Brooke Shields reflected on being sexualized as a child actress in Hollywood.
The 58-year-old actress rose to fame at the age of 11, playing a child prostitute in the controversial 1978 film Pretty Baby, in which Shields appeared in multiple nude scenes. When Shields was 10 years old, she posed naked for Playboy magazine, “Sugar ‘n Spice.”
On Friday, Shields appeared alongside Duchess Meghan and Katie Couric on the SXSW panel “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Stories: How Women Lead on and Off Screen” to commemorate International Women’s Day. During her panel discussion, she specifically reflected on the “sexualization” of young women in our country.
“I was at the center of it,” Shields said. “And I was promoting it and running it.”
Brooke Shields has opened up about being sexually objectified as a child actress. (Getty)
She continued, “I was lucky because I had a very strong mother. I never moved to Hollywood. I always went to regular schools.”
“So I had a community around me that protected me and encouraged me. That’s why I wasn’t a statistic like Hollywood was making me out to be.” Shields added.
“Hollywood is predicated on eating young animals.”
Shields spoke about his experience during a panel discussion at SXSW. (Gary Miller/Getty Images)
Shields’ late mother, Terry, who managed Shields’ career from her debut as a model at 11 months old until she was in her 20s, often faced backlash for forcing her daughter to take on risqué roles from an early age.terry Died at the age of 79 After a long battle with dementia, he returned in 2012.
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While appearing on a panel at SXSW, Shields also opened up about ageism in Hollywood.
“At 58, she’s too old to be a bride, but she’s not yet a grandmother,” Shields said.
She continued, “My reaction, instead of being angry, was to appreciate women over 40 and appreciate their life experiences, ‘We’ve raised our children, we’ve had our families, we’ve raised ours too.’ I think it’s about finding filmmakers that we admire and weeding them out.” “We’ve had businesses, we’ve had professional lives, we’ve left them, and we’ve come back to them.”
“There are people out there who want to provide programming for women of that age.”
“My entire career has been built on beauty. Now that I’m older, I want my message to be gratitude, but beauty as health,” she added. Ta. “We’re more than just an anti-wrinkle cream.”
“We need to change the narrative and say there is beauty in these times.”
Shields appeared on Friday alongside Meghan Markle, Katie Couric, Brooke Shields and Nancy Wang Yuen. (Getty)
Last year, Shields starred in Hulu’s two-part documentary series “Pretty Baby,” a comprehensive look back at the actress’ career and detailing the intense media scrutiny she faced as a child actress.
In an interview with The Associated Press, the model explained why opening up about her sexual assault by an anonymous industry professional was the most difficult part of telling her life story.
she continued. “But I knew that if I didn’t do it, it would have made me feel like a hypocrite or inauthentic. I couldn’t talk about it until now, and in a way I owe you.” I felt like there was one.” to yourself. “
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“And I was expecting just one short article for whatever minutes out of two hours. I mean, I knew it was going to be clickbait, but I was worried that I would be let down by the press again.” was doing.”
The two-time Golden Globe nominee explained that she has developed coping mechanisms to deal with the relentless press. Late mother’s drinking problem.
“I think that’s what happens to children of alcoholics,” she told The Associated Press. “You know, you really learn to compartmentalize.”
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she continued. “You love someone who is so hurt and has a disease that you can’t control. But that doesn’t mean that love isn’t real.”
“So when I felt like things were out of control, I became very organized. That was my center, my meditation. So I started redoing my Filofax, refolding my socks. It’s what you do.”
Shields spoke about her complicated relationship with her mother, Terry, in the documentary “Pretty Baby.” (Jack Mitchell)
Shields also reflected that he gained confidence in his abilities that he didn’t have when he was younger. The “A Castle For Christmas” star elaborated on the meaning behind his statement in her documentary that he “fully owns my identity.”
“For a long time, I made myself small in order to be empathetic, to avoid being intimidated and humbled,” she told The Associated Press.
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She continued, “Don’t be a snob. Don’t be arrogant. Have people who like you. Be nice to everyone. This is how I grew up. It paid off for me.”
“What I’m saying is, it’s okay to pat yourself on the shoulder a little bit and say I’m really talented, because if I wasn’t I wouldn’t still be here. It’s not just because I’m smart or smart or anything. It’s because I look a certain way. I’ve maintained a career and continued to challenge myself. But I don’t think I ever felt confident enough to say it out loud. I always just wanted other people to recognize my talent, I never thought about it myself. could give it to. ”
