Actress Anne Hathaway has seemingly responded to online conspiracy theories questioning the authenticity of her pregnancy. The "The Devil Wears Prada" star, who is expecting her third child, attended the Los Angeles premiere of her new movie, "The End of Oak Street," in a fashion that drew attention to her pregnant form.
Hathaway wore a blue top and low-rise jeans that exposed her baby bump. This appearance sparked a wave of comments on social media, with some users questioning whether her bump was real. "That belly looks fake," read one prominent comment, while another on X, formerly Twitter, asked, "Is this what a fake bump looks like? Why does her tummy look so odd?"
In an Instagram post featuring photos from the premiere, Hathaway appeared to address these rumors with the caption, "Fake hair, real bump." This statement aligns with a pattern of what researchers call "bumpvestigations," where prominent women face scrutiny and skepticism about their pregnancies.
Previous "bumpvestigations" have targeted celebrities such as Beyoncé and Meghan Markle, with online theories suggesting they faked their pregnancies or used surrogates. Researchers suggest several reasons for this phenomenon. One possibility is confusion stemming from the increasing prevalence of AI-generated images, which can make people distrust visual media. A recently debunked AI-generated pregnant photo of Zendaya circulated online, contributing to this skepticism.
However, many researchers believe these theories are often rooted in bad faith, serving as a tool to question and undermine women's success and public presence. Elizabeth Weigle, a scholar at the University of Georgia who studies maternity wear, noted that people can hold unrealistic expectations of what a celebrity's pregnant body should look like. "To me, every baby bump looks beautiful," she said.
When women like Hathaway display their pregnant bodies confidently, it can be perceived as a "proud-mother flaunt of 'I feel good in my body, and I'm carrying child,'" Weigle explained. "That's why they don't like it because it is a display of our power and people want to squash that."
Amy Diehl, a gender equity researcher and co-author of "Glass Walls," stated that questioning a woman's pregnancy is a tactic to delegitimize her status and power, reinforcing traditional gender hierarchies. "It is also another way to send a message to all women that they should stay out of public roles, or their lives, their bodies and their families will be publicly scrutinized in the same way," Diehl said.
Jay Daniel Thompson, a senior lecturer at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, who researches conspiracy theories, added that such allegations can reflect a discomfort with seeing pregnant women, especially famous ones, living their lives publicly. This policing of pregnant bodies extends beyond celebrities. "A bare baby bump draws overt attention to the femaleness of one's body, which is why bump images draw intense scrutiny," Diehl said, noting that many women feel compelled to hide their pregnancies at work.
Indeed, a 2022 survey indicated that one in five mothers have experienced pregnancy discrimination at work. The trend of women, like Rihanna, embracing and showcasing their pregnancies through fashion has been seen as radical, challenging notions of modesty and desirability. Rihanna's maternity style, which often featured bare midriffs and haute couture, created what some call the "Rihanna effect," influencing maternity fashion by promoting the message, "Just because I have a protruding bump doesn't mean I'm not sexy."
Hathaway's more "straight-edge" approach to maternity wear, as described by Weigle, normalizes showing pregnant bodies fashionably. Yet, this very normalization may be fueling the resurgence of "bumpvestigations." Weigle anticipates that such theories of fake pregnancies will persist as long as showing pregnant bodies is interpreted by some as an unwelcome "flaunt."
Hathaway has continued to highlight her pregnancy during her press tour, including an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" where she wore a black top revealing her bare bump. While Hathaway is "being playful about it," Weigle expressed frustration that the actress felt the need to address the rumors at all, stating, "I wish the actress didn't have to in the first place."