7 Celebrities Who Have Bravely Shared Their Postpartum Depression Struggles

Nicole Villeneuve
Nov 06, 2016

In her new Vanity Fair cover story, Adele does not hold back, sharing details about her former “massive” drinking habit and revealing amazing tidbits about her friendship with Beyoncé. And while the now-engaged singer has made it clear that she’s going to be putting her family before her music for awhile, she also admitted that she had (and still has) some major difficulties with motherhood.

In the immediate aftermath of having her son Angelo, Adele suffered from something so many women do: postpartum depression. “It frightened me,” she said. “I felt very inadequate; I felt like I’d made the worst decision of my life.”

Though Adele didn’t seek medical help as some women do need to, she says her coping methods were less than popular with some. “Eventually I just said, ‘I’m going to give myself an afternoon a week, just to do whatever the fuck I want without my baby.’ A friend of mine said, ‘Really? Don’t you feel bad?’ I said, ‘I do, but not as bad as I’d feel if I didn’t do it.'”

Props to Adele for being real about something many women suffer with alone in silence. Here are six other celebrities who have bravely shared their postpartum struggles.

1. Hayden Panettiere: Hayden has always been totally open with fans and media about her postpartum struggles, and even had to portray a storyline of intense challenges after becoming a mother on Nashville. “It is one of the most debilitating, scary, guilty feelings that you can ever feel,” she told Yahoo!. “That a mother would not be able to connect with their child, would not be able to get a grip, or would not know what’s going on, for anybody to say that it’s false or created by us, you must have your head examined.” Earlier this year Hayden checked into a treatment center for her ongoing postpartum a year and a half after the birth of her daughter Kaya. (Photo via Jason Merritt/Getty)

2. Gwyneth Paltrow: We’re all a little guilty of side-eyeing Gwyneth’s too-perfect and unrealisticGoop life, but hearing about her postpartum struggles after the birth of her second child humanized her to us. “I couldn’t connect with my son the way that I had with my daughter and I couldn’t understand why,” she admitted on Lifetime’s The Conversation With Amanda de Cadenet back in 2007. “I felt like a zombie. I felt very detached. My husband actually said, ‘Something’s wrong. I think you have postnatal depression.’ I was mortified. ‘No I don’t!’ And then I started researching what it was and the symptoms and I was like, ‘Oh, yes I do.'” (Photo via Matthew Eisman/Getty)

3. Alanis Morissette: Alanis decided to speak out about her postpartum because she felt it helped level the playing field and gave the condition a more human element. After having her son Ever in 2010, she later told ABC News, “It was just a really intense time and if I could share anything with anyone who’s going through it, it would be to encourage them to seek help and reach out a little earlier than I did. I think the feminist movement went through being very independent, being autonomous, being individualistic and being empowered on our own, burning your bras as such. And then now, in 2012, there’s this gorgeous inner-dependence and saying ‘I’m really empowered and I need you and I need help.’ It’s really great.” (Photo via Ernesto Distefano/Getty)

4. Drew Barrymore: Drew, not unlike Gwyneth, didn’t experience postpartum with her first child, so suffering after having her second daughter caught her off-guard. “I didn’t have postpartum the first time so I didn’t understand it because I was like, ‘I feel great!’ The second time, I was like, ‘Oh, whoa, I see what people talk about now. I understand,'” she told People. “It’s a different type of overwhelming with the second. I really got under the cloud.” (Photo via Jason Kempin/Getty)

5. Amanda Peet: Immediately after giving birth to her first child in 2007, Amanda Peet says the amazing feeling she had all through her pregnancy was gone in an instant as she had a bout of “fairly serious postpartum depression.” “I want to be honest about it because I think there’s still so much shame when you have mixed feelings about being a mom instead of feeling this sort of ‘bliss,'” she told Gotham Magazine at the time. “I think a lot of people still really struggle with that, but it’s hard to find other people who are willing to talk about it.” (Photo via Pascal Le Segretain/Getty)

6. Bryce Dallas Howard: Not unlike Amanda Peet, Bryce describes a similarly happy pregnancy followed by crushing depression after giving birth. “For the sake of those around me, including my son, I pretended, but when I began showering again in the second week, I let loose in the privacy of the bathroom,” she wrote on Goop. “My numb performance of ‘delighted new mom’ seemed to fool everyone. It wasn’t until my ‘shower breakdowns’ began to manifest out in the open that people began to worry. Postpartum depression is hard to describe — the way the body and mind and spirit fracture and crumble in the wake of what most believe should be a celebratory time. The danger of being silent means only that others will suffer in silence and may never be able to feel whole because of it.” (Photo via Nicholas Hunt/Getty)

Have you or do you know someone who has suffered from postpartum depression? Let us know @BritandCo.

