Spoilers for 'The Resident' season five ahead.Emily VanCamp gave a surprise announcement last summer when she revealed she had given birth to a baby girl with her husband Josh Bowman.
The MCU actress and her 'Revenge' co-star welcomed Iris, taking to Instagram to share some black and white snaps of VanCamp's pregnancy.
Months prior, fans of 'The Resident' had no idea that, while VanCamp's character on the medical drama, nurse Nic Nevin, was going through her pregnancy onscreen, the actress was also secretly expecting her first child.
Emily VanCamp's Pregnancy Overlapped With That Of Her Character In 'The Resident'
Though the timing wasn't quite the same, VanCamp and her character Nic were pregnant simultaneously, giving the actress the chance to tell the world in her own time.
"It was very interesting, mostly because I'm very private about my family life," VanCamp told 'Deadline' in October last year, after Nic's sudden exit from the show in season five.
"It allowed us to keep the pregnancy quiet and to have something that's just ours for a little while. That was beautiful in and of itself—to finally have a little privacy. The timing wasn't exactly the same, so I was wearing a [prosthetic] belly over my belly. You know, after all the Marvel stuff it was nice to not have to focus so much on all of those things."
"A Bittersweet Moment": VanCamp Left The Show Abruptly In Season Five
In episode 'The Long and Winding Road,' Nic is taken off life support after sustaining serious brain damage following a car accident. She leaves husband Conrad (Matt Czuchry) and their baby daughter Gigi.
"It's such a bittersweet moment for me," VanCamp said of leaving 'The Resident'.
"I loved doing 'The Resident' so much for the four years I was on it. Oftentimes you hear about someone exiting a show because something bad had happened or there was some bad blood. But in this case, it's the exact opposite. There's nothing but love and respect between all of us and this decision was not an easy one for anybody but it was the right one for me, personally. I'm grateful that I was met with understanding and compassion," she added.
The actress also explained the reason for such a sudden departure, simply saying that her priorities had changed after learning she was pregnant.
"I spent so many years on network television, but then suddenly priorities shifted. I think there comes a moment in every woman's life—in every person's life—where it becomes less about work and more about family, and that's what happened while I was making the show."
VanCamp Thanked Fans, Cast And Crew After Exit
Following Nic's death, VanCamp shared a sweet message to her 'The Resident' co-stars and her fans.
"Thank you so much for four beautiful years!" she said, adding: "Feeling so much gratitude for the relationships I've gained, the stories I've had the opportunity to tell and the many lessons I've learned from playing Nic Nevin on 'The Resident'.
"Thank you to everyone who came on this journey with me and this wonderful character. Thank you to the most incredible cast and crew in television- I already miss you so much. To our writers and producers- collaborating with you over the past four years has been so rewarding and I appreciate you all so much."
She also included a thank you message to all nurses that have inspired her.
"And mostly- thank you to all of the nurses out there working tirelessly for your patients. Your patience, grit and dedication inspired this character and I'm honored to have played a very small part in telling your stories. Sending you all so much love and thanks," she said, adding three heart emojis.
'The Resident' Welcomed Back Emily VanCamp For A Special Episode
After her blunt exit, 'The Resident' bosses decided to give Conrad and fans some closure, bringing back VanCamp for an emotional trip down memory lane.
Following Nic's death, the series features a three-year time jump, zeroing in on Conrad as he navigates being a single parent and mourning the loss of his wife.
In the fifth season finale, aired on May 17, VanCamp returned as Nic in a series of flashbacks, as Conrad realizes he needs to work through his relationship issues in order to be able to move over after her death.
"Because so much of the season thematically had been about grief and loss and coming to terms with mortality and how Conrad is moving on from his relationship with her and the time jump and being a single dad with Gigi, it felt like the right thing to do," executive producer Andrew Chapman told 'ET'.
"She had not had a chance to say goodbye to everybody on the show, the crew, all the other actors. So she felt she needed closure as well."
'The Resident' airs on Fox.
