Brooke Shields is set to release a shocking documentary discussing the horrible sexualisation she experienced as a child actress and model, and in her later career.
The documentary, titled Pretty Baby, will see the 57-year-old speak out about the many controversies that have decorated her life, from her shocking debut film role as an 11-year-old, where she played a child sex worker, to her numerous sexualised photoshoots as a child and teen.
The documentary sees Shields recount and reflect on major experiences in her life, and reveals how she managed to take hold of her voice and agency.
Ahead, we reveal the five major bombshells revealed in the documentary, which comes out on April 3.
Watch the trailer for Pretty Baby above.
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1. Her most complicated relationship was with her mother, Teri Shields
In the documentary, Shields opens up about her relationship with her mother, Teri Shields, who also acted as her manager.
Teri and Brooke were incredibly intertwined, but the model struggled thanks to her mother's drinking problem, which was often openly written about in '80s tabloids.
Shields speaks about feeling responsible for keeping her mother alive as a child, her mother's need for intense control in her life and finding their relationship the most difficult to manage.
In fact, actress Laura Linney – of Love Actually and Ozark fame – recalls her and Shields hiding in dark rooms on multiple occasions when Teri came home drunk. They would apparently wait for Teri to pass out before re-emerging.
Shields eventually fired her mother as her manager.
2. Shields addresses her 'ridiculous' spat with Tom Cruise
In a now famous spat, Shields hit back at her Endless Love colleague Tom Cruise in 2005, after he openly criticised her use of antidepressants for her postpartum depression.
At the time, Shields had just released her book, Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression, while Cruise was promoting his 2005 movie War of the Worlds.
In an interview with Matt Lauer on The Today Show, Cruise discussed his issues with drugs, and called Shields "irresponsible" for taking antidepressants.
"When someone says [medication] has helped them, it is to cope, it didn't cure anything. There is no science. There is nothing that can cure them whatsoever," he said at the time. He then suggested Shields should take vitamins and do exercise instead.
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In response, Shields told People at the time: "Tom should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women who are experiencing postpartum depression decide what treatment options are best for them."
She also penned an op-ed for The New York Times, where she wrote, "I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Mr. Cruise has never suffered from postpartum depression."
Shields later revealed that Cruise came to her house and apologised.
3. Shields was sexually assaulted in her 20s
In the documentary, Shields recalls the moment she was raped by a Hollywood executive, saying, "I didn't fight. I just froze."
The model reveals that she had just graduated from Princeton University when the rape occurred.
She claims she went to dinner with the Hollywood executive, thinking she was set to land a movie role, when he invited her to make a call for a taxi from his hotel room. He assaulted her there.
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4. Her friends were concerned about the intensity of her fame
In the documentary, childhood friend and actress Laura Linney recalls watching on as Shields became more and more famous.
"I just always remember thinking I just hope she's ok," Linney says. "She was a young girl in an all-adult world."
5. Shields 'found her voice' after trying out comedy
By her 30s, Shields reveals she was desperate to find herself, so she pivoted to comedy.
The medium afforded her a surprising sense of freedom, and the benefits were tangible.
Her starring role in the sitcom Suddenly Susan in the early noughties brought her two Golden Globe nominations, and shed light on her naturally charismatic humour.
It was at this time that the documentary sees Shields had finally "found her voice".
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
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Title: The biggest bombshells from Brooke Shields' documentary, Pretty Baby
Sourced From: celebrity.nine.com.au/movies/brooke-shields-documentary-5-bombshells-from-pretty-baby/9698e64a-ddd5-470a-a68a-c6e2b6c1092a
Published Date: Wed, 22 Mar 2023 02:03:00 GMT