(Featured photo via Luca Teuchmann/Getty)

The Most Iconic 'Gilmore Girls' Detail Is Actually Super Unrealistic

Aside from Luke's coffee, the most iconic and consistent aspect of Gilmore Girls are Friday Night Dinners. Any GG fan knows the weekly dinner kicks off in the pilot, when Lorelai asks Emily and Richard to help pay for Rory's Chilton tuition. In addition to paying Rory's way through school, Emily also requests the weekly dinners be part of the deal (and while Lorelai assumes it's manipulation, I'm convinced Emily just wants to be in their lives!!).

But despite the fact the Friday Night Dinners are incredibly entertaining, I can't decide whether or not they're realistic for one reason: you're telling me Emily, Rory, and Lorelai had no Friday night plans for seven years straight?!

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After a long week of work or school, Friday is always my night to relax and unwind. They're the night I crave time with friends, whether it be a movie night or going out to eat, or I just simply don't want to leave my apartment. TLDR; I've never had a standing commitment on Fridays. I have to admit I like the flexibility!

"Usually Fridays are for going out with friends and staying out late, and then Saturdays and Sundays are for the family," one Reddit user says of their own experience. "It [especially] rubbed me the wrong way because this may not be an issue with an older person, but Rory is 16 at the start of the show."

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Rory might not have a packed social schedule, but I can't help but wonder if, after driving to Hartford every day for school, she'd rather just curl up on her couch with a book. But considering life in Stars Hollow is pretty chill, maybe it's nice to have some kind of weekly plan, and a change of scenery to boot.

Despite the time commitment, our favorite mother-daughter duo still has no problem maximizing their weekend. "The weirder part was that they had time for Friday night lingering social dinners in a different town and THEN went out on dates," another Reddit user jokes.

Overall, you might have to suspend your disbelief that Lorelai never had Friday night plans (or that she made double the plans — who has the energy?!) but it's one Gilmore Girls tradition we simply couldn't live without.

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Even though Friday Night Dinners start off as an obligation, I firmly believe Lorelai ends up really enjoying them — and the fact they give her the chance to reconnect with her parents. I think she realizes she actually wants to be at the dinners (which is probably as surprising for her as it is for us), whether it be because she was finally replacing unhappy childhood memories with pleasant adult ones, or because she actually had fun going back-and-forth with Emily.

"Emily was the only person in Lorelai’s life who could keep up with her banter in a similar way. She may have channeled that in a different way, but Emily was just as witty as Lorelai," a third Reddit user says, while another agrees, "Oh, she definitely did. I think she always craved an intimate relationship and saw that her daughter could give her that [segue] into their lives."

And there's nothing that brings people closer together than sharing a meal. Pour me a glass of wine Lorelai!!

​Is there a Friday Night Dinner in every episode of Gilmore Girls?

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Out of 153 Gilmore Girls episodes, there are 71 Friday Night Dinners. Meaning there's a dinner for about every two episodes.

​What episode is the chaotic Friday Night Dinner?

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Given how chaotic Lorelai is (and Lorelai and Emily are together), I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific! But one especially chaotic Friday Night Dinner comes in season 6, episode 13, "Friday Night's Alright For Fighting." After Lorelai reveals Christopher is paying Rory's Yale tuition, she attempts to smooth things over by bringing Friday Night Dinners back. And as the title might suggest, things don't exactly go according to plan.

But if Luke, Christopher, or Trix is present for a Friday Night Dinner, you know it's going to be a memorable one.

Still thinking up a Halloween costume? DIY This Epic Gilmore Girls Group Costume for (Stars) Hallow-een!

