Brooke Shields claims she didn’t feel ‘personally damaged’ from playing the child prostitute Pretty baby at 11 years old, because that’s not her nature to be a victim.
The actress, 53, was cast as a child prostitute in the controversial period piece which was set in a New Orleans bordello, and had a nude scene and those which saw her character lost her virginity.
Brooke spoke to The Guardian to discuss whether she believes it is harmful as a culture that sexualizes young girls.
‘There’s something incredibly seductive about youth … I think it just has different forms and it’s how you survive it, and whether you choose to be victimised by it. I’m not a victim.
Brooke Shields (53) was an American actress who played a child prostitute on Pretty baby, aged 11. (pictured).
Brooke explained that growing up in New York was not detrimental because she had seen prostitution at 42nd Street. Pictured, at American Ballet Theatre’s Fall Gala in New York on 26 October 2021
Brooke stated that her upbringing in New York didn’t make it difficult to see themes like prostitution.
‘It takes five minutes to see – on the old 42nd Street – what prostitution was,’ she explained. “And I also felt very isolated from it all in real life. It was all fantasy in my head. I was only 22 when I became a virgin. I used to be an actor. It wasn’t something that I was ashamed of.
But, she admits to being unsure if the movie can be made in today’s time.
She stated, “I think you would need an actress older than the one playing,” I’m not sure of the current rules. [as if it’s an HR issue, rather than a societal one.]However, I was not personally affected by the incident.
Brooke with her mother in 1980, looking closer before they split.
Beauty: Brooke wanted her own business when she was in her twenties. Here they are in 1981
Brooke’s mother Teri, who was a prominent critic of Brooke’s death, has been accused of exploiting Brooke in her early years. She launched Brooke into showbiz when she was a baby.
They had a difficult relationship that ended in divorce. Teri was stern with her daughters career choices and Brooke felt she should be free.
Her daughter was just 11 months when she first signed her on. She once called her daughter a “beautiful doll”.
This was the beginning of a career as a child model, which would also include campaign for Colgate and Band-Aids.
Teri, a recovering addict to alcohol, raised eyebrows after she cast her eleven-year-old daughter as a child prostitute for 1978’s Pretty Baby. Brooke was 16 when Brooke appeared in Blue Lagoon. Many of Brooke’s scenes were shot naked.
Brooke Shields is an American actor who wears a thick, white blouse with heavy makeup. This still was taken from the film ‘Pretty Baby’, directed by Louis Malle, 1978.
Teri also organised for Brooke’s naked photographs to be taken by a photographer, when Brooke turned 10.
Brooke, a 15-year old Brooke, was allowed to star in famous Calvin Klein commercials. She provocatively declared that there is no stopping me from wearing Calvins.
Brooke said that Brooke didn’t believe her mother was being overly controlling. She saw it more as Brooke protecting her family.
She explained that she had never experienced a #MeToo moment and that her mom would take her to Studio 54.
“I went to school that day. Like, no