during *Younger* Season 5
    • Mae James Bair: Born March 24, 2021 (with Matthew Koma) — Pregnant during *Younger* Season 7
    • Townes Meadow Bair: Born May 3, 2024 (with Matthew Koma)

The First Secret: Hilary Duff's Pregnancy During Younger Season 5

The first time the *Younger* production team faced the challenge of a pregnant Hilary Duff was during the filming of Season 5 in 2018. The season premiered in June 2018, and Duff welcomed her second child, daughter Banks Violet Bair, just a few months later in October 2018. This meant a significant portion of the season’s production occurred while Duff was visibly pregnant.

The show’s creator, Darren Star, made a creative decision not to write the pregnancy into the plot for Kelsey Peters. Kelsey was at a pivotal point in her career at Empirical Publishing, navigating a complex professional life and a turbulent romantic storyline, neither of which involved a baby. The team opted for discretion over a dramatic storyline change.

Ingenious Hiding Techniques for Banks Violet Bair (Season 5)

To conceal the baby bump, the costume and camera departments collaborated closely, inventing a series of visual sleights of hand. The challenge was to keep Kelsey’s signature high-fashion, Millennial-chic aesthetic intact while accommodating a growing bump. This required a shift in the character's wardrobe and positioning.

  • Strategic Wardrobe: Kelsey's outfits moved away from the form-fitting dresses of earlier seasons. The costume designer favored loose-fitting blouses, oversized blazers, structured jackets, and high-waisted, A-line skirts. These pieces naturally skimmed over the midsection while still looking stylish and appropriate for a publishing executive.
  • The Prop Strategy: A classic Hollywood trick was employed extensively. Duff’s character was often seen carrying large, bulky props, such as oversized tote bags, large manuscripts, stacks of books, or even an iPad. These items were held directly in front of her stomach during dialogue-heavy scenes.
  • "Waist-Up" Camera Work: Directors were instructed to frame shots tightly, often focusing on Duff from the chest up, particularly in seated scenes. When a full-body shot was unavoidable, the camera would often be positioned slightly above her, looking down, which minimizes the appearance of the bump.

The Second Secret: Filming the Final Season While Pregnant

The second and arguably more challenging pregnancy occurred while filming the seventh and final season of *Younger*. Production for Season 7 began in October 2020 and wrapped in February 2021, a timeline that directly led up to the birth of Duff’s third child, Mae James Bair, in March 2021. This time, the actress was heavily pregnant during the shoot, a feat made even more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic protocols.

The final season saw Kelsey Peters dealing with her new entrepreneurial venture, the Millennial-focused media platform "Inkubator," requiring her to be energetic and mobile. The production team had to be even more creative to maintain the illusion of a childless, fast-paced executive.

The Art of Concealment for Mae James Bair (Season 7)

The techniques used in Season 5 were perfected for the final season, with co-stars like Molly Bernard (Lauren Heller) and Nico Tortorella (Josh) often commenting on the impressive lengths the crew went to. The concealment effort became a running joke and a point of pride among the cast and crew, who were essentially protecting a major secret from the viewing public.

  • Oversized Outerwear: The final season's wardrobe leaned heavily into voluminous coats, chunky knit sweaters, and thick scarves, which were perfect for filming in New York City during the late fall and winter months. These layers provided excellent coverage for the baby bump.
  • Creative Blocking and Props: In crucial scenes, Kelsey was often seated behind a desk, positioned behind a large plant, or strategically standing next to a taller co-star, such as Sutton Foster (Liza Miller) or Peter Hermann (Charles Brooks). The use of the Empirical Publishing office furniture was key.
  • Limited Screen Time: While Duff was a main cast member, her total screen time in the final episodes was subtly reduced. Certain scenes were likely filmed out of sequence to ensure she was less pregnant during key moments, and some of Kelsey's storyline was possibly adjusted to keep her off-screen during the most challenging weeks of her pregnancy.

Why the Show Didn't Write the Pregnancy into the Storyline

The decision by showrunner Darren Star to hide both of Hilary Duff’s pregnancies, rather than incorporating them into Kelsey Peters’ storyline, was a deliberate creative choice that speaks to the core themes of *Younger*. The show was primarily about Liza Miller's journey and her relationship with the publishing world, with Kelsey as a key professional foil and partner.

Writing in a pregnancy for Kelsey would have drastically changed her trajectory from a high-flying, ambitious, and unattached young editor to a mother. This shift would have fundamentally altered the dynamic of her relationships with Charles Brooks and Liza Miller and distracted from the series' central focus on career, age, and identity in the New York publishing scene. By concealing the pregnancies, the production ensured that the character of Kelsey Peters remained the driven, child-free "Millennial" editor the audience had come to know and love, allowing the focus to stay on the dramatic conclusion of the main narrative.

The fact that Hilary Duff managed to film two seasons of a demanding, fast-paced television show while pregnant—all while keeping the secret so well—is a testament to her professionalism and the incredible skill of the *Younger* production team in the art of television illusion. It remains one of the most fascinating behind-the-scenes facts of the beloved series.

was hilary duff pregnant during younger
was hilary duff pregnant during younger

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