Brooke Shields, one of the most iconic beauty figures and actresses of her generation, has captivated audiences for decades with her striking looks and undeniable talent. From her teenage breakthrough in Hollywood to becoming a global face for Calvin Klein, she seemed to embody confidence and perfection. But behind the glamour and the magazine covers, Shields battled painful criticism, much of it coming from the one person who should’ve protected her most—her mother. In a raw and emotional revelation, she recalls how her mother, Teri, who was also her manager, would drunkenly body-shame her, seeding insecurities that haunted her for years.
Despite being seen as a beauty icon, Shields never felt like one. “I modeled swimwear when I was 15, and even then I didn’t think I had a swimsuit body,” she shared. She was constantly described as “athletic,” “not rail-thin,” and “neck up” beautiful. These subtle criticisms chipped away at her self-esteem, and it wasn’t until her marriage to screenwriter Chris Henchy that she began to heal. His support helped her see herself in a new light. “He really celebrated my womanliness and my body,” she said. It was the kind of unconditional love and acceptance she had been denied for so long, and it helped her embrace her own beauty.
But her story holds even deeper pain. In a powerful and heartbreaking admission, Shields recently revealed that she was sexually assaulted by a Hollywood executive shortly after graduating from Princeton. For decades, she blamed herself and carried the trauma in silence. “I just froze,” she said of the moment, adding that people weren’t believed back then, and she feared her career would end if she spoke out. Now, through her new two-part documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, she’s telling her story—not just for herself, but for others who have suffered in silence. “I want to be an advocate for women to be able to speak their truth,” she said. And with her courage, she’s doing just that—breaking free of the silence and reclaiming her voice.