Anne Hathaway Quit 'Knocked Up' Because Graphic Birth Scene Was 'Not Her Brand,' Seth Rogen Reveals

Anne Hathaway reportedly stepped away from Judd Apatow’s hit 2007 comedy Knocked Up over concerns about a graphic birthing scene, according to Seth Rogen.

Speaking on "The A24 Podcast" alongside director and actor Olivia Wilde, Rogen revisited Hollywood casting lore and confirmed that Hathaway was originally attached to the film before exiting.

“It was Anne Hathaway who quit the movie,” the comedian said, as Wilde asked whether rumors about the reason were true.

The host questioned whether the decision had anything to do with the film’s well-known birth scene.

“Yeah, I mean… it could have been a hundred million things. That was what I remember being told,” Rogen replied.

“Crowning is a tough one. She didn’t want the crowning of the baby to be visually representative. Even though it wasn’t going to be hers… it’s obviously not real. But she didn’t even want… she felt that it was not her brand," he added.

“Part of me also… we had started rehearsing the movie… maybe she was just like, ‘I don’t know if this is for me,'" he continued before adding, "I don’t know. I will take what she said at face value, which was the crowning."

The cannabis entrepreneur went on to suggest The Devil Wears Prada star simply knew the role wasn’t the right fit.

He said, “She had a sense, and she knew it was not for her. And history will tell… she has been right about a lot more things than I have over the years. So I think she was probably right.”

He also praised the actress who eventually stepped into the role, Katherine Heigl.

“So I think she was probably right. [Heigl] knew what was right for her, yes. And then Heigl was great. Katie Heigl was great," he added.

Knocked Up went on to become one of the biggest comedies of its era. Starring Rogen as Ben Stone and Heigl as Alison Scott, the story follows a mismatched couple who unexpectedly end up expecting a baby after a one-night stand. The film also featured Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill.

The movie was a major box office success, grossing over $200 million worldwide and cementing director Apatow as a defining voice in mid-2000s comedy.

However, the Grey's Anatomy star later sparked debate over the film’s portrayal of women, telling Variety in 2008 she found parts of it difficult to fully embrace.

"It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys. It exaggerated the characters, and I had a hard time with it, on some days. I’m playing such a b-----; why is she being such a killjoy? Why is this how you’re portraying women?," the 47-year-old model said.

Despite her criticism, Heigl also acknowledged the overall experience was largely positive, saying, “Ninety-eight percent of the time it was an amazing experience, but it was hard for me to love the movie.”

Rogen later addressed the comments in an interview with Howard Stern, saying he was surprised to learn that the actress had not enjoyed the experience or the final film.

"Your trust feels somewhat betrayed. We have a very open process. We’re like, ‘You have the ability to say anything at any moment. I don’t like how I’m coming across here,'" he said.