On the surface, Unexpected might seem like a pregnancy drama that you’d find playing on the Lifetime Network, but it actually proves to be a lot more than that.
Cobie Smulders stars in the film as Samantha Abbott, a dedicated and passionate teacher who works at an inner city Chicago high school which is on the verge of closing down. Just as she finds herself coming to terms with that, life throws a curve ball at her that she didn’t see coming: she’s pregnant.
Not long after discovering her pregnancy, Samantha learns that one of her best students, Jasmine (Gail Bean), is also pregnant, and the two end up forming an equally unexpected friendship as they tackle the challenges of pregnancy, applying for college and envisioning a future beyond motherhood.
Last week at the film’s press day in Los Angeles, we had the chance to speak with Smulders, Bean and their co-star, Anders Holm. They spoke about why the screenplay caught their attention, how their characters were never reduced to being mere stereotypes and Cobie explained how her own pregnancy ended up playing a big part in the movie.
Hear what they have to say in the video above and be sure to check out Unexpected as it’s now playing in theatres.