These actresses are a growing concern

Philadelphia Daily News - December 4, 2000

By Ellen Gray

In the 48 years since Lucy Ricardo waddled across the small screen carrying Little Ricky - and, not coincidentally, little Desi - TV pregnancies have become, well, a fact of life.

This season, though, appears already to be an unusually fertile one. Among those celebrating (or concealing) their interesting conditions are:

"ER's" Ming-Na, whose unexpected pregnancy has been written into this season's episodes. Her character, Deb Chen, a single doctor, is contemplating giving up the baby for adoption. The actress, married to screenwriter Eric Michael Zee, recently told TV Guide, "[Executive producer] John Wells was even saying, 'I think you might have slept your way into a really good story line.' "

"ER's" Alex Kingston, who plays Dr. Elizabeth Corday and who's expecting with her husband, German journalist Florian Haertel. The TV daddy is Dr. Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), who's also facing a brain tumor.

"Frasier's" Jane Leeves, whose character, Daphne, is in no shape, plot-wise, to be pregnant right now. So she's just getting fat, poor girl. "We started out trying to hide it and now we've embraced the idea that she's getting larger," a laughing Kelsey Grammer said recently. In real life, Leeves and husband Marshall Coben, a Paramount TV executive, expect the baby next month.

"The Practice's" Kelli Williams, who was clearly pregnant when the series returned this fall, although her character, Lindsay Dole, kept, er, mum for the first few episodes. Lindsay's married to law partner Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott). Offscreen, Williams is wed to writer Ajay Sahgal. This will be their second child.

"The Practice's" Camryn Manheim, whose single motherhood is so far as much a mystery as that of her character, Ellenor Frutt. She's reportedly expecting in April, and her manager was recently quoted as saying she's "not speaking about the father" and is "not publicly involved with anyone."

"Judging Amy's" Amy Brenneman, who's reportedly expanding beneath the robes worn by Judge Amy Gray. (So far, it's not been noticeable.) This will be the first child for Brenneman and husband Brad Silberling, a director.

"DAG's" Lauren Tom, who plays Ginger Chin, the con-artist social secretary to Delta Burke's first lady, on the new NBC sitcom. According to USA Today, Tom's character won't be pregnant on the show. In real life, Tom is married to Curt Kaplan, with whom she has two dogs, named after Richard Gere and Vivica A. Fox. No word yet on baby names.


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