From PEOPLE magazine:
Jenna Fischer became a mom and an aunt the very same week.
“The same week that we were shooting the episode where Pam’s baby is born, I was becoming the aunt for the very first time,” says Fischer, who spoke with PEOPLE about Thursday’s hour-long episode of The Office, in which her character Pam gave birth to a girl, named Cecelia Marie Halpert.
“Literally the day we shot Pam’s going to the hospital, my sister was going to the hospital, and the same day we shot me coming home from the hospital, my sister came home from the hospital. It was crazy! And so my dad Jim had one daughter going through it for real and another faking it.”
And thanks to Fischer, both babies have the same name.
“I got to name my baby!” says Fischer, who successfully lobbied The Office writers to use the name Cecelia. “I said I would really love to name the baby after my niece, so I did.”
For Fischer, the hardest part of shooting the birth scenes didn’t involve acting at all, but keeping her family in the dark about Cecelia’s TV namesake. “I am going to wait and let her watch the episode and it’s been so hard!” she says. “I spent a whole week with her and I didn’t tell her and it was one of the hardest things. I haven’t told my parents and will let them watch the episode. I’m just going to sit by the phone and they are going to be watching it in Missouri, so they see it two hours ahead, and I’m just going to time it out and sit by the phone when the part comes on because I know I’m going to get a screaming phone call!”
While the Halperts adjust to parenthood on TV, Fischer will get a chance to see her new niece again this spring. “I get to see my sister about four times a year, probably,” she says. “I bet those trips will be more frequent because the baby is just so cute. She’s the cutest, sweetest little girl. I make my sister send pictures and videos every day. Maybe I’ll have to post a photo on my MySpace page so that everyone can know where the name came from!”
Tipster: Ginger
This is the sweetest thing ever! Jenna’s sister must feel so honored. It makes me smile!
Is the spelling really Cecelia? It’s usually spelled Cecilia (one E, two Is). I know this because it is my confirmation name. St. Cecilia kicks butt.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._cecilia
Also of course it is the female form of Cecil. Or I should say Cecil is the male form of Cecilia. :-)
[from tanster: yes, confirmed with NBC. it’s cecElia. :) ]
Awww… That is so insanely adorable that Jenna surprised her sister and family with that. How sweet :) They must have been so excited
The most annoying part was that I received my People magazine in the mail yesterday and read the baby’s name and gender before even realizing what I read. Totally spoiled it for me. Shame on People for leaking it before the episode.
Congrats to Jenna’s sister and her bundle of joy.
@4. famousamy I know how you feel, Global TV in Canada had a commercial for the episode and in the commercial it showed Jim finding out the gender :/
What an honor for Jenna’s niece.
Woo hoo! I was a tipster :)
Anyhow, I think that it is so super sweet to have Jam’s baby named after Jenna’s niece. What a wonderful tribute.
That’s so sweet! Love the name! (+ Marie is Jenna’s middle name, right?) :)
I’m SO glad I didn’t flip through that magazine until AFTER I had watched the show. How could those People people get away with that? Sheesh. I love that Cecelia is named after Jenna’s real-life niece, who was born around the same time. What a sweet, little personal touch! For the rest of Cecelia’s life (the real one), she can be like, “Yeah, Pam and Jim’s baby was named after me.” Jealous! Of course, Jenna is also her aunt, so double jealous! :)
#10 – I know, right?
Oh to think of the day Miss Cecelia goes to Kindergarten with the best show-and-tell story EVER!
That was so, so sweet…and how neat Jenna was able to keep it a surprise!
Does anyone know the dates they were filming this episode?
Cassie, they filmed “The Delivery” Jan. 25 – Feb. 9.
Lucky kid!
These articles were so sweet. How nice that Jenna got to name the Jam baby after her sister’s daughter (and that it was a surprise). Very nice read.
#2 Evil!Phyllis, how cool, that’s my confirmation name too!! =)
As if we needed any more evidence that Jenna Fischer is adorable. Congrats to her sister as well.
Wow what a great story! I think Jenna wins the Coolest Aunt Ever award. Congratulations to Jenna’s sister and her family!