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Blake Lively Celebrated Ryan Reynolds' Birthday With The Sweetest Surprise

There are a lot of celebrity couples we love (Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce! Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom!), but if you ask me, nobody handles having a relationship in the spotlight like Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. This hilarious duo protects their kids, but they're also always down for a good time.

The couple first met in 2010 while filming Green Lantern, which has quickly become regarded as Ryan Reynolds' worst movie (the actor said he'd "genuinely rather watch just a f—ing 24-hour marathon of PAW Patrol). But, in addition to the fact I didn't think the movie was all that bad, it also gave the world the gift of Ryan & Blake's relationship. The couple quickly fell in love, tying the knot in 2010. Since then, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have had four children (James, Inez, Betty, and Olin), launched a variety of brands like Betty Buzz, Aviation Gin, and Blake Brown Beauty, and given Hollywood some of its most iconic movies — all while supporting and praising one another. Keep reading for their full relationship timeline.

Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds' Full Relationship Timeline

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How did Blake and Ryan meet?

2010 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Meet While Filming Green Lantern

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds met on the Green Lantern set. After they filmed the movie, they ended up going out with other people, but hitting it off with each other.

"We were buddies for a long time, which I think is the best way to have a relationship, to start as friends," Ryan Reynolds said in an interview with SiriusXM's Entertainment Weekly Radio in 2016. "About a year after Green Lantern had come and gone and we were both single, we went on a double date — she was on a date with another guy, and I was on a date with another girl — and it was like the most awkward date for the respective parties because we were just like fireworks coming across."

Their relationship quickly evolved to the one we know and love today!

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October 22, 2011 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Reportedly Start Dating

After Blake and Ryan (along with their dogs) were spotted outside a Boston apartment, a source told People: “They are very much a couple. They’re really happy together.”

Blake Lively revealed that at the start of their relationship, Ryan gave her a bouquet every single week. "When my husband and I first got together, he would send me a bouquet of flowers every week, but he would always send a card and it would just be a sentence of something that had happened that week," the actress tells People. "Something funny or emotional that one of us said."

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September 9, 2012 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Get Married

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds said "I do" in September of 2012. The wedding had a children's choir & a Florence Welch performance, paper lanterns, and a sour cream wedding cake with peach-apricot preserves, according to People. But the planning didn't go as smoothly as one might hope.

"Our wedding was becoming a disaster, and we didn't know what to do, so we called Martha!" BlakeLively told Vogue in 2014. "She said, 'Don't worry. I'll handle it.' She sent her team down to save us."

The wedding took place at Boone Hall Plantation, a former slave plantation in South Carolina, a location the couple is "unreservedly sorry for," Reynolds told Fast Company in 2020.

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May 5, 2014 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Make Their Red Carpet Debut

At the 2014 "Charles James: Beyond Fashion" Met Gala, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds looked glamorous and sophisticated with Blake's Gucci Première gown with rose gold details and Ryan's dark blue velvet tux.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation

December 16, 2014 — Blake Lively Gives Birth To Her First Child

Blake first announced her pregnancy on her since-closed website Preserve. She told Vogue in July 2014 how excited she was to start a family with Ryan. “He’s going to be a great father and leader and patriarch—he’s so meant to be all of those things," she said. "The fact that he lived so much before we got together, he’s the exact realized person that he should be.”

"They are absolutely ecstatic and just so ready for this. It is the perfect time in their lives to start this new chapter; they are so in love and are going to be amazing parents," a Peoplesource said at the time.

Ryan Reynolds confirmed their first daughter James' birthday on December 16, 2015, when he tweeted, "Happy birthday to my baby girl! Sad I lost my virginity. But thankful I have a daughter."

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September 30, 2016 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Welcome Their Second Child

Two years after giving birth to James, US Weekly confirmed Blake Lively (who was filming The Shallows at the time) was pregnant with baby number 2! “Blake is absolutely thrilled and so is Ryan,” the source told People.

Blake Lively gave birth to Inez on September 30, 2016.

