The actress is dishing on what's in store for "Japril" and how she balances her own family life with the show.
As Grey’s
Anatomy returns with “Japril”’s newborn daughter on Thursday, Sarah Drew is
getting candid about her natural bond with her “pretend baby” and her “one big
trick” for juggling work and motherhood.
The
35-year-old actress, who plays new mom Dr. April Kepner on the popular ABC medical
drama, admits she can’t help but show her maternal instincts when working with
her fictional daughter, whose name will be revealed in the season premiere.
“I’ve had
experience with babies, so that helps. I tend to do a lot of ‘shush’ing and
bouncing with my pretend baby!” the actress told ET at Celebrity
Connected’s Luxury Gifting Suite Honoring the Emmys in Los Angeles on Saturday.
“They’re a set of twins that I’m working with and they’re great.”
MORE: 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Sarah Drew Opens Up About Daughter's Premature Birth
While her
own kids are yet to meet her TV daughter, Drew admitted that juggling the
Emmy-winning show with parenting can be a challenge.
She credits
the series’ large cast for allowing her quality family time with her husband,
Peter Lanfer, and their kids, 4-year-old son Micah and 1-year-old daughter
Hannah. “What’s wonderful is that it’s such a great ensemble and there’s so
many of us that I have episodes where I’m light, so I get tons of time with my kids,
and then episodes where I’m heavier and don’t see them as much,” she said.
“There’s a
really wonderful work/life balance,” Drew continued. “I can see them a ton, but
then also go and do the work that I love to do. The one big trick is that you
have to have a nanny who’s extremely flexible because our hours are really
weird! We have the best nanny on the planet, who is, like, part of our family.”
MORE: 'Grey's Anatomy' Star Caterina Scorsone Pregnant With Second Child: We're 'Very, Very Excited'
As for her
TV family with screen husband Jackson (played by Jesse Williams), Drew teases
that “Japril” are in for some hurdles as they grapple with first-time
parenthood while still dealing with their heartbreaking divorce last season.
“It’s an
interesting start to parenthood for the two of them because they’re still
trying to figure out who they are and they’re still divorced, but there’s this
sweet baby that tenderizes every moment that they’re together,” Drew shared.
“So it’s going to be an interesting journey to figure out will they or won't they
wind up back together.”
Regardless
of whether a baby will reunite one of Grey’s favorite couples, the
newborn has undoubtedly shaken things up on set, with Drew saying the twins
have brought new life to filming.
“There are
definitely challenges to working with a baby because you have things that are
scripted about how he’s supposed to be asleep or awake,” she said. “Then you
get on set and have a two-hour window to work with the baby and sometimes he
doesn’t want to sleep or doesn’t want to be calm! It adds a very intense, but
fun element and keeps the scenes so alive because you’re constantly reacting,
which is cool.”
