Brooke Shields Takes Charge Of Her Story In ‘Pretty Baby’

NEW YORK — Brooke Shields has been dubbed “beautiful, smart, and famous” since she was a baby, but a new documentary explains why it took her decades to believe in her abilities.

“Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” is a firsthand examination of her success as a model, actor, author, and now lifestyle entrepreneur, despite being sexualized and objectified at a young age and managing her alcoholic mother — the original “momager,” Teri Shields — with a dazzling array of archival photos and footage, and in-depth interviews with Shields.

“Pretty Baby,” like other recent documentaries on Britney Spears and Pamela Anderson, contains a cringeworthy barrage of media clips in which mostly older men reduce her to a pretty face and are uninterested in her responses to their queries. The film, which will be released in two parts on Hulu on Monday, examines how women were treated in the 1980s and 1990s, with Shields disclosing she was the victim of a sexual assault by a Hollywood executive after graduating from college.

Shields recently spoke with The Associated Press about what she learned from the project, how she gained confidence after being shamed for her personal choices, and how she views her future.

The responses have been modified for length and clarity.

AP: In the series, you state, “I’m fully owning my identity.” What do you mean?

Shields: For so long, I made myself small, either to be relatable or to avoid being menacing or humbled, you know? Don’t be a jerk. Don’t be conceited. Have individuals who admire you. Everyone should be treated with respect. This was how I grew up, and I was awarded for it. It’s fine to give myself a gentle slap on the back. It’s fine to state I have talent because I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. It’s not just because I’m clever or have a certain appearance. I’ve kept working and challenging myself, and I never felt confident enough to say it aloud. I’d always desired other people’s approval for my talent, never imagining I could give it to myself.

AP: The documentary outlines the press’s years of scrutiny of you; how have you felt promoting the series?

Shields: I noticed no one desired my answers when I was a little girl. They wished to base their story on the soundbite I gave them. And, as is my wont, I refused to give it to them in my manner. I no longer feel on the defensive because I’ve realized that I’m not at the mercy of others. Looking back, I can see that’s what I was doing, and I don’t have to do it anymore, which is very liberating, but it took 40-something years. (laughs).

AP: What was the most difficult aspect of the program to reveal?

SHIELDS: I was concerned about the #MeToo movement simply because I didn’t want it reduced to a story. But I knew that if I didn’t, I’d feel like a phony or inauthentic. I hadn’t been able to speak about it until now, and it felt like you owed it to yourself. And I just prayed that out of two hours and however many minutes, the one brief story — I mean, I knew it would be clickbait — I wouldn’t be let down by the press again.

AP: Does it sound like compartmentalizing was a survival strategy for you?

SHIELDS: I believe that occurs with an alcoholic’s child. You do learn to categorize, you know. You care about someone broken and suffering from a disease they can’t seem to manage. But you can’t afford for their affection to be fake. So, when things felt…out of control, I would become very orderly, which became my center, my meditation, redoing my Filofax or refolding my socks.

AP: Brooke, You recently founded a business dedicated to celebrating women’s lives after age 40. What makes that so essential to you?

SHIELDS: I decided at a young age that if I were going to speak about anything, it would be about issues that could benefit others. How can I not feel alone? I’ve wondered over the years. I can tell my story, and I’m confident it will resonate with someone else. Before COVID, I was healthy, worked out frequently, and felt good. I was so relaxed about everything. My children are fine. I enjoy my existence. I’m pleased with it.

The irony was that nothing was addressing me when I glanced outside myself. You know how your agents tell you, ‘Well, you’re of a certain age…’ I’m not deceased, and I’m not buried, come on! I was taken aback. It would help to recognize how difficult it is to reach this age with your wits about you, decent people in your life, and how much more there is.

AP: What are your current ambitions?

SHIELDS: To appear on another TV program. I’m desperate to find the correct (one) because “Suddenly Susan” was such a revelation to me, and it was the happiest time of my life. And I want to relive the experience because it was a very healthy, pure location for me. And I adored it.

SOURCE – (AP)