Seth Rogen recently discussed the controversial scene in Knocked Up that led Anne Hathaway to leave the project, citing it as ‘not on brand’ for her.
During a conversation on The A24 Podcast, Rogen sat down with his The Invite co-star and director, Olivia Wilde, to promote their new film.
However, the discussion turned to the behind-the-scenes of Knocked Up, the 2007 film about an unexpected pregnancy resulting from a one-night stand between an unlikely couple.
Wilde mentioned that she auditioned for the comedy but didn’t get a part, which prompted Rogen to explain why Hathaway exited the film, a role later filled by Katherine Heigl.
“It was Anne Hathaway who quit the movie,” Rogen revealed, to which Wilde responded: “Because of the crowning right? Is that real?”
Rogen shared more details, saying: “Crowning is a tough one. She didn’t want the crowning of the baby to be visually representative.
“Even though it wasn’t going to be hers… It’s obviously not real.
“But she didn’t even want, she felt that it was not her brand.”
He added: “Part of me also, we had started rehearsing the movie…maybe she was just like, ‘I don’t know if this is for me’. I don’t know.
“I will take what she said at face value, which was the crowning.”
The 44-year-old noted that she quickly realized ‘it was not for her’ after the scene was discussed.
He remarked: “Yeah, I mean, it could have been a hundred million things. But that was what I remember being told.”
Rogen then praised Heigl, stating: “She knew what was right for her, yes. And then Heigl was great. Katie Heigl was great.”
This conversation comes shortly after Hathaway announced her third pregnancy with husband Adam Shulman, at the age of 43.
“Baby, I’m yours,” she shared on Instagram, accompanied by a touching video of her cradling her baby bump.
The couple already has two sons, Jonathan, born in 2016, and Jack, born in 2019, following their marriage in September 2012 in California.
As Hathaway prepares for their third child, she will likely take some time off from her recent projects, which include The Devil Wears Prada 2, Mother Mary, The Odyssey, Verity, and The End of Oak Street.