Lucifer is a fan-favorite TV series that gives viewers a whole new look at the Devil himself. The show ran on TV for more than five years, with the series finale airing in September 2021. The show is responsible for launching several actors to stardom, including Lesley-Ann Brandt, who played Mazikeen in Lucifer.

These days, Brandt is moving on to the next phase of her career, and getting more transparent than ever with her fans. In a recent interview, Brandt opened up about an abortion that she had early on in her career, and how her later experiences with parenthood shaped her. 

What is Lesley-Ann Brandt best known for?

Brandt was born in South Africa in 1981. In the late ’90s, Brandt, along with the rest of her family, moved to New Zealand. Initially unsure of what she wanted to do, Brandt got her start as a model before transitioning to acting in a series of television commercials. Brandt’s first few non-commercial roles were in TV shows like Diplomatic Immunity and Shortland Street. 

Brandt had her big breakthrough role in the Starz TV series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. As the slave girl Naevia, Brandt made waves, and her work in the hit series opened the door for her to land more high-profile parts. Over the years that followed, Brandt acted in shows such as Gotham, The Librarians, Being Mary Jane, and Killer Women. In 2016, Brandt was cast as Mazikeen in Lucifer, the series that would become an overnight sensation and make her a Hollywood star. 

What did Lesley-Ann Brandt say about her abortion?

Brandt has been a mainstay on Lucifer since the series debuted, and these days, she’s a major presence in the entertainment industry. All the while, she’s remained true to herself and her fan base, and doesn’t miss out on chances to share her past life experiences. In a recent interview with Self Magazine, Brandt opened up about something that has deep personal meaning to not just herself, but to countless other women all around the world. 

Brandt revealed that before she and her husband were married, and early on in their relationship, she became pregnant. “Neither one of us was ready for parenthood…I asked the driver to stop at a CVS on the way to set and picked up Advil and a pregnancy test. I went through hair and makeup, went to my trailer to change, took the test, and confirmed I was indeed pregnant.” Brandt went on to detail how she booked an appointment for an abortion right away, admitting that “at age 32, my abortion gave me choice, autonomy over my own body, and opportunities in my career. People have abortions for many reasons. In my case, I simply wasn’t ready. That’s it, and that’s good enough.”

Lesley Ann-Brandt is a hardworking wife and mother

Brandt went on to marry that boyfriend in 2015, after they had been together for nearly six years. The two welcomed their son in July 2017. About the experience of being pregnant while filming a high-profile TV show, Brandt revealed to Self that “Pregnancy was tough on my body. I was almost seven months pregnant toward the end of filming season two of Lucifer, and I was still performing modified stunts with a tight round ligament. I was exhausted and depleted.”

Brandt talked about the health issues that she has suffered since her 2017 pregnancy, admitting that she has since torn an ACL and developed what her doctors termed as a “bad hip.” Through it all, Brandt has remained true to her identity as a fierce working mom, forging her own path in the entertainment industry and remaining transparent all the while.