Actress Bryce Dallas Howard speaks onstage during American Film Institute’s 44th Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute show to John Williams at Dolby Theatre on June 9, 2016 in Hollywood, California.

So…. I spent the morning stalking Bryce Dallas Howard, a Bellytich Bumpwatch alum, who currently stars in the soon-to-be released Disney movie Pete‘s Dragon. 

Pardon my stream of consciousness revelations:

What caught my eye was the vivacious leopard print wrap dress she wore to Hollywood premiere of Pete’s Dragon outside El Capitan Theatre on Monday, as reported by the Daily Mail.

And I thought, wowza! She looks gorge and absolutely hawt! Mama Mia! What a marvelous voluptuous shape!

Then, I thought but where was she hiding those curves all these years?

I admit, I never saw many of her early movies or plays. Howard didn’t rest on her laurels as being the daughter to vet actor, producer and director Ron Howard.  She learned and honed her craft so she could have the chops to land top roles. She  graduated from performing arts camp at Stagedoor Manor, New York, she then proceeded to Tisch School of the Arts New York University and graduated with B.FA honours (2003) She has also studied at School at Steppenwolf Chicago and New York City-based The Actors Center.

Honoree Director Ron Howard accepts award from presenter Bryce Dallas Howard onstage at the DGA Honors 2015 Gala on October 15, 2015 in New York City.

Nonetheless, I did catch all the hits she is best known for and I swear I thought she was more svelter in Jurassic World.  (I finally caught it on cable during a movie night at home with the hubby and kids.)

Then I figured it out!  She was wearing neutral jungle theme toned down colors and I just never noticed them. Hmmm… Come to think of it, when she played Victoria in the Twilight Saga, Hilly Holbrook in The Help or Gwen Stacy in Spiderman 3, I never noticed how curvaceous she was when she played those roles either.

Aaaah, blame it on creative costuming! Thanks, Hollywood. ha.

Howard as Victoria in the Twilight Series, Hilly in The Help and Claire in Jurassic World

Well, well…then I thought to myself, if she looked amazing in that wrap dress, what other looks have I missed? That’s when I discovered all these fab outfits she wore at various Hollywood events and movie premiere.

Nice! We’ve really got to do a better job and showcasing and highlighting these influential actors that do not fit in the size 2 mold and kill it on the screen and the red carpet.

I’ve always admired Bryce for being open and authentic about the reality of pregnancy and motherhood. I found her post-partum looks to be more realistic for women who have just given birth, uncommon to the unrealistic ideal that is pushed onto women.

Shortly, after she gave birth to her son Theo in 2007 with fellow actor husband Seth Gabel, the former stage play actress was ridiculed in gossip media for her post-partum size, then she opened up about suffering through post-partum depression and her struggles with breastfeeding which, in 2010, she said was harder than natural childbirth and led her to cry in the shower.

She welcomed a daughter Beatrice in January 2012.