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May 2, 2019 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Walk Detective Pikachu Red Carpet, And Announce Baby Number 3

At the New York premiere for Detective Pikachu, Blake Lively surprised fans by showing off a baby bump and announcing her third pregnancy! Their daughter Betty was born on October 4, 2019.

Ryan Reynolds confirmed the baby was a girl in an October 16 tweet, while Taylor Swift revealed the baby's name in "Betty" from her 2020 album Folklore.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

May 2, 2022 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Stun At The 2022 Met Gala

As Met Gala co-chairs, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds pulled out all the stops for their iconic looks. Blake's art deco gown was the perfect nod to New York, and represented Grand Central Station and the Statue of Liberty. Ryan looked very handsome in a black velvet tux.

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February 2023 — Blake Lively Gives Birth To Her Fourth Child With Ryan Reynolds

After showing up to the 10th Annual Forbes Power Women's Summit with a baby bump in September, Blake unofficially announced the birth of their fourth baby (whom we now know is named Olin) with an Instagram post that shows the actress without a baby bump.

"Puppy Bowl Sunday 2023🥘 🍲 🥧 been busy," she says in the February 12 post.

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July 26, 2024 — Blake Lively And Her Kids Make A Deadpool 3 Cameo

After fan speculation that Deadpool & Wolverine would either include Blake Lively or Taylor Swift, we were over the moon to see Blake make a (masked) cameo, along with Inez and Olin!

"In 2010, @robliefeld drew an unmasked Lady Deadpool for the first time," she says on Instagram. "@deadpoolmovie wasn’t real. And Rob had no idea I was working with @vancityreynolds. 12 years later I read Rob’s post. A year after that, @deadpoolmovie 3 was filmed. And today it’s in theaters. The universe has such a magical sense of humor sometimes."

Blake Lively & BFF Gigi Hadid also revealed that Ryan Reynolds loves a girls' night, which is information I didn't know I needed.

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August 6, 2024 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Attends It Ends With Us Premiere

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds love to support each other at their movie premieres, but it goes way deeper than that. "He works on everything I do, I work on everything he does. So his wins, his celebrations are mine and mine are his," Blake told E! News. "The iconic rooftop scene [in It Ends With Us], my husband actually wrote it."

At the New York premiere for the new Blake Lively movie, Blake and Ryan shared a moment that proves they belong together. While heading to talk to People on the carpet, Blake Lively leans over and grabs Ryan Reynolds' butt. And the funniest part is that Ryan doesn't even turn around.

"He didn’t even react because It happens so often," one user jokes in the comments, while another says, "I love the respect that they have for each other - with love! Yes that her man!"

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly

September 9, 2024 — Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds Celebrate Their 12th Wedding Anniversary

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have been married for 14 years as of September 9, 2024. And the couple remains closer than ever. "Blake and Ryan are a great team when it comes to both their family and work," a source told People. "They're super supportive of each other. He's very proud of her. They have a great marriage and love to celebrate everything they created together."

& Juliet On Broadway

October 23, 2024 — Blake Lively Celebrates Ryan Reynolds' Birthday

Ryan Reynolds turned 48 on October 23, and to celebrate, Blake took him and the kids to see a matinee showing of & Juliet! "I don't know what to get him for his birthday? What do you get him for his birthday? I know he loves musicals, I love musicals, the kids love musicals. So it felt like the right choice!" Blake told the cast, according to a People source. "They were just raving about how good it was."

Bringing Ryan and the kids to the show (which features songs like Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time"), just proves how much Blake knows her family!

What is the age difference between Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds?

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Blake Lively was born on August 25, 1987, meaning she just turned 37. Ryan Reynolds, who was born on October 23, 1976, is 47. They have a 9-year age gap.

Was Blake Lively married before Ryan Reynolds?

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Ryan Reynolds is Blake Lively's first husband, but before they got married, the actress dated her Gossip Girl costar Penn Badgley and also reportedly dated Leonardo DiCaprio. Ryan Reynolds was married to MCU & Jurassic World: Rebirth star Scarlett Johansson from 2008 to 2010.

Is Blake Lively in any of Ryan Reynolds' movies?

