‘A Million Little Things’ Allison Miller Tweets Her Anger At SCOTUS; Reflects on Maggie’s Abortion Storyline
A Million Little Things star, Allison Miller, did not hesitate to share her feelings about the SCOTUS ruling with her followers on social media. Miller portrays Maggie Bloom in the ABC drama heading into its fifth season. Her character had an abortion in season 3. Miller spoke out after the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe Vs. Wade on June 24, 2022.
‘A Million Little Things’ star Allison Miller tweeted about SCOTUS multiple times
Allison Miller spoke out immediately after the SCOTUS ruling on June 24. She did not stay silent in the days and weeks after, either.
“The fact that women’s bodies are more strictly regulated than guns gives a very clear message,” Miller wrote on Twitter. “Lives don’t matter. No one’s lives matter. Not women. Not children. Not you. Not me. That’s what SCOTUS has made clear today.”
In her latest tweet, Miller reflected on the representation of her character, Maggie Bloom, in A Million Little Things.
“Very very proud to be part of a show representing women as human beings with autonomy in a country that has decided we are cattle,” Miller tweeted. “Thank you @AMillionABC writers. Shame on you SCOTUS.”
Miller’s tweet replied to A Million Little Things writer Michelle Leibel. The writer expressed her happiness being part of a show that told an “authentic abortion story.”
When did Maggie have an abortion in ‘A Million Little Things’ Season 3?
Maggie Bloom spent the first half of A Million Little Things Season 3 in Oxford with her new roommate, Jamie (Chris Geere). They became friends with benefits, but Maggie clarified that she was not looking for a relationship. Things took a turn when Maggie went for her routine cancer scans. However, she found out she was unexpectedly pregnant before she could get the scans.
In A Million Little Things Season 3 Episode 6, Maggie makes the difficult decision to have an abortion. Since she only finished chemotherapy for her breast cancer less than a year before, it’s not a healthy choice for Maggie to have a baby. According to Cancer.net, most doctors recommend waiting at least six months. Some health care providers believe that two to five years is even better. Becoming pregnant too soon after chemotherapy may cause congenital disabilities. Cancer treatment during pregnancy is also more difficult. Maggie weighed several factors before she decided to terminate her pregnancy.
“There are so many reasons why I don’t want to have a baby right now,” Maggie said. “It’s not the right time in my life … But I didn’t even get to think about any of those things. I didn’t get to make that decision because cancer made it for me.”
Michelle Leibel explained that they spoke to Planned Parenthood to ensure accuracy
In an interview, Michelle Leibel explained how the writers decided to show Maggie having an abortion by pills versus a surgical procedure. Half of the abortions in the United States occur through medication. However, it’s commonly depicted as a surgical procedure on TV. So, the writers wanted to be accurate about how many abortions happen in real life. The team even called Planned Parenthood while filming so that Miller could ask a question about how to take the pill.
“There was a concern when we saw the first cut of the episode that her putting it in the cheek may read like a hesitancy to swallow it,” showrunner DJ Nash told Vulture.
So, Leibel and Nash explained that they added more dialogue to make it evident to viewers that Maggie was instructed to hold the pill in her mouth. It was a monumental moment in A Million Little Things to see a woman make that choice about her body. Miller is appalled by the Supreme Court ruling that made abortion illegal in many states.
A Million Little Things Season 5 returns to ABC in early 2023.
