Brooke Shields facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brooke Shields
Shields in 2022
Born	Brooke Christa Shields (1965-05-31) May 31, 1965 (age 60) New York City, New York, U.S.
Education	Princeton University (BA)
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	1966–present
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Spouse(s)	Andre Agassi ​ ​ (m. 1997; div. 1999)​ Chris Henchy ​ (m. 2001)​
Children	2
Parents	Francis Alexander Shields (father) Teri Shields (mother)
Relatives	Frank Shields (grandfather) Marina Torlonia di Civitella-Cesi (grandmother) Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince of Civitella-Cesi (grand-uncle)

Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She started modeling when she was very young, at just 11 months old. Brooke became widely known at age 12 for her main role in the film Pretty Baby (1978). She continued modeling through her teenage years and starred in several movies in the 1980s, like The Blue Lagoon (1980) and Endless Love (1981).

In 1983, Brooke paused her modeling career to attend Princeton University. She earned a degree in Romance languages. In the 1990s, Shields returned to acting. She appeared in the TV shows Suddenly Susan (1996–2000) and Lipstick Jungle (2008–2009). For Suddenly Susan, she received two Golden Globe nominations.

In 2017, Shields had a big recurring role in the TV show Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She also lent her voice to the animated series Mr. Pickles (2014–2019) and its spin-off Momma Named Me Sheriff.

Early Life and Family

Brooke Shields was born in Manhattan, New York City, on May 31, 1965. Her mother was actress and model Teri Shields, and her father was businessman Francis Alexander Shields. Her family background includes English, German, Irish, Welsh, French, and Italian roots.

Brooke's paternal grandmother, Marina Torlonia di Civitella-Cesi, was an Italian noblewoman. Her great-uncle, Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince of Civitella-Cesi, was married to Infanta Beatriz of Spain, who was a Spanish princess.

Brooke's parents divorced when she was only five months old. She has two stepbrothers and three half-sisters. Her mother wanted her to be in show business from a very young age. Growing up, Brooke took lessons in piano, ballet, and horse-riding.

Shields was raised in the Roman Catholic faith. For her confirmation at age 10, she chose the name Camille. She attended the Dwight-Englewood School in Englewood, New Jersey, and graduated in 1983.

Career Highlights

Early Modeling and Acting (1966–1977)

Brooke Shields began her career as a model at just 11 months old in 1966. Her very first job was for Ivory Soap. She worked with famous model agent Eileen Ford, who even started a children's division just for Brooke. Ford described her as a "professional child" who looked and thought like an adult.

After a TV role in 1974, Shields made her first movie appearance in the horror film Alice, Sweet Alice (1976). She played a young girl who is murdered. The film was later re-released when she became more famous. She also worked with director Woody Allen in his 1977 film Annie Hall, but her part was cut from the final movie.

Brooke and her mother appeared on the cover of New York Magazine in 1977, highlighting her growing modeling career.

Breakthrough Film Roles (1978–1979)

At age 11, Shields was chosen for the main role in French director Louis Malle's film Pretty Baby (1978). She played a character named Violet.

She also appeared on the cover of People magazine in May 1978. Other movies she starred in around this time included Wanda Nevada and Tilt, both released in 1979.

Modeling and More Movies (1980–1981)

In 1980, at 14, Brooke Shields became the youngest fashion model ever to appear on the cover of Vogue. Later that year, she was featured in popular print and TV ads for Calvin Klein jeans. These ads helped make Calvin Klein a superstar brand.

Shields in 1986

Her next big film role was in The Blue Lagoon (1980). In the same year, she was the youngest guest star on The Muppet Show, where she and the Muppets performed their own version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She was also the youngest person to host ABC's Fridays, a sketch comedy show, in 1981.

Her next major film was the drama Endless Love (1981). For her acting in this film, she received a nomination for the Razzie Award for worst actress.

Brooke won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Young Performer for four years in a row, from 1981 to 1984. She also appeared in public service announcements for the American Lung Association, encouraging people not to smoke.

By age 16, Shields was one of the most recognized faces in the United States. This was due to her successful careers as a model and actress. Time magazine reported in 1981 that she earned $10,000 a day as a model. She also became a regular at New York City's famous nightclub Studio 54.

In the mid-1980s, Shields began supporting the USO by touring with Bob Hope, entertaining military personnel.

Sahara and College Break (1983–1987)

Shields played a main role in the film Sahara (1983). The movie was not successful with critics or financially. For her role in Sahara, Shields won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor.

After a small appearance in The Muppets Take Manhattan, Shields took a break from her career to focus on her studies. She enrolled at Princeton University in 1983 and graduated in 1987 with a degree in French literature. She was part of the Princeton Triangle Club and the Cap and Gown Club. Her autobiography, On Your Own, was published in 1985.