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Yes, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been in the same movies! After meeting during the production of Green Lantern, Blake Lively has a role as an imaginary friend in Ryan Reynolds' IF. This spring movie follows Ryan Reynolds' character and his neighbor Bea, who set out to save all the imaginary friends. The movie also stars director John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Steve Carell.

Blake Lively, Inez, and Olin also had roles in Deadpool & Wolverine as Ladypool, Kidpool, and Babypool. Blake's appearance in the movie had been a fan theory for such a long time, and I was so excited to see it come to life!

Who is Blake Lively's half sister?

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Blake Lively's half-sister is Robyn Lively. Robyn also works in Hollywood, just like Blake's brother Eric Lively and brother-in-law Bart Johnson. Robyn and Blake have also acted together — Robyn made a cameo in It Ends With Us during one of the opening scenes!

Check back here for the latest news on this lovable celebrity couple. Check out Blake Lively's Daughters Had The Cutest Reaction To Taylor Swift Singing Their Names Onstage for more.

Lead image via Cindy Ord/Getty Images

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A Shirtless Chad Michael Murray In 'The Merry Gentlemen' Trailer Is All We Need For Christmas

Channing Tatum may have to hang up his sexy dancing skills because it looks like Chad Michael Murray is the new reigning champ in his new film, The Merry Gentlemen. You can tell it's going to be a Christmas movie, but we're not talking about Home Alone or Jingle All the Way here. This spicy film feels more like Magic Mike going on a sexy and romantic journey through a small town — which sounds like something we'd watch more than once.

We love watching Chad Michael Murray in Sullivan's Crossing, but we're excited we get to see him prance around our screens without a shirt in the new trailer for The Merry Gentlemen, TBH. Here's everything we know about the upcoming film and what we can expect to see!

What's 'The Merry Gentlemen' about?

Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix

Written by Marla Sokoloff, The Merry Gentlemen is set to follow one former dancer's (Ashley played by Britt Robertson) journey to making sure the Rhythm Room — a "performing arts venue" — doesn't go defunct. It's owned by her parents, so she has personal ties to this small-town source of entertainment, coming up with the bright idea to surprise the community with an "all-male Christmas-theme revue."

Who's starring in 'The Merry Gentlemen'?

Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix

According to Netflix, The Merry Gentlemenwill feature a host of other faces! We'll see the following:

  • Chad Michael Murray as Luke
  • Britt Robertson as Ashley
  • Michael Gross as Stan
  • Marla Sokoloff as Marie
  • Maxwell Caulfield as Danny
  • Beth Broderick as Lily
  • Marc Anthony Samuel as Roger
  • Hector Rivera, Jr. as Ricky
  • Colt Prattes as Troy

When can we watch 'The Merry Gentlemen' on Netflix?

Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix

We'll be able to see Chad Michael Murray and more sexy shirtless men give us a show on November 20. We're not sure what it is, but there's nothing like watching Christmas movies right before Thanksgiving to get us in the winter spirit.

What have Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson said about starring in 'The Merry Gentlemen?'

Katrina Marcinowski/Netflix

We didn't think it was possible, but Chad Michael Murray was a little nervous about playing Luke. "I'd never danced professionally or trained by any means," he said (via PEOPLE). Though he has a thing for "going out and dancing," he's never done anything "to this level."

As to why he chose this role, Chad seems to enjoy a challenge. "When I see something and it scares the crap out of me, something in me says, 'Alright, well let's see what we can do.'" He has two thoughts — "'I'm going to fall flat on my face or have a lot of fun doing.'" If you ask us, that's the right spirit to have for a fun Christmas movie.

Britt Robertson was immediately drawn to the script and her role as Ashley. "When I read the script, I was like, ‘This is my kind of Christmas movie,'" she said (via Netflix). She also teased why she can't get enough of the cowboy appeal in the movie. "...I'm Southern...the hats, the boots. There's so much you can work with."

Watch The Full Trailer For 'The Merry Gentlemen'

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We're slightly ashamed to say how many times we've watched this funny and sexy trailer for The Merry Gentlemen. We've always thought Chad Michael Murray was everything a dream boyfriend should be, but now we have proof he's raising the bar!

In the meantime, follow us on Facebook to make sure you don't miss updates about this sexy Christmas movie!

This post has been updated.

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