Claire Danois shares her daughter’s original story!
The “Homeland” actress recently opened up about her unexpected third pregnancy at age 44, revealing the emotional way she received the news.
Claire Danes welcomed three children with her longtime partner, Hugh Dancy. They shared two sons, Cyrus and Rowan, and a daughter named Shay.
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Claire Danes had a ‘crisis’ after discovering her third pregnancy
Danes spoke candidly about her third pregnancy in a new interview, revealing that she never planned or attempted to get pregnant at 44. She shared this unique experience while speaking to Amy Poehler on the Jan. 27 episode of her “Good Hang” podcast.
Their conversation, shared on YouTube, had Poehler asking if Danes cried after learning she was pregnant again at 44. The latter confirmed that she had done so, admitting: “I called my OBGYN in convulsive tears. It was a pure…like it was a meltdown.”
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The Danes pointed out that her three pregnancies were five years apart, emphasizing that the age gap between her children was never planned. “None of it was intentional. I didn’t know it was physically possible. I was 44. And in fact, Rowan was hard-earned. I had to do two rounds of IVF,” she recalls.
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The four-time Golden Globe winner’s best friend had a pregnancy dream
Danes began to suspect she was pregnant a day before a spa appointment with her best friend, Ariel, who is also her therapist. She remembers being unable to stand the heat and having to leave, which gave her the opportunity to express her troubles.
The award-winning actress told her best friend that she had fallen down a “crazy rabbit hole” the night before and started researching the likelihood of getting pregnant at 44. This confession led Ariel to admit that she had a bizarre dream in which she was in Dane’s pregnant body.
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Her best friend’s pregnancy dream seemed like the final push the Danes needed, so she drank “two strong cocktails” during their dinner and headed to CVS the next morning. The truth was eventually confirmed, with Danes noting that she “burst into tears” after seeing her positive pregnancy result.
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The TV personality called her daughter a delightful disturbance
Danes added that her third pregnancy experience was “deeply humbling” because she realized she was not responsible for creating life. After surrendering to her new reality, a “beautiful girl emerged.”
“She’s the best. None of this was up to me, and I’m just thrilled,” Danes confessed; nevertheless, Shay’s arrival was “disruptive” as the family had to move. Afterwards, the doting mother of three joked that her daughter was truly determined to live.
Danes announced her third pregnancy in 2023, with The Blast reporting that she was excited to take a break from work. She described her pregnancy as “a huge luxury,” noting that with her first child, she had to continue working until her third trimester.
The actress once took kissing lessons from a male co-star
A year before announcing her third pregnancy, Danes reflected on her beginnings in the entertainment industry. The Blast shared that she admitted to needing kissing lessons from her “My So-Called Life” co-star Jared Leto.
Danes starred in the ’90s series as Angela Chase, a beautiful high school student navigating life as a teenager. The character had a crush on Jordan Catalano (played by Leto), which eventually led to them becoming intimate on screen.
Danes recalled that she had no experience with the type of kiss needed for the scene and had to seek advice from Leto. “Jared had to explain that to me, which was very embarrassing,” she said. Danes added that because of their age difference, she had been terrified of Leto.
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Claire Danes chose “Homeland” to move away from romantic roles
During a 2020 interview, Danes reflected on his time on the hit Showtime drama series “Homeland.” For eight seasons, she played Carrie Mathison, a brilliant but troubled CIA officer, a role she felt was the break she needed from romantic characters.
Danes credited the role with helping her break away from “stereotypical characters who were completely defined by their romantic experience, or by the guy”. At 14, she played Angela in “My So-Called Life” and two years later, she starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in “Romeo + Juliet.”
Romantic roles like these led Danes to turn down another opportunity to work with DiCaprio in the hit film “Titanic.” CBS News reported that she had no regrets about turning down the role, saying it wasn’t a good fit for her at the time.
