Laura Prepon: ‘Suffering from postpartum anxiety put me in a complete tailspin’

The ‘Orange Is The New Black’ star opens up to Sabrina Barr about panic attacks, pregnancy loss and the struggle of publishing a book with the word ‘mother’ in the title

Laura Prepon (Ray Kachatorian)

Lockdown in New York has been in place for almost a month when Laura Prepon enthusiastically greets me over the phone, asking me how I’m doing on a wet, rainy day in London. Despite us being separated by a distance of approximately 3,500 miles, having the opportunity to engage in conversation with a complete stranger provides some degree of comfort in the present climate. Especially one who I’ve watched on my TV screen for over two decades.

Prepon, who is best known for starring as Alex Vause in Orange is the New Black and Donna Pinciotti in That ‘70s Show, explains that she had already planned on staying at home at this time of year before the coronavirus outbreak occurred, albeit for completely different reasons. In February, Prepon gave birth to a baby boy, her second child with husband and fellow actor Ben Foster. The couple also have a daughter, Ella, who was born in August 2017.

Figuring out how to look after a household of young children, staying up-to-date with the news and remaining upbeat is a demanding feat many parents around the world are currently having to face for the foreseeable future. So how are Prepon and Foster faring? “We’re trying to be informed, but that also causes a lot of stress. Just listening to the news is so stressful,” Prepon says. “But we’re trying to find levity where we can and really bond with our kids and be a family.”