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Jane Leeves reveals why she wishes ‘Frasier’ had handled her first pregnancy differently.
Published on October 12, 2026, 4:47am ET
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frasier star jane leaves She revealed that she wished the sitcom had handled her first pregnancy differently, as the show explored Daphne Moon and Niles Crane’s new relationship.
She explained, “The only thing I wish had been handled differently was hiding my first pregnancy. But those were different times.” Guardian.
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How ‘Frasier’ handled Jane Leeves’ pregnancy
Jane Leeves played Daphne Moon throughout the sitcom’s run, alongside David Hyde Pierce, who played Niles Crane.
Leeves became pregnant with her daughter isabella Before shooting Season 8.
Instead of incorporating pregnancy into the storyline, the show gave Daphne a storyline of gaining weight and sending her to so-called “fat camp”.
The storyline allowed Leeves to take maternity leave.
When she returned, Daphne announced that she had lost “9 pounds and 12 ounces”, which is the same weight as the Lees’ real-life baby.
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Jane Leeves’ pregnancy inspired a storyline in which Daphne attended a weight-loss spa.
Looking back, the actress suggested that the writers could have taken a different approach to Daphne and Niles’ relationship.
“Daphne and Niles had just gotten together. I came back and I was pregnant – and they probably thought it was too early for Daphne to be pregnant and they wanted to explore this relationship. But then again, it would have been interesting if she was pregnant!” Leaves said.
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David Hyde Pierce reacts to alternative story
David Hyde Pierce discussed how Niles and Daphne’s relationship could have developed differently.
David Hyde Piercewho played Niles, was attracted to the idea of taking the couple’s story in a different direction.
His character, Niles, spent most of the sitcom being secretly in love with Leeves’ character, Daphne, before they eventually became a couple.
Pierce, 67, admitted he never considered how the story would have unfolded if the couple had returned from leave already expecting a child.
“I never thought about it, Jen, it’s interesting, so derailed: the idea that we see them run away together at the end of the season and when they come back they’re having a baby,” he said.
Jane Leeves and David Hyde Pierce felt like ‘kindred spirits’
David Hyde Pierce reflects on the close relationship he shared with Jane Leeves on the set of ‘Frasier’.
frasier It ran for 11 seasons on NBC, with Leeves and Pierce teaming up as the show’s beloved characters.
Leeves recalled meeting Pierce on the first day of filming of the pilot, admitting that she was already a fan of his earlier work. the powers that be.
“I ran to him like a crazy fan because I was watching [the Washington-DC-based sitcom] the powers that beWhich was canceled for some bizarre reason – it was brilliant and he played the weirdest and coolest character,” she said.
Pierce remembered Leeves by his presence seinfeld And murphy brownAnd said they connected quickly.
He added, “And we felt like we were kindred spirits. It’s safe to say that was true of the entire cast. They put together a real family.”