Film, Stage, and TV Roles (1988–1999)

Shields aboard USS Midway during a USO tour on January 1, 1991

Shields starred in the 1989 movie Brenda Starr. This film had many delays due to legal issues and was not well-received when it finally came out. Critics gave it very negative reviews.

In 1993, Shields made a guest appearance in an episode of The Simpsons called "The Front". The next year, she played Rizzo in the 1994 Broadway revival of Grease.

In 1996, Shields played a character who stalked Joey Tribbiani in an episode of the popular comedy show Friends. This role led to her being cast as the main character in the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan. She starred in this show from 1996 to 2000. For her work, she won a People's Choice Award in 1997 and received two Golden Globe nominations.

Shields at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival

More TV and Film Work (2000–2010)

In 2001, Brooke Shields played Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of Cabaret for four months.

In 2004, Shields had several guest appearances on That '70s Show. She played Pam Burkhart, the mother of Jackie (Mila Kunis). Shields later left the show.

In September 2004, she took over the role of Ruth Sherwood in the 2003 revival of Wonderful Town. Her performance was highly praised. In April 2005, Shields played Roxie Hart in a production of Chicago in London. Later that year, she played the role again on Broadway. This made her the first actress to have starred in Chicago, Cabaret, and Grease on Broadway.

Shields also narrated a musical piece called The Runaway Bunny. It was performed by the Royal Philharmonic.

Shields in 2008

In the late 2000s, Shields made guest appearances on shows like Nip/Tuck and Two and a Half Men. In 2005, she appeared in an episode of HBO's Entourage. In 2007, she guest-starred on Disney's Hannah Montana, playing Susan Stewart, the mother of Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus). In 2008, she returned to prime time in the drama Lipstick Jungle, which ended a year later.

Starting in 2010, she made guest appearances on The Middle as a neighbor. She also appeared on the genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are?. On the show, it was discovered that she is a distant cousin of King Louis XIV of France.

Recent Work (2011–Present)

Shields took on the role of Morticia Addams in the Broadway musical The Addams Family starting in June 2011.

Since 2013, Shields has been an occasional guest co-host on the Today show on NBC. She also had a recurring role in Season Nineteen of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She played Sheila Porter, the grandmother of Olivia Benson's (Mariska Hargitay) adopted son.

Shields is the subject of the 2023 documentary, Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields. This two-part series, which aired on Hulu, explores her journey from a young girl to a powerful woman.

In 2024, Shields was chosen as the president of the Actors' Equity Association. She also starred in the Netflix film Mother of the Bride alongside Miranda Cosgrove.

Other Media

Shields has written three books. In 2006, she wrote Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression, sharing her experience with postpartum depression. In 2015, she published There Was a Little Girl about her relationship with her mother. In 2025, she published Brooke Shields is not Allowed to Get Old about aging as a woman.

In 2022, she launched a podcast called Now What? The podcast focuses on how people deal with challenges in their lives.

Personal Life

Shields with husband Chris Henchy in 2010

As a child, Brooke lived with her mother in Manhattan. In the 1990s, she bought a ranch in Big Timber, Montana. She also had a home in Los Angeles for many years.

Shields has been married twice. In 1993, she started a relationship with tennis star Andre Agassi. They married in 1997 and divorced in 1999.

In 1999, she met television writer Chris Henchy. They married in 2001. They have two daughters: Rowan Francis Henchy, born in 2003, and Grier Hammond Henchy, born in 2006. As of 2012, they were living in Greenwich Village, New York City.

Postpartum Depression

Between April and May 2005, Brooke Shields spoke publicly about her struggle with postpartum depression. This is a type of depression that can affect mothers after childbirth. Her book, Down Came the Rain, talks about her experience and has helped raise awareness about this condition.

Friendship with Michael Jackson

On July 7, 2009, Brooke Shields spoke at the memorial service for Michael Jackson. She shared that she first met Jackson when she was 13 years old, and they became instant friends. Shields said they had a very natural and easy friendship. She mentioned that they both had to grow up very early, but when they were together, they were like "two little kids having fun."

In her speech, she shared stories, including a time they snuck into Elizabeth Taylor's room at her wedding. Shields gave a tearful speech, remembering their many shared memories. She also mentioned Jackson's favorite song, "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin.

Jackson stated in a 1993 interview that he was dating Shields at the time. Shields has also said that Jackson asked her to marry him many times.

Relationship with Media

After Brooke Shields graduated from Princeton University, her college grades were published in Life magazine in 1987. The New York Times wrote an article about it, noting that she got good grades. The article discussed how her education at Princeton was viewed.

This article showed the intense media attention Brooke Shields faced, especially after her 1978 film Pretty Baby.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

• 

  Shields in 2022

• 

  Shields in 1986

• 

  Shields aboard USS Midway during a USO tour on January 1, 1991

• 

  Shields at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival

• 

  Shields in 2008

• 

  Shields with husband Chris Henchy in 2010

See also

In Spanish: Brooke Shields para niños