Shantel VanSanten is a model and actress best known on television as Quinn James in the CW adolescent drama series One Tree Hill, as Becca Butcher in the Amazon Prime Original The Boys, and as Julie Swagger, the wife of lead character Bob Lee Swagger in the USA Network series Shooter. 

She has also starred in films such as The Final Destination, You and I, and Something Wicked. During the fourth and fifth seasons of the CBS procedural series FBI, VanSanten played Special Agent Nina Chase when series actress Missy Peregrym was pregnant and went on maternity leave from 2022 to 2023.

In the FBI, Chase was pregnant and as a result, she left her team to take care of herself as well as the baby. This also meant the departure of VanSanten from the show.

This soon led to the speculation that VanSanten was pregnant in real life and her pregnancy was written into the show. Here is all we know about it.

Rumors of Shantel VanSanten being pregnant

It was reported by MediaMass that VanSanten was pregnant after she was spotted with what seems to be a baby bulge while out on a dinner date. They noted that she was with her boyfriend having a romantic dinner date.

A source revealed that she made toast two times and she drank water instead of wine. They noted that it was unusual to make a toast with “anything but a full glass of wine.”

The actress’s publicist did not verify or dispute the charges. According to the outlet, her publicists said, “ “I do not comment on her personal life.”

Unfortunately, this has just increased curiosity about VanSanten’s claimed pregnancy.

VanSanten never made any statements regarding her being pregnant. But later, the tabloid confirmed that they were false. 

As said before, the speculations of her being pregnant started after her character, Chase, got pregnant on FBI. FBI is a CBS crime drama series that follows the personal and professional lives of agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations’ criminal branch in New York City. 

VanSanten played Chase, an FBI Special Agent who took over for Maggie Bell after she was exposed to sarin gas on the job. Chase, who joined the FBI in season 4, also works as an undercover agent and, in season 5, begins a romance with her fellow FBI agent, Stuart Scola.

Chase confessed she was pregnant with Scola’s kid less than a year into their relationship in season 5, episode 6 titled ‘Double Bind.’ Chase informs her boyfriend that she discovered she was pregnant the night before. 

She then confirms that Scola is her baby’s father. When Scola inquires whether Chase intends to retain the baby, she answers, “I don’t know,” before concluding the discussion.

Later in the episode, Chase says that she is quitting the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s criminal section to join the white-collar division. FBI executive producer Rick Eid said to TV Insider in November 2022 that Chase’s pregnancy was a means for VanSanten to take a break from the FBI while still maintaining her relationship with Scola.

“We didn’t want to kill Nina off. She’s been an incredible addition to the show, and intertwining her story with Scola’s allows us to keep her character alive,” Eid commented. “It also gives Scola’s character another dimension; he’s now facing fatherhood on top of being an FBI Agent.” 

He added, “Though Nina is leaving the team, she’s still an FBI agent, and her relationship with Scola will continue in some capacity. We’ll see her again soon.”

Chase returned to the FBI in the April 2023 crossover event with FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, and FBI: International, where she was shot while assisting the Fly Team in storming a residence in Italy where terrorists were residing. Chase survives the shooting, and Scola pays her a visit to the hospital to see how she and their baby are doing. 

Scola asked Chase, “How do you feel?” to which the latter responded, “I’ve been better.” Scola asked about the baby and Chase said, “I think so,” as she placed her boyfriend’s hand on her baby bump.

Scola felt the baby kicking and then he confessed that he loved Chase. Chase responded through tears, “I love you. A lot.”

Shantel VanSanten’s boyfriend 2023

VanSanten has not revealed anything about having a boyfriend in 2023. Therefore, it is safe to speculate that she is currently single.

That being said, it is possible that she is dating someone and is keeping her relationship under wraps. So, unless the actress confirms her dating history or relationship status, everything is mere speculation.

In the past, VanSanten was married to her boyfriend of four years, Victor Webster. After meeting on the set of Love Blossom, a Hallmark Channel film in which VanSanten’s character worked with Webster’s character to reach a production deadline for a new perfume after her father died, the two became friends.

Soon, the friendship turned into a romantic relationship. The pair were happily in love with VanSanten’s boyfriend often gushing about her.

Webster did not hesitate to show off his girlfriend on Instagram, sharing about how much he loved her. They celebrated their fourth anniversary in February 2021 and Webster took to Instagram to congratulate his partner.

He wrote, “Happy 4 years of being stuck with me @therealshantel Seems like a lifetime, a wonderfully adventure-filled lifetime already. Through thick and thin, ups and downs, and everything the world has tried to throw at us, you’ve still managed to put up with me. Love you babe, happy anniversary.”

That same month, he asked her to marry him. They hiked 2000ft to the top of the mountain where Webster had told her that he loved her for the first time.

He proposed to her to which, VanSaten said yes. She wrote on her Instagram at the time, “I didn’t say anything for awhile, not out of suspense although it would have been a good prank, but because my legs stopped working, I had to sit down and I couldn’t stop crying and kissing him … I forgot to say anything at all … BUT OBVIOUSLY I SAID YES!!! I can’t wait to spend FOR-EV-ER with my best friend!!!!”

The pair later married three times, the first time at Pasadena City Hall in California on the anniversary of VanSanten’s grandparents. VanSanten and her husband got married again in Napa, California, in October 2021. 

They arranged a third wedding in Minnesota for her family members who were unable to travel to the ceremony. By the looks of it, VanSanten and her husband seemed like a happy couple, someone excited to spend the rest of their lives together. 

However, the duo called it quits after less than two years of marriage. According to the court documents collected by People, Webster filed for divorce in January 2023.

They listed their date of separation as January 10, 2023. However, they have not stated the reason for their divorce. Similarly, it is unknown if their divorce has been finalized or not.