The hospital room was a blur of sterile white walls and the steady hum of medical equipment, but for Brianne Howey, it was a sacred space where her world shifted forever. In June 2023, the 35-year-old actress, beloved for her role as the fierce Georgia Miller in Netflix’s hit series Ginny & Georgia, welcomed her first child—a daughter—with her husband, Matt Ziering. It was a moment of raw vulnerability and unfiltered joy, one that would later spill onto the set of her latest project, the Netflix comedy Kinda Pregnant. In a bold and deeply personal move, Howey chose to weave her real-life birth experience into a pivotal scene, creating a moment that resonated with audiences and showcased her strength as both a mother and an artist.
The journey to that hospital room began years earlier, in a Los Angeles bar where fate—or perhaps a little help from mutual friends—brought Brianne and Matt together. Their chance encounters over three consecutive nights sparked a romance that blossomed into a partnership built on love, laughter, and shared dreams. By July 2021, they stood in a sun-dappled garden in Palos Verdes, California, exchanging vows in front of just over 100 loved ones. The night ended with fried chicken sandwiches and a Spice Girls dance party, a testament to their playful, down-to-earth bond. But life, as it often does, threw challenges their way. Their original wedding plans for 2020 were derailed by the global pandemic, leading them to adopt a dog named Bodie instead—a furry companion who became their first step toward building a family.
When Brianne discovered she was pregnant in early 2023, the couple’s excitement was palpable. She announced the news with a radiant Instagram post at a Hugo Boss fashion show, her baby bump proudly on display in a sleek brown maxi dress. “My forever new +1,” she captioned the photo, her words brimming with anticipation. Friends and co-stars, including Ginny & Georgia’s Antonia Gentry and Diesel La Torraca, flooded the comments with congratulations, their warmth a reflection of Brianne’s tight-knit circle. As her pregnancy progressed, Brianne leaned into the experience, drawing inspiration from her own mother, a single parent who raised her and her four siblings with unwavering resilience. That strength would soon become her anchor.
The birth of her daughter in June 2023 was a transformative milestone, one that Brianne described as making her world “a whole lot sweeter. And smaller.” Lying in her hospital bed, cradling her newborn against her chest, she felt a profound connection to her daughter, whose name the couple has chosen to keep private. The moment was intimate, overwhelming, and, as Brianne later revealed, fraught with unexpected challenges. While she has not shared the specifics publicly, her decision to incorporate her birth story into Kinda Pregnant suggests a narrative of both struggle and triumph, a testament to the unpredictable nature of bringing life into the world.
Kinda Pregnant, released on Netflix in February 2025, follows the story of Lainy, a schoolteacher in her 40s who fakes a pregnancy out of jealousy, only to find herself entangled in a web of comedic chaos. Brianne plays Megan Taylor, a character whose journey intersects with Lainy’s in poignant and hilarious ways. The film, starring Amy Schumer, Jillian Bell, and Will Forte, garnered 25.1 million views in its first week, its blend of humor and heart striking a chord with audiences. But it was Brianne’s scene—a raw, emotional depiction of childbirth—that became the film’s emotional core.
The decision to use her real birth story came unexpectedly. The night before filming, Amy Schumer, a co-star and creative force behind the project, called Brianne with a bold idea. “Why is nobody talking about their birth stories?” Amy asked, her voice crackling with conviction. The question sparked something in Brianne, who saw an opportunity to share a piece of her truth. The next day, on a set designed to mimic the intimacy of a bathroom floor, Brianne and Amy filmed the scene. It was a delicate balance of vulnerability and trust, with Brianne recounting the intensity of her labor—the fear, the pain, and the fleeting moments of doubt that gave way to overwhelming love. “It felt a little bit risky, but very safe at the same time,” Brianne later shared in an interview with DC Film Girl. The result was a performance that left viewers in tears, their laughter giving way to a quiet reverence for the universal experience of motherhood.
For Brianne, the scene was more than a creative choice; it was a way to honor her daughter and the journey they shared. Motherhood had already reshaped her perspective, deepening her connection to her Ginny & Georgia character, Georgia Miller, a single mother whose fierce devotion to her children mirrors Brianne’s own. “Now that I have a child, I am so obsessed with her,” Brianne told PEOPLE, reflecting on how her daughter’s arrival helped her understand Georgia’s unyielding love for her daughter, Ginny. That same love infused her performance in Kinda Pregnant, making the birth scene a bridge between her personal and professional lives.
Off-screen, Brianne and Matt have settled into their new roles as parents with the same warmth and humor that defined their relationship. Matt, a Los Angeles-based lawyer who graduated from Loyola Law School, brings a steady presence to their family, his passion for baseball and playful banter balancing Brianne’s Hollywood hustle. Together, they navigate the chaos of parenthood, from late-night feedings to stolen moments with Bodie, their dog, who still insists he’s a lap dog despite his size. Their home is filled with small rituals—trips to farmers’ markets, Dodgers games, and quiet evenings watching movies—reminders of the life they built before their daughter arrived.
Yet, the transition to motherhood hasn’t been without its challenges. Brianne has spoken candidly about the learning curve, the moments of self-doubt, and the exhaustion that comes with caring for a newborn. But she also emphasizes the joy—the way her daughter’s tiny hand curling around her finger can erase a sleepless night, or how a single smile can make the world feel whole. These experiences have grounded her, giving her a new lens through which to view her craft. In Ginny & Georgia’s third season, released in June 2025, Brianne’s portrayal of Georgia is richer, more layered, as she draws on her own emotional reserves to depict a mother fighting for her family’s survival.
The success of Kinda Pregnant and Ginny & Georgia has cemented Brianne’s status as a versatile actress, capable of balancing comedy, drama, and raw authenticity. Her willingness to share her birth story in such a public way has also sparked conversations about the often-unspoken realities of childbirth, earning her praise from fans and fellow mothers alike. On social media, viewers have called the scene “relatable,” “heartbreaking,” and “beautifully real,” a testament to its universal resonance.
As Brianne looks to the future, she carries her daughter’s love with her, a quiet strength that fuels her work and her life. The hospital room where she first held her baby may fade into memory, but its echoes live on—in the roles she chooses, the stories she tells, and the family she’s building with Matt. For now, she’s content to savor the small moments: a giggle from her daughter, a shared glance with her husband, a script that challenges her to dig deeper. In a world that often demands perfection, Brianne Howey is embracing the messiness of it all, one heartfelt scene at a time.
