Allison Janney has openly shared her experience of not having children, revealing that by the time she consulted a fertility doctor, she was informed it was too late.
The acclaimed star of The West Wing made this heartfelt revelation on the Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky podcast aired on Tuesday.
Discussing her choice to seek out a specialist in her forties, the actress, who is now 66, candidly admitted she had believed women could conceive well into their 50s.
Janney, who has never been married, elaborated on her mindset at the time, saying, “I just thought, well, I should give it a try.”
Recalling her first visit to the fertility clinic, she said, “The first time I was told that having a child in my forties wasn’t likely was in that doctor’s office. Her words were, ‘The odds are not in your favor.'”
‘And she said, “Also, where is your partner?” And the guy that I was with, he didn’t even come with me and I was like, “I guess that is a sign, isn’t it?”‘
The West Wing star Allison Janney has spoken about the sad moment when she realized she’d left it too late to have children
Janney, now 66, said during an appearance on the Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky podcast that she had thought ‘women could have kids until they were 50 or something’
In medical terms, expecting a baby at 35 or older is a geriatric pregnancy or one at advanced maternal age.
After this point, fertility levels and the quality of a woman’s eggs begin to decline and the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth increase, according to Cleveland Clinic.
The Oscar-winning star who has seven Emmys to her name has never married.
She candidly spoke with Lewisnky about being ‘lonely’ in relationships she knew deep down were not right for her.
‘I always thought I would get married just because at the time I was growing up that’s what you did,’ Janney explained.
‘I was like, “Okay, well, I guess that didn’t happen…” The way you feel in a relationship that you know is probably not the one and you’re kind of in it and you don’t know how to get out of it, that’s the most lonely feeling in the world to be with someone and feel alone. Oh my god, that’s awful. So it didn’t happen for me.’
Janney has been in three publicly known long-term romances.
She was linked to computer programmer Dennis Gagomiros between 1994 and 2001 before embarking on a romance with her Our Very Own co-star Richard Jenik.
Janney and Jenik got engaged before deciding to call off their romance in 2006.
She went on to date production manager Philip Joncas from 2012 to 2017.
Janney revealed she found out she’d left it too late to be a mother when, in her forties, she visited a fertility specialist who told her ‘The odds are not in your favor’
Janney is not without love in her life, however. She declared that she ‘could not love dogs more’ and hopes on day to have a rescue on a farm. Pictured July 7 in LA
Janney found fame at the age of 39 when she was cast in the role of C. J. Cregg in the NBC political drama series The West Wing. The show ran for seven seasons from 1999 to 2006
The actress who returns as the American president in the upcoming news season of Netflix’s The Diplomat is not without love and companionship in her life however.
‘I could not love dogs more,’ she said. ‘I want to have a farm and rescue, you know,, have at least 10 dogs. I just love them so much.’
Meanwhile, the Janney is keeping busy with work.
She is currently in rehearsals to play Silda Grauman in the Broadway revival of Other Desert Cities alongside Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ed Harris, Joe Keery and Lily Rabe.
Previews begin September 29 for the play at the Hudson Theatre in New York City.
Janney also has a mystery role in Ridley Scott’s new sci-fi flick The Dog Stars which opens in theaters on August 28 and co-stars Jacob Elordi, Margaret Qualley and Josh Brolin.