Penn Badgley’s Wild Story of Driving a Stranger in Labor to the Hospital
Penn Badgley is no stranger to telling stories that blur the line between the ordinary and the absurd, but one in particular sticks out for its urgency. On his podcast Podcrushed, the actor recalled a time when he found himself unexpectedly behind the wheel during a very different kind of ride: getting a stranger in active labor across New York City.
The episode captures a rare overlap between fame and ordinary life, and it shows how Badgley handled the sudden responsibility of guiding a stranger through an emergency.
How The Story Came to Light
The moment came up on an episode of Podcrushed, when Badgley recounted the ride that turned into an unexpected dash to the hospital. He admitted he hardly knew the woman and had never imagined being pulled into something as personal as her delivery.
What followed was the picture of New York at its most uncooperative. Traffic was crawling, tension was climbing, and Badgley leaned out his window to shout that a woman in labor was in the backseat.
The plea broke through the gridlock. One driver recognized him and yelled, “Dan Humphrey! Anything for you!” The strange mix of stalled cars, urgency, and a pop-culture shoutout left him with a story unlike any other.
Family At the Center of His Life
When the podcast was recorded, Badgley and his wife, Domino, were preparing for the arrival of identical twin boys. The couple was already raising their young son, James, while Domino’s teenage son, Cassius, was part of their household from an earlier relationship. Together, the blended family has played a defining role in shaping how Badgley sees his life and priorities.
In interviews, Badgley has emphasized the responsibility of raising boys with care and awareness and acknowledged that it requires effort and reflection. These comments have resonated with audiences, partly because they match the grounded way he approaches personal stories.
His role as a father sits alongside his acting work and shapes the values he carries into public conversations and the decisions he makes about projects.
Building a Different Path Forward
In recent years, the actor has focused on projects outside traditional acting. His podcast explores awkward adolescence with humor and empathy, and he co-hosts a lecture series with relationship expert Nura Mowzoon that promotes dialogue around empathy and communication.
He also co-wrote Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age with his podcast partners to blend personal insight with storytelling.
Away from the spotlight, he chooses a grounded lifestyle, like ensuring he takes the subway and focuses on family life in Brooklyn. The incident of driving a stranger in labor may have been unexpected, but it aligns with the way he approaches opportunities: with sincerity, practicality, and a focus on real human connection.