Laura Benanti Reveals She Suffered Miscarriage in Front of 2,000 People While on Stage | “I Knew It Was Happening”

“Thank you to that little soul for choosing me as your home, even for a short time.”

Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Cindy Ord

By Suchitra B

April 6, 2023

Posted April 6, 2023

Laura Benanti disclosed that she had a miscarriage recently while performing. On Wednesday, April 5, the Tony Award recipient broke down on Instagram about a harrowing and tragic experience. Benanti, 43, posted a picture of herself performing on a cruise ship and wrote that two days ago, on April 3, she “performed on stage for 2000 people while having a miscarriage.”

“I knew it was happening. It started slowly the night before. If it had been our first loss or even our second, I likely wouldn’t have been able to go on,” the singer and actress continued, per TODAY. “But unfortunately, I am not a stranger to the pain and emptiness of losing a pregnancy. It is a path I have walked before, hand in hand with my husband,” she wrote, in reference to her previous miscarriage experiences.

In her Instagram post, Benanti explained that this time, in her loss, she had the privilege of sharing space with “some of the kindest, most loving humans I will ever have the honor to share space with.” She continued by expressing gratitude to the crowd, her band, her crew, her friends, and fellow performers “for rallying around me and so graciously accommodating my changing needs.”

The Gilded Age actress and her spouse, Patrick Brown share two children, a 6-year-old Ella as well as an almost 9-month-old Louisa, who they welcomed with a surrogate in July 2022, per PEOPLE. Benanti also thanked her in-laws for "shielding Ella from the reality of this experience and giving her the time of her life while 'Mama's back hurt'," in her message. “Thank you to that little soul for choosing me as your home, even for a short time,” she wrote. “Patrick and I are so grateful for the family that we have, and the miracle of our two little girls. One carried by me and one carried by an angel-on-earth.”

Friends like Amy Sedaris, Amy Schumer, Yvette Nicole Brown, and singer Jewel left encouraging and supportive comments for the Life & Beth actor. Despite their broken hearts, she wrote that she and her spouse would work through this together, “as we, and so many others, have done before.” She concluded by noting that she decided to share the news of her pregnancy loss to remind people and families that there is no shame in this kind of loss and that they are not alone. “And to remind myself as well,” she added.