Lesley-Ann Brandt rose to fame for her appearance in the hit show Lucifer, and last year, it was announced that she had secured a recurring role in The Walking Dead’s spinoff. With her jam-packed schedule, she still makes sure she fulfills her greatest job: being a mother.
Working long hours on sets is difficult enough, but it definitely felt like hell for the actress when she was pregnant. It was more of a nightmare when she had to resume work without proper recovery.
How Lesley-Ann Brandt Powered Through Her Pregnancy While Working
In an essay published by Self, Lesley-Ann Brandt relayed the grueling experience of childbirth and becoming a mother. She was seven months pregnant while filming for Lucifer Season 2, and even then, she still had to perform stunts.
Her pregnancy was not as tolerable as other women had; in fact, hers was the hardest type of labor. When she was finally relieved, the actress was utterly drained but still thankful to deliver a healthy child.
“I made it out the other side battered and exhausted, but with a healthy baby. I was so happy that I didn’t need a C-section because, as a family, we simply couldn’t have afforded the additional recovery time. I needed to get back to work.”
Her struggle became even more unbearable when she was forced to return to the set despite still feeling sore, but she could not afford to extend her leave because she also had to provide for the child.
“Actors don’t get paid maternity leave. In fact, in our contracts, pregnancy is often treated as a disability. As the main breadwinner in our household at the time, I had no choice but to return to work a mere six weeks after my son was born.”
She experienced the dreaded postpartum syndrome and also struggled with breastfeeding. She has her husband and fellow mothers to support her, but that is not enough.
“I wasn’t coping, I was drowning. My body had barely healed when I was suddenly back to work, breastfeeding through the nights and showing up on set the next morning, often pretending to be fine.”
Brandt said she tried her best not to show other people how exhausted and defeated she was. In the end, she powered on, and there she eventually found her groove.
Lesley-Ann Brandt Confessed To Abortion
In the same article via Self, Lesley-Ann Brandt revealed she had an abortion because she and her partner were not ready for parenthood. The actress claimed she had no regret over the decision and believed it was the smart choice back then.
“At age 32, my abortion gave me choice, autonomy over my own body, and opportunities in my career. People have abortions for many reasons. In my case, I simply wasn’t ready. That’s it, and that’s good enough.”
In some countries, abortion is considered illegal, and in places with poor healthcare, it is simply an option that many women try to get access to. Brandt commented that banning abortion will not solve the problem, but those who are struggling economically will suffer even more.
