Elizabeth Hurley Reveals Why She Didn’t Appear in the Third “Austin Powers” Movie: 'It Wasn't My Fault'
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The actress played Vanessa Kensington in 1997's 'Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery' and 1999's 'Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me'
Blame Elizabeth Hurley's son for her absence in Austin Powers in Goldmember.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that aired Wednesday, April 3, the actress opened up about her absence from the third Austin Powers film, explaining that she couldn't film because she was pregnant with her now 21-year-old son Damian at the time.
"When I was offered it, I said to them — and they were the first people who knew, aside from my immediate family — I said, 'Guys, I'm pregnant.' And I was pregnant with my son," Hurley, 58, recalled. "I said, 'So, unless you shoot it literally next week, I don't think I can shoot it.' "
She went on to explain that her concerns were brushed off by executives, who told her, "'Oh, you'll be fine, you're so skinny.' " But Hurley insisted. "I put on 63 lbs. when I was pregnant," she told host Andy Cohen. "I was like, 'No, no, you don't understand. You really have to shoot really soon.' "
By the time cameras went up, there was no hiding Hurley's baby belly, so she wasn't able to do the film. "So it wasn't my fault," she insisted, joking, "It would be like Dr. Evil had impregnated me once I was away, so it couldn't work!"
Hurley appeared in the first two Austin Powers films, playing the spy's love interest Vanessa Kensington in 1997's Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and 1999's Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
For the third offering in 2002, she was replaced by Beyoncé, who starred as undercover spy Foxxy Cleopatra. "I love Beyoncé. I love Austin Powers," Hurley said on WWHL, reiterating again, "It just wasn't my fault."
The actress – who was promoting her new movie Strictly Confidential, which was written and directed by her son Damian — did hint that she filmed a scene for the third movie. "I actually did shoot my bit," she said.
Related: Elizabeth Hurley Wants to Do Another 'Austin Powers' Movie — Just in 'Slightly Different Costumes'
And while she missed the third movie, Hurley told PEOPLE in November 2022 she'd be down to do a fourth film — that is, as long as it involves franchise star Mike Myers, whom Hurley said "goes down as one of my very favorite costars."
"A brilliant man, fabulously kind and gentle and of course one of the best comedians on Earth," she said. "Mike is a genius. It would be wonderful to do something with him again."
But at least one thing might need to be different this time around: Vanessa's wardrobe. "I'm not sure I'd fit in my costumes again," she said, joking that she'd have to do the film "in slightly different costumes."
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Myers, meanwhile, has teased that another Austin Powers might be on the way. "I can neither confirm nor deny the existence or non-existence of such a project, should it exist or not exist," the 60-year-old actor teased to SiriusXM's Jess Cagle in May 2022, adding that he "would love to do" a fourth movie.
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen airs Sunday-Thursday nights on Bravo.
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