Tika Sumpter will give birth to her first child in October, but many didn’t even know she was pregnant until her third trimester. The actress is now revealing why she kept her unborn daughter and baby daddy a secret.
The actress tells Fit Pregnancy that she simply didn’t want social media all up in her business.
“I didn’t want to hear, ‘Who’s the dad?’ Social media can be harsh, and I’m a mama bear, protective of my family. So that’s why I waited to tell people, including some of my friends… She’s my first child, and I wanted to experience every moment of this pregnancy for myself and enjoy it without everybody else being in it with me.”
Sumpter has done a great job at keeping the baby’s father a secret. The couple have been together for two years and she says that their relationship “is not dependent on a ring.”
Though it took a while, the actress is proudly showing off her pregnant belly while promoting her film Southside with You, which is based on the Obamas’ early courtship.
Sumpter also revealed the adorable moment she found out she was expecting.
“I found out around Valentine’s Day, when my boyfriend took me on a surprise trip to San Diego. I never want McDonald’s, but I was like, ‘I need a Big Mac, fries and a Coke now. Afterward, I immediately fell asleep. When I woke up, my boyfriend was like, ‘Haha! Are you pregnant?’ I said, ‘Maybe. Go get a test!'”
She also talked about how she eventually had to tell her boss, Tyler Perry, about her pregnancy.
“It’s hard to be pregnant, because you get scared about your job. I even felt worried about telling my agent and manager. Then when I was five months, Tyler Perry [her boss, the creator of The Haves and Have Nots] texted me, ‘Are you pregnant?’ Inside, I was thinking, ‘Oh, my god, how did he know?’ I wrote back, ‘What are you talking about? You’re crazy!’ But when I saw him that afternoon, I told him. He just said, ‘I knew it! Tika, this is going to be the best time of your life.’ I feel lucky that he’s been so supportive.”
Honestly, Sumpter made a great decision by keeping her pregnancy a secret. She’s created a boundary between professional and private and has figured out how to make sure the two rarely intersect. Though it’s not gonna stop us from speculating, I’m also glad she’s been quiet on the identity of the baby daddy.
