Halle Bailey. Picture: Mario Anzuoni / Reuters
Halle Bailey decided she had "no obligation" to share her pregnancy with the world.
The 23-year-old star revealed in December that she had welcomed son Halo with rapper DDG - whose real name is Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr - but had kept the news that she was even expecting to herself and has now admitted that there was "no way in hell" that she was ever going to share her "biggest joy" on such a large scale.
Speaking at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards on Thursday, she said: "We are black women in entertainment, and although we signed up for the challenges of the spotlight, in this current climate, that spotlight burns brighter, hotter, and uninterrupted, whereas the scrutiny of its magnification leaves no concealment. I've learned from that spotlight over the past eight years.
"I've also, if I'm being honest, been burned by it, too, as we all have.
"There was no way in hell I was going to share the biggest joy of my world with anyone. Halo was my gift. He is the greatest blessing, and I had no obligation to expose him, me, or my family to that."
The 'Little Mermaid' actress then blamed the "state of the world" and hinted that the magnitude of social media was all behind her reasoning to keep things private.
She said: "With the state of the world and the place it is in with men trying to force their will on our bodies, no one on social media, and for damn sure, no one on the planet, was going to tell me what to do with my body or what to share with the world."
Halle managed to keep everything about her newborn secret, only choosing to reveal the news to her millions of followers a few days into the new year.
She captioned her Instagram post: "Even though we’re a few days into the new year, the greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son.. welcome to the world my halo (love, baby and star emojis) the world is desperate to know you (wink, laughing face and heart emojis) (sic)".
BANG Showbiz