Actress Sophie Dillman is not pregnant, but if a recent event is any indication, she is portraying Summer Bay’s future mother Ziggy Astoni convincingly.
When Dillman was sporting her baby belly, “we had a guest sitting in the makeup chair around the time,” she recalls, “and I muttered something like, “Oh, I can’t watch that kind of movie any more.”
He said, “Yeah, well, it’s too sad in your state, I mean. You know it’s a fake, right? I said after saying “Hang on” and doing a quick double take.
Given that she and co-star Patrick O’Connor, who plays Ziggy’s partner Dean, have been together for a while, it came as no surprise to Dillman that many of her fans also thought she was expecting in real life.
The sequence where Ziggy informs Dean that she is pregnant, according to Dillman, was the strangest aspect of the entire narrative.
She adds, “I was astonished to find I was nervous myself, too,” and believes the plot has led to some fruitful discussions between her and O’Connor.
The moment Ziggy was about to accept the lucrative professional surfing deal, she discovered she was unexpectedly pregnant. Later, the young mechanic decided to prioritise being a mother over her work.
“I believe Ziggy had a difficult decision to make because she had so many things in her life that were just beginning to blossom, but she was given the freedom to make the decision and that’s the decision she made. The Roe v. Wade abortion controversy was dividing America when those scenes were being shot, which Dillman thinks makes them all the more heartbreaking. “And I think she’s thrilled,” he adds.
“It was really fantastic to be able to have those types of conversations with your real-life partner, about the different circumstances and how we feel about them.”
Along with dealing with rumours of their engagement earlier this year, Dillman and O’Connor now have to deal with admirers who believe the pregnancy is true.
She believes that it has to do with the idea that everyone wants a happy ending, and she fully agrees with that.
I completely understand because I’m the same way with folks I watch or look up to. Additionally, I believe that occasionally people overlook how distinct Paddy and Sophia are from Dean and Ziggy.
Ziggy’s pregnancy has had its ups and downs, but overall, according to Dillman, it has been enjoyable.
She claims, “I’ve gotten to have all of the pregnant symptoms without actually experiencing the pregnancy symptoms,” and she also admits that she doesn’t have many worries about the physical difficulties associated with having a child.
She laughs, “I’m a nurse, so I’ve seen it all. “I believe that giving birth hurts, but since I have endometriosis and have had so much uterine pain in my life, I say, “Bring it on. When I become a mother, I will be extremely happy.
She is worried about the changes in her life that having a baby brings, such as the reduction in her earning potential.
Now that I’m 30, I have girlfriends who have children or plan to have children, and it’s critical that these worries are expressed and acknowledged, the woman adds.
“Most of the time, it’s a woman who has to take time off, which means that they don’t get the money for super, that their employers are less likely to give them a raise or a promotion, and all of that puts them on the back foot.
“Having those discussions and hearing about it has been really helpful.”
Dillman acknowledges that many of Ziggy’s experiences are based on the lives of the drama’s writers, but she expresses her affection for Ziggy’s pregnancy and how much she has enjoyed it.
“Some of the elements that are present in Paddy and my lives have also been honoured by the writers. Our puppy is named Winnie, which is one of Dean and Ziggy’s recommended baby names, she continues.
We had a lot of fun playing with that kind of stuff ourselves as well, so it’s really wonderful that they did it for us.
There have even been lively debates about baby names with Dillman and O’Connor’s extended families.
Because my sister Hannah and I both adore the same girl’s name, we have agreed that whoever has the first daughter should have that name. This has caused us to dispute about baby names.
