Halle Bailey has shed some light on why she withheld her pregnancy from the public eye.
On Thursday (March 7), the Chloe x Halle member appeared at the 2024 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards where she was honored for her contributions to the industry. At the event, she turned the spotlight on the choices she’s made to protect her family.
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“We are Black women in entertainment, and although we signed up for the challenges of the spotlight, in this current climate, that spotlight burns brighter, hotter, and uninterrupted, whereas the scrutiny of its magnification leaves no concealment,” she began, speaking to the crowd.
“I’ve learned from that spotlight over the past eight years. I’ve also, if I’m being honest, been burned by it, too, as we all have,” she said, referencing the backlash she faced after landing the role of Ariel in The Little Mermaid.
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Although the role was life-changing. she added, “it cannot compare to the biggest joy of my life. And that was becoming a mom to my perfect little angel Halo.”
Keeping her pregnancy a secret, she said, was a decision that came from “a place of protection.”
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“There was no way in hell I was going to share the biggest joy of my world with anyone. Halo was my gift. He is the greatest blessing, and I had no obligation to expose him, me, or my family to that,” she continued. adding she opted to conceal her pregnancy due to “the state of the world.”
“With the state of the world and the place it is in with men trying to force their will on our bodies, no one on social media, and for damn sure, no one on the planet, was going to tell me what to do with my body or what to share with the world,” she concluded.
In January, Bailey took the lead with the announcement, sharing a photo via Instagram of the couple holding the baby’s hand with a bracelet bearing his name. The caption included a subtle dig at the ongoing chatter that has surrounded her over the last few months.
“even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son,” The Little Mermaid star wrote. “welcome to the world my halo. the world is desperate to know you.”
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DDG later posted a slightly different angle of the photo, which he captioned: “my biggest blessing by far. son son.. never been so in love. baby halo.”
The rumors about Halle Bailey’s alleged pregnancy started when she was seen walking behind DDG during a live video over the summer. Some fans speculated that she was looking a little thicker around the middle than she’d previously been, leading to the pregnancy speculation.
With numerous subsequent red carpet looks appearing to cover the singer’s mid section, fans became increasingly convinced that the longtime couple was expecting their first child together, just months after they were believed to have split following cheating allegations on DDG’s part.
Fast forward to Christmas Day 2023, the pair posted a video which many took as evidence that Bailey had given birth to the rumored baby. The clip, shows the couple baking Christmas cookies in their holiday pajamas.
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At one point, Halle braces herself and slowly gets up to walk away from the table – putting her full body on display as she did so.
