Brooke Shields, renowned for her iconic beauty and talent, has encountered her fair share of unfair criticism throughout her life. Despite being celebrated as one of the most successful supermodels and actresses globally, she has faced challenges that have tested her resilience and strength.
Throughout her journey, Shields, now 57, has faced detractors who sought to undermine her success. In a candid revelation, she sheds light on her relationship with her mother, Teri, who served as her manager since childhood.
Shields recounts her mother’s harsh criticism, revealing, “My mother would get drunk and say, ‘Why don’t you move your fat ass?’ So, I’ve always believed I had a fat ass.” This experience of body-shaming from her mother profoundly influenced her perception of herself.
Following her mother’s passing in 2012, after a lifelong struggle with alcoholism, the impact of her remarks lingered on Shields. The damage inflicted by her mother’s words took years for the actress to repair.
Ultimately, it was her husband of 17 years, Chris Henchy, a screenwriter, who helped the actress come to terms with her body and recognize her beauty.
She revealed, “I would walk backward out of rooms, and he’d say: ‘No, I want to grab onto you.’ He celebrated my womanliness and my body. And I needed a man to celebrate me.”
Before Henchy, Shields was married to Andre Agassi from 1997 to 1999. While she initially gained fame as a teenage actress, it was her iconic Calvin Klein jeans ad, photographed by Richard Avedon in 1980, that propelled her to the iconic status she holds today.
Despite being widely regarded as beautiful by the public, Brooke Shields revealed that she faced criticism and insecurities throughout her career. She recalled, “I modeled swimwear when I was 15, and even then I didn’t think I had a swimsuit body.” Shields described herself as a “cover girl, not a supermodel,” often praised for her face and eyebrows rather than her physique. These critiques left a lasting impact on her self-perception, as she explained, “Those messages, they seep into your consciousness.”
In a recent swimsuit campaign with Calvin Klein, Shields dedicated herself to the role and ensured she looked her best. “I knew that if I didn’t look my best, I’d be embarrassed and mad at myself,” she shared. This commitment led her to make changes in her lifestyle, including cutting out beer and wine and exercising regularly. Despite achieving her desired appearance, Shields admitted, “I was also hungry.”
Shields’s journey highlights the pervasive nature of insecurities, even for those considered stunning by societal standards. Despite external praise, criticism from her mother and others affected her deeply, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and resilience in the face of adversity.
It’s reassuring to know that Brooke Shields found support and affirmation from her husband, who helped her embrace her body and recognize her beauty.
In a recent revelation, Shields disclosed a sexual assault she experienced over 30 years ago at the hands of a Hollywood executive, shortly after graduating from Princeton University. Initially blaming herself, Shields has since had time to reflect on the incident. “I’m more angry now than I was able to be then,” she shared in a recent interview with People. Reflecting on the fear and intimidation that accompanied the experience, Shields emphasized that such situations don’t have to be violent to be frightening, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and addressing instances of assault.
This marks the first time the model-turned-actress has spoken publicly about being a survivor of sexual assault, a revelation she kept hidden for years due to fear of not being believed. She shared, “People weren’t believing those stories back then. I thought I would never work again.”
Her harrowing experience, unfortunately not uncommon in Hollywood, will be explored in depth in an upcoming two-part documentary titled “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields.” Reflecting on the documentary, Shields expressed, “Doing the documentary, you see it all together, and it’s a miracle that I survived.”
Following her graduation from Princeton University, Shields faced what she describes as the “lowest point” in her career. She recounted meeting with an unnamed Hollywood executive for dinner, believing it to be a potential opportunity for work. However, after dinner, he invited her to his hotel room under the pretense of arranging a cab. Once there, he subjected her to sexual assault.
“I didn’t fight,” she recalled. “I just froze.”
Following the assault, Shields experienced overwhelming guilt and self-blame. “I kept saying, ‘I shouldn’t have done that. Why did I go up with him? I shouldn’t have had that drink at dinner.'”
Initially, Shields confided in only one person, her close friend and former security consultant Gavin de Becker. However, now she feels ready to share her story openly in the hope of offering support to others who have experienced similar traumas. “Everybody processes their own trauma on a different timeline,” she explained. “I want to be an advocate for women to be able to speak their truth.”
Brooke Shields has faced numerous challenges throughout her life and career but continues to persevere. Let’s share her story to spread awareness and support for survivors of sexual assault. We wish her all the best in her journey of healing and advocacy.