Oscar Winner Emerald Fennell Confirms Pregnancy With Cheeky Shout-Out to Zack Morris

After winning Best Original Screenplay at the 2021 Oscars, Emerald Fennell confirmed she's pregnant with her second child by giving a flirty remark about Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris.

By Ryan Gajewski Apr 26, 2021 6:03 AMTags
Watch: Carey Mulligan Praises "Promising Young Woman" Director Emerald Fennell

Emerald Fennell is keeping her appreciation for Zack Morris going as she confirms her pregnancy at the end of a big night.

After winning the Best Original Screenplay trophy at the 2021 Oscars on Sunday, April 25 for her work on Promising Young Woman, which she also directed, Emerald gave a memorable acceptance speech. In it, she joked she had written an Oscars speech at age 10 that thanked Saved by the Bell character Zack Morris for being a supportive partner. 

While addressing reporters from the press room after the ceremony, she confirmed she's pregnant and expecting her second child with husband Chris Vernon. The pair welcomed a baby boy in 2019. 

One journalist asked Emerald, who is also known to fans of The Crown from her role as Camilla Parker Bowles, if she realized that Zack Morris' name had started trending on social media as a result of her speech.

"No, really?" Emerald, 35, replied. "Oh, gosh, how embarrassing."

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Best Dressed Stars at the 2021 Oscars

As for whether she would consider naming her new little one after the character portrayed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar, the filmmaker quipped, "Well, you know, actually, if Zack Morris doesn't mind this situation [rubs belly], I think we should just really give it a go."

Chris Pizzello/AP/Shutterstock

Earlier in the evening, while accepting her Oscar, Emerald told the audience, "So, the only speech I ever wrote was when I was 10, and I had a look to see if there'd be anything useful from it, but unfortunately, it mostly thanked Zack Morris from Saved by the Bell. He was my very supportive husband."

She continued, "Unfortunately, he hasn't been as much a part of my life as I'd hoped, and so that speech is not that useful."

At another point in the press room, Emerald told E! News' Erin Lim she hopes to potentially make more films that are "glossy and feminine and poppy," but are also "discussing some very difficult and dark subject matter."

Prior to the ceremony, Carey Mulligan, who was nominated for Best Actress for her role in the film Promising Young Woman, told E! News exclusively that her director was "just the best person." 

Continue reading more coverage of the 2021 Oscars by clicking here.

Head to E! Online's Oscars page for a full recap of the 2024 Academy Awards.