- Born
- Birth nameBrooke Christa Shields
- Nickname
- Brookie
- Height6′ (1.83 m)
- "Want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." If you have not heard of Brooke Shields before, this tagline from her Calvin Klein Jeans ad had to grab your attention. Not that she has not had a previously noteworthy resume. She was born on May 31, 1965 in New York City, to Teri (Schmon) and Frank Shields. At age 12, she starred as a child prostitute in Pretty Baby (1978). Could this movie even be made today? It was considered risky and controversial in 1978. It was followed by another blockbuster, the romance adventure drama The Blue Lagoon (1980). Brooke has proved herself to be so much more than her early films. Her broad range of work as an adult would be quite an achievement for anyone, especially given how difficult transitioning from child actor to adult often is.
She has never stopped working, whether it be a Bob Hope Christmas special, her own sitcom Suddenly Susan (1996) or as an author. She also managed to work on a degree from Princeton University. She has received a number of awards during her career, most notably The People's Choice award for 1981 through 1984 in the category of Favorite Young Performer. In 1997, she was honored again with The People's Choice award for Favorite Female Performer in a New Television Series in 1997 for her work in Suddenly Susan (1996). In her personal life, she was married in 1997 to tennis player Andre Agassi and was devastated when they divorced two years later. She married for the second time in 2001 to Chris Henchy. She has been open about using fertility treatments to become pregnant with their daughter, Rowan, born in 2003.
When suffering debilitating depression after the birth of her daughter, she made the decision to put her feelings down on paper. Her book, "Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression," takes a hard, honest look at what she and many other women experience after childbirth. She still lives in New York City, and is still sought after for work in movies, television, and on stage. Pretty nice list of achievements for the once Calvin Klein jeans girl.- IMDb mini biography by: Sheryl Reeder (sherry@reeder.com)
- SpousesChris Henchy(April 4, 2001 - present) (2 children)Andre Agassi(April 19, 1997 - April 9, 1999) (annulled)
- Children
- Parents
- RelativesFrank Shields Sr.(Grandparent)Alessandro Lecquio(Cousin)
- Her dark, thick eyebrows
- Her "wholesome" image
- Brown hair and green eyes
- Statuesque, model-like figure
- The episode of Friends (1994) in which she appeared was the show's highest rated episode drawing 52.9 million viewers. NBC executives were so impressed with her, that they gave Shields her own sitcom: Suddenly Susan (1996) which lasted four successful seasons.
- Following a much publicized dispute with Tom Cruise over her use of psychiatric medicine to overcome depression, Cruise came to her home in 2006 and personally apologized to her for his criticism. Touched by the gesture, she accepted his apology.
- Her great-grandmother, Mary Elsie Moore, was the sister of Glenn Close's grandfather.
- Princeton graduate in June 1987 with a bachelor's degree in French Literature, with a minor in Italian, but says she spent most of her time making pottery, to relax.
- Was the youngest guest star to appear on The Muppet Show (1976). Brooke appeared in the show's final season when she was 15 years old.
- Brooke's joking comment on her TV commercials for jeans: "If my jeans could talk, I'd be ruined." (1980)
- "I'm so naive about finances. Once when my mother mentioned an amount and I realized I didn't understand, she had to explain: 'That's like three Mercedes.' Then I understood." (1981)
- "I'm always amazed when people assume things about me - that foul language must upset me, or someone's being gay must upset me. They think, 'O-o-oh, she's the most celebrated virgin.' And really, I was surrounded by such an eclectic group of people my whole life." (2000)
- People think of me as a mannequin, all show and no substance.
- After 9/11, I am proud to live downtown. There's something slightly defiant about living down here. (2004)
- Wet Gold (1984) - $700,000
- Sahara (1984) - $1,500,000
- Endless Love (1981) - $500,000
- Just You and Me, Kid (1979) - $250,000
- Wanda Nevada (1983) - $150,000
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