Betty Gilpin Discusses ‘Office Romance’ Birthing Scene and Prosthetic Vagina Experience

Betty Gilpin has revealed some unusual and candid details about filming a birthing scene in the new romantic comedy Office Romance. Starring Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein, the film features Gilpin as the assistant to Lopez’s character.

At the Los Angeles premiere of the movie, Gilpin shared that the scene required extensive prosthetics and a complex setup, making the shoot feel quite strange and uncomfortable initially.

She admitted, “Honestly, I was pretty freaked out when I first saw the prosthetic vagina.” She continued, “I had a nervous breakdown and then I was like, ‘Oh, but I’ll be holding the ultimate working mom’s hand, Jennifer Lopez, so what could go wrong?’”

Gilpin explained that the filming process was highly technical. Her real legs were concealed under a table while fake prosthetic legs were used for the camera. A puppeteer was also involved, controlling an animatronic baby during the birthing scene.

She described the setup, saying, “My real legs were below a table, [I had] fake prosthetic legs, and then a puppeteer was standing at my real legs pushing an animatronic baby out of my prosthetic vagina, and it made it sound like [Gilpin makes a popping sound]…it was insane.”

The process was detailed and repetitive, requiring the crew to reset everything manually after each take. This included adjusting the prosthetics and preparing the animatronic baby for the next shot.

She explained, “The saddest part was when the scene was over and everybody but the puppeteers stayed in the room because the only way to reset was to go under and pull the fake placenta — I think the placenta is not in the movie anymore – but reach up through the prosthetic vagina that I am still zipped into, pull the placenta back and take the umbilical cord and pull it back and then pull the baby back through, and then it was time to do it again.”

Office Romance is a romantic comedy directed by Ol Parker and co-written by Brett Goldstein. In the film, Jennifer Lopez portrays an airline CEO who falls for her company’s in-house lawyer, played by Goldstein. Gilpin’s role as the assistant adds depth to the workplace narrative. The cast also includes Edward James Olmos, Jodie Whittaker, Tony Hale, Bradley Whitford, Amy Sedaris, and Jackie Sandler. The movie is available on Netflix.

Gilpin shared her insights during her interview at the Los Angeles premiere, where she candidly discussed her filming experience.

In addition to Office Romance, Gilpin is involved in other significant projects. She will appear in Social Reckoning, an upcoming film directed by Aaron Sorkin, which serves as a sequel to The Social Network. In this film, she plays an editor at the Wall Street Journal who collaborates with reporter Jeff Horwitz, portrayed by Jeremy Allen White, as they cover the Facebook whistleblower story involving Frances Haugen.

While discussing that project, Gilpin humorously commented on the pressure of discussing major tech companies, joking that she was cautious with her words due to potential repercussions. She quipped, “I’m scared to get a neck dart.” She then added, “I love lamp.”

Gilpin’s recent interviews reflect a blend of honesty and humor as she shares her challenging filming experiences alongside her exciting future roles.

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