Colin Donnell and Patti Murin with daughter Cecily.Photo: Michael Hull
Patti Murin and Colin Donnellare expanding their family!
“We’re so excited,” says Murin, who shares2-year-old daughter Cecily Philipswith Donnell. “We always talked about having a sibling for Cecily but had sort of left it up to, ‘if this happens, it happens.’ And when it happened and I told Colin, his face was shocked.”
“I wasn’t expecting it,” Donnell laughs with Murin joking, “I had to be like, ‘Well, Colin, when a man and a woman love each other very much…’ "
“Obviously we would’ve been happy either way but I was really thrilled that it’s a girl,” says Murin, whooriginated the role of Princess Anna in the Broadway adaptation ofFrozen. “I have a sister and we are very, very, very close, so I love the idea of the two of them having that bond. Plus, there’s the wholeFrozenthing which makes it extra special.”
Michael Hull
“We’re not traditionalists,” Murin adds. “If Colin wants to throw a football around outside, he’ll take Cecily outside and throw the football around. She watches Formula One with him and I put dresses on her. As long as she’s happy, we’re happy.”
Cecily, Donnell says, “theoretically” knows she’s about to be a big sister.
Pregnancy the second time around has been pretty similar for Murin as it was the first time around, she says. “I thought it was a girl again before we found out because I feel exactly the same as I did,” the actress sys. “I go back to craving all my childhood food, like Chef Boyardee, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, ice pops — things like that.”
The soon-to-be parents of two have also learned to take things one day at a time. “Cecily hadopen heart surgery at 10 weeks old, we certainly know what it’s like to face obstacles,” Donnell says. “And with that and everything else we’ve been through in the past, we just try to live each day and hope for the best.”
“There’s no planning,” says Murin. “What happened with Cecily was scary at first, but she’s literally jumping on the couch right now, she’s the poster child for open heart surgery. So you never know what’s going to happen. And all you have to do is stay present and not stress.”
Before their new addition arrives, both Murin and Donnell have big projects coming over the next few months.
Donnell’s new Peacock seriesIrreverentdrops Nov. 30. In the show, Donnell plays a negotiator for the mob in Chicago who ends up posing as a reverend in a small Australian beach town in an attempt to get back on his feet when a deal goes bad.
“It’s really going to surprise a lot of people,” Donnell tells PEOPLE of the role. “There’s a dark crime thrilled vibe to it, but it’s very funny and there’s a heart in the show that really drives it forward. And I’m playing a real fish out of water character who is forced to navigate this complete bonkers situation he finds himself in. I’m excited for fans to see me play a character like this.”
As for Murin, she’s leading a new holiday movie debuting on the Hallmark Channel on Nov. 11 calledIn Merry Measure.
The film features Murin as a former teen pop star who returns home to Ohio for Christmas and winds up coaching her former high school’s choir for an upcoming competition. Of course, while there, she butts heads with her old nemesis (now a music teacher at the school, natch) and together they turn the choir in the champions hey were meant to be.
“It’s just so much fun,” Murin says of the role. “I’ve always loved Christmas movies and this one is the perfect blend of what I can do. I had such a blast making it and it was really fun creating a role that honored Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore,Jessica Simpson, Carly Rae Jepsen — all these iconic teen pop princesses.”
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She and Donnell are also releasing their first joint album together,Something Stupid, out Nov. 18 on Broadway Records.
“We were in Australia last year for Christmas while Colin was filming, so this year we’re hoping to law low, celebrate the holidays, and actually enjoy the cold,” adds Murin. “Hopefully there will be snow because Cecily is finally old enough to build a snow man. And you better believe I will be putting that on Instagram.”
source: people.com
