Brooke Shields Reflects On Having To Kiss Her 27-Year-Old Co-Star At 11-Years-Old In Controversial Film

Mar 30, 2023

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of sexual themes involving minors and sexual assault that may be troubling for some readers.

Brooke Shields is famous for being one of Hollywood's most beautiful women. From the late 1970s when she rose to popularity as a teenager, to her sitcom-starring roles in television in the 1990s, Brooke is a household name who has made a big impression on the entertainment industry.

Still acting, albeit less frequently, Brooke settled down and started a family with her husband Chris Henchy in 2001, and together the couple has two daughters, Rowan and Grier. Brooke is a doting mother who frequently posts family snaps on her social media, and has made it a point to be an excellent role model to her two daughters.

In 2023, the actress came out with her truth and revealed she was sexually assaulted in her 20s. Furthermore, her two-part Hulu documentary, "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields," called into question the entertainment industry's unhealthy focus on her looks, specifically in a sexualized context, when she was still just a child.

The trailer for the documentary featured damning footage of a pre-teen Brooke fielding uncomfortable questions and comments in an old interview. After she was asked, "How do you feel about all this fuss that's being made over you?" a young Brooke responded, "I think it's kind of fun," with a nervous giggle before she was told, "You really are an exquisite-looking young lady." In the present day, Brooke added that constantly being told she was pretty and being judged solely on her looks "seared" her.

Brooke also commented on how she struggled to understand how her mom, actress, model and socialite Theresia "Teri" Shields, let her kiss a grown man for a film role when she was just 11 years old.

In the documentary, "Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields," Brooke, 59, opens up about having to kiss her 27-year-old co-star Keith Carradine when she was just 11-years-old in the 1978 movie "Pretty Baby," in which she played a young prostitute in New Orleans in 1917. The model and actress revealed her daughters, Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16, refuse to watch it, and the former even called the film "child pornography."

Rowan said, “It’s child pornography!” before she asked her mom, “Would you have let us (do that) at the age of 11?” Brooke immediately replied "No."

The actress opened up about her conflicted feelings since her own mother, who passed away in 2012, did in fact allow her to film those scenes. 

"That was … that was hard for me, to not justify my mom to them, but when they asked me, I thought, ‘Oh God, I have to admit this,'" Brooke said in the interview. "I mean, I could say, ‘Oh, it was the time back then,’ or ‘Oh, it was art.’ But I don’t know why she thought it was all right. I don’t know."

In the documentary, Brooke reflected on various jobs she regretfully took on in her youth, which was encouraged by her late mother. This included the movie "Pretty Baby," posing nude for Playboy magazine's Sugar and Spice at the age of 10, and filming another infamous movie that featured a lot of nudity, "The Blue Lagoon," which she filmed at the age of 14. While a 32-year-old stunt coordinator filmed many of Brooke's nude scenes in "The Blue Lagoon," Brooke spent much of the film topless with her hair glued to her chest. 

Brooke's mom Teri struggled with alcoholism before she passed away in 2012 at the age of 79, three years after being diagnosed with dementia. Brooke revealed in her memoir, "There Was a Little Girl," that her mom would often leave her at a neighbor's house to go out partying, as well as organize dates for young Brooke with famous men.

"Even though I understood her better than anybody else, I'm not sure I ever understood her fully," Brooke wrote.

"Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields" is being praised for finally delving into Brooke's side of the story. In a clip from the documentary, she sighed:

"I'm amazed that I survived any of it." 

Other female celebrities also lent their opinions to the documentary, including Laura Linney and Drew Barrymore, who said: "I love Brooke's tone about it, we're moving forward in life."

Earlier in March 2023, Brooke opened up about having been sexually assaulted in her 20s by an unnamed powerful Hollywood executive. She said she felt no one would believe her at the time.

"People weren't believing those stories back then. I thought I would never work again," she said, as reported by People.

Brooke added it took her "a long time to process it." After having dinner with the executive, he invited her to call a taxi from his hotel room, which is where he assaulted her. "I didn't fight," she said. "I just froze." Later, she blamed herself and thought: "'I shouldn't have done that. Why did I go up with him? I shouldn't have had that drink at dinner.

Adding it was the "lowest point" of her career, Brooke said: "I'm more angry now than I was able to be then. If you're afraid, you're rightfully so. They are scary situations. They don't have to be violent to be scary."

What are your thoughts on Brooke Shields' revelations? Pass this on to those you know so they can read about it too.

If you or anybody you know has experienced sexual assault, please visit HelpGuide.org to find your local hotline. The hotlines provide confidential support for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.