Rihanna, Blake Lively, Keke Palmer and how celebrity baby announcements are changing
Leave it to Rihanna to one-up her last pregnancy announcement.
Rihanna hinted to fans ahead of her Super Bowl halftime show Sunday that she'd be bringing a special guest for her performance, though no famous faces joined her. But after the singer, actress and entrepreneur pointedly caressed her belly a few times during the show, her team confirmed who the guest star was: her second child on the way.
Her reveal on one of the world's most-watched stages is an example of how celebrity announcements are changing.
There once was a time when the only way we'd know if a star like Rihanna was pregnant would be through a magazine cover story on newsstands. But now, celebrities are doing away with media exclusives and using more creative means to announce their growing families to fans – if they share it at all.
Here are some ways the stars are changing and up – and the most likely reason why.
Rihanna's first pregnancy announcement, Blake Lively's new addition and Keke Palmer's 'SNL' reveal
Last year, Rihanna revealed she was expecting their first child with a paparazzi-style photoshoot where she was captured by Miles Diggs walking hand-in-hand with A$AP Rocky on the streets of New York City, wearing a long pink coat unbuttoned to show off her growing baby bump, adorned by long body chains that fell past her belly.
Meanwhile, Blake Lively sparked rumors that she and Ryan Reynolds had welcomed their fourth child on Sunday after sharing an Instagram photo that showed the actress smiling, sans baby bump.
Keke Palmer addressed pregnancy rumors head-on during her December "Saturday Night Live" hosting gig, confirming she was expecting and showing off her baby bump for the first time during her opening monologue.
Beyoncé in 2017 and Cardi B in 2021 surprised fans by revealing their bumps during on-stage performances. Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom let the United Nations Children's Fund introduce their bundle of joy to the world in 2020. Kylie Jenner announced the birth of her first child Stormi in 2018 by releasing a cinematic masterpiece and letting her fans know this was something she "chose not to do in front of the world."
All show that the way the public is learning about famous offspring is changing – and experts say social media and an increased desire for privacy are some of the reasons why.
More: Keke Palmer addresses pregnancy rumors on 'SNL': 'I want to set the record straight: I am'
Social media gives celebrities more control over their image
As of late, stars have more autonomy in how they choose to share or not share personal news, like pregnancies and new additions, and entertainment expert Dan Wakeford credits the shift to stars having more control over their image.
"I think the decentralization of the media over the last decade has led to stars using their own platforms to tell their stories, using their own authentic voices and taking control of their messaging," Wakeford says.
The strategy works for both the celebrity and their fanbase. Social media has given them direct access to the public so they don't have to necessarily rely on media outlets or anyone else to tell their story, Wakeford says.
"The monetization of celebrity has completely changed in the last decade. Celebrities used to be able to do lucrative photo deals with magazines and now that's not going to happen," Wakeford says. "So the benefits of telling your own story are going to win out especially if they can do good for the world like Orlando and Katy did."
More: Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, Beyoncé and Jay-Z and other unique celebrity baby announcements
Grimes, Mindy Kaling opted for privacy over publicity
Other celebrities are choosing to conceal their pregnancies completely or only share news of their new additions after the children have arrived.
Grimes accidentally broke the news of her second child with Elon Musk thanks to the baby crying upstairs as she welcomed a Vanity Fair reporter into her home for an interview. Mindy Kaling kept her second pregnancy and birth of her son a secret during the pandemic until she dropped the news during an October 2020 episode of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." James Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly chose to keep news of their sixth pregnancy under wraps after the couple experienced two late-term pregnancy losses.
"We kept this one quiet. Truthfully, I was terrified when I found out," Van Der Beek wrote on Instagram, while sharing the "safe, happy arrival" of their son Jeremiah.
It's understandable why they'd want to keep certain things private, experts say.
Anonymity is lost when you're a public figure, especially when you're constantly in the public eye on TV or in movies, "Married to Medicine" cast member and OB/GYN Dr. Jacqueline Walters says.
"In a society full of criticism and judgement, shying away from traditional media outlets allows celebrity mothers to control the narratives of how they may be viewed as a pregnant woman," Walters says.
Actress Olivia Munn, who welcomed a son with comedian John Mulaney in 2021, took that approach during her pregnancy, avoiding the barrage of media attention by not sharing the coveted baby bumps pics on social media.
"There’s this vulnerability that I feel that makes me want to ... just turn everything off," she told the Los Angeles Times in an interview. "I’d rather close the door to that and just take care of myself and my baby."
Celebrities may want to keep some moments for themselves
For celebrities who are constantly in public, sometimes certain aspects of pregnancy, like name and gender, are the only thing they can have for themselves without public opinion.
"They cannot hide their stomach as the uterus grows, however, saving just one bit of detail is the only true and harmless connection with the baby between the parents," Walters says. "Blocking out the public and truly enjoying and cherishing those private pieces of information that nobody can take from them is unfathomable."
A year after stepping back from their royal duties, Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan kept in line with their desire to stay out of the spotlight with the announcement of their second child Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. Traditionally, royals are immediately photographed with their newborns, as the couple was with their first-born Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. But the The Duke and Duchess of Sussex opted to "enjoy this special time as a family" following the birth of Lilibet and have kept her out of the public eye.
At the end of the day, whether you're Beyoncé, Kylie Jenner or Rihanna, celebrities are still human and deserve the right to privacy like everyone else, Wakeford notes.
"These are the most intimate details of somebody's life. Somebody should have the autonomy to tell their own stories about their children," Wakeford says.
More: Kelly Osbourne says she's 'not ready to share' newborn son after Sharon Osbourne reveals birth
Divulging baby news has some benefits
Whichever way stars are deciding to divulge (or not) their pregnancy journeys, there are some benefits to going about it the old school way. Having a respected media outlet share the announcement adds credibility, Wakeford says, which can be favorable for lesser known stars who are trying to reach a wider audience.
Revealing pregnancy news and sharing that journey with the public also helps rid the stigma that being with child is an ailment or disability, Walters says. Celebrities like Serena Williams, who's spoken openly about her near-death experience after giving birth to Olympia in 2017, and Chrissy Teigen and Hilaria Baldwin, who were vulnerable in sharing heartbreak after miscarriages, can be helpful.
"The adverse outcomes and the complications of pregnancy shared by celebrities have also helped other pregnant women advocate for the best medical care and offer a clear understanding of some of the risks associated with pregnancy," Walters says.
Contributing: Hannah Yasharoff
More: Chrissy Teigen's openness about pregnancy loss gives strength to women in similar situations
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rihanna, Blake Lively, Keke Palmer and changing celebrity baby reveals
