Brooke Shields Admits She Didn’t Want Teen Daughter To Pursue ‘Brutal’ Modeling Career

Jun 06, 2023 by apost team

Brooke Shields is famous for being one of Hollywood’s most beautiful women. From the late 1970s, when she rose to popularity while still a teenager, to her sitcom-starring roles in the 1990s, Brooke has remained absolutely gorgeous every step of the way.

Brooke was born on May 31, 1965, in Manhattan, New York. She is the daughter of actress and model Teri Shields and businessman Francis Alexander Shields. Brooke first found her footing in the entertainment industry as a child model before landing the leading role in “Pretty Baby” in 1978. She found more success as an actress and went on to star in “The Blue Lagoon” and “Endless Love.” Brooke even made several appearances in TV shows such as “The Middle” and “Friends.”

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. Prior to this, Brooke had been married to tennis player Andre Agassi. Brooke has two daughters she shares with Chris – Rowan Henchy, 20, and Grier Henchy, 17.

The 58-year-old actress has consistently raved about them, sharing how they are growing into beautiful young women. “Being with my children is one of the purest joys that I have,” Brooke once shared. 

In 2018, she described how mature her daughters already were:

“They’re so much more mature than I was. So much more confident in their own bodies. They have the same stubbornness and strength that I do, but are more well-adjusted. I am jealous as all hell about that. But, of course, I created it.”

It may even have been her influence that instilled a passion for modeling in her youngest, Grier. However, Brooke hasn’t been too keen on Grier following in her footsteps due to her own troubled past.

Seen through today’s lens, Brooke’s early career was contentious mainly due to her involvement in several controversial films and modeling campaigns that raised questions about child exploitation and the sexualization of minors.

One of the most notable instances was her role in the 1978 film “Pretty Baby,” where Brooke played the character of Violet, a child prostitute in a brothel in early 20th-century New Orleans. The film depicted explicit scenes and raised concerns about the appropriateness of Brooke’s involvement in such a role at the age of 12.

Additionally, Brooke appeared in a highly provocative Calvin Klein jeans commercial in 1980 when she was just 15 years old. The campaign featured her saying, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” This advertisement garnered significant attention and was criticized for sexualizing a young teenage girl.

These controversies surrounding Brooke’s early career raised ethical and legal debates about the exploitation of minors in the entertainment industry. Many argued that her involvement in these projects was inappropriate and potentially harmful to her well-being as a young actress.

It’s worth noting that Brooke’s mother, Teri, played a significant role in managing her career during that time and made decisions regarding her participation in these controversial projects. In recent years, Brooke has been vocal about her experiences and has advocated for stronger protections for child performers in the industry.

It comes as no surprise then that Brooke would want to shield her own daughters from the same challenges she endured in the fashion and entertainment industry. However, with Grier blossoming into a stunning woman and showing intense interest in pursuing modeling, Brooke revealed she has had to make compromises to safeguard her daughter’s happiness.

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In an appearance on the “Live with Kelly and Mark” show on June 1, 2023, Brooke opened up about how she had initially “fought” against Grier following in her footsteps and pursuing modeling. 

“The rules have changed since I was (a model),” Brooke told hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. “I fought it for so long. It’s such a different industry now than it was.” 

Brooke said despite the fact that Grier leaned more toward high fashion rather than commercial modeling, her fears still loomed over her.

“She’s interested in runway,” Brooke said and added, “That’s brutal, and backstage is just brutal. I never did runway. I don’t think I would’ve been able to handle it.”

However, as an understanding parent, Brooke knew that trying to control her daughter to an excessive degree wasn’t the way to go about it either. So, she laid some ground rules.

“I finally had to give in and say, ‘If you’re gonna do this, A) I’m not gonna be your manager. You’re going to be with an agency. You are gonna have a great work ethic. It’s not going to be comfortable and you’re gonna listen to me. Those are my rules. And you’re going to college,’” Brooke recounted.

In acknowledging just how brutal the industry can be, Brooke conceded her mom was “probably was how I could survive,” in part due to how much Teri was a “mama bear” and “so protective.”

“On the one hand, I was very naive, and on the other, I was just thrown into this crazy world,” Brooke said.

The “Suddenly Susan” star added despite her apprehension, she knew if modeling was what Grier “was really passionate about,” the best thing she could do as a parent would be to support her fully.

What do you think of Brooke Shields’ reaction toward her daughter’s interest in pursuing modeling? Let us know your thoughts and be sure to pass this along to friends and family who might be interested in this story, too.