Vanessa Kirby has opened up about the experience of filming Avengers: Doomsday while pregnant. During her appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Fantastic Four: First Steps star, 37, shared how incredible it has been to shoot this major Marvel film while expecting her first child.
Filming While Pregnant
Kirby expressed how special it has been to be part of the Avengers franchise during this unique time in her life. “As you know, I’m pregnant, and it’s been the coolest thing to be shooting an Avengers movie while pregnant,” she said. “They’ve been utterly amazing, and I’ve had such a great experience with the cast and crew.”
She also mentioned how the Russo Brothers (the directors) and Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, have been supportive throughout her journey.
Pregnancy Announcement
Vanessa Kirby first confirmed she was pregnant in May 2025 when she attended the CCXPMX Film Festival in Mexico City. Wearing a form-fitting dress, she posed on the red carpet, proudly showing off her baby bump. A few weeks later, her boyfriend, Paul Rabil, shared the exciting news on Instagram, saying, “Life’s greatest adventure is beginning soon.”
“I’m really lucky,” he added, celebrating the moment with a photo of him holding her stomach.
Playing a Pregnant Sue Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
In addition to filming Avengers: Doomsday, Kirby plays Sue Storm (a.k.a. Invisible Woman) in the new Marvel film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. In the movie, her character becomes pregnant by Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards (a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic).
Kirby shared her experience of wearing a fake pregnancy belly for her role, noting how much heavier it was compared to her actual pregnancy. “I kept saying to Flick, who looks after my costume, ‘I want more, it needs to be heavier,’” she recalled.
After testing several methods, they eventually added rice packets to the fake belly, which made it so heavy that she developed back pain.
“I gave myself a backache for no reason at all,” she laughed.
The Role of Sue Storm
In an interview with PEOPLE, Kirby discussed how much she admires her character’s journey in the Marvel film. “Sue was never sat down or huffing and puffing about it,” Kirby said. “She was absolutely a mother, but she also defended her team and fought against major threats.”
Kirby went on to explain how playing a pregnant superhero changed her perspective: “I literally had the lived experience of somebody who was doing this incredibly sacred thing and fulfilling what she needed to do at the same time as a woman and a team member.”
Upcoming Projects
The highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters this weekend, while Avengers: Doomsday is set to release on December 18, 2026.
