Seth Rogen has revealed that Anne Hathaway left the 2007 comedy Knocked Up before filming began. The decision was reportedly prompted by the film’s graphic birth scene, which shows the main characters welcoming their baby girl.
Seth Rogen said one graphic birth sequence played a major role in Anne Hathaway’s departure from Knocked Up
Speaking on the July 1 episode of The A24 Podcast alongside his The Invite director and co-star Olivia Wilde, Rogen explained that Hathaway was uncomfortable with the plan to include graphic footage of a woman giving birth. He told, as per Us Weekly, “Yeah, I mean … it could have been a hundred million things. That was what I remember being told. Crowning is a tough one. She didn’t want the crowning of the baby to be visually representative. Even though it wasn’t going to be hers … It’s obviously not real.”
The film ends with a graphic childbirth sequence in which Katherine Heigl’s character welcomes her baby. Rogen clarified that Hathaway was never expected to perform the explicit scene, explaining that Judd Apatow used footage of a different person for the crowning shot.
Rogen went on to say, “She felt that it was not her brand. Part of me also … we had started rehearsing the movie … maybe she was just like, ‘I don’t know if this is for me.’ I don’t know. I will take what she said at face value, which was the crowning.”
Reflecting on working with The Devil Wears Prada star, Rogen said they had already begun rehearsing the film when Hathaway decided it might not be the right project for her. He added that he took her explanation at face value, saying her concern centered on the graphic “crowning” scene. On the other hand, Rogen praised Heigl, calling her “great.”
However, in a Vanity Fair interview for the January 2008 issue, Heigl said the film portrayed women as “shrews” who were “humorless and uptight,” while depicting men as “lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys.” She added that the characters were exaggerated and that she struggled with the portrayal at times, saying, “I’m playing such a bitch; why is she being such a killjoy? Why is this how you’re portraying women?” She noted that while 98 percent of the experience was positive, she found it difficult to fully embrace the movie.
According to Variety, the film grossed $219 million worldwide against a reported $25 million production budget. It marked a major success for Apatow and Universal Pictures. The cast also included Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Jason Segel, and Martin Starr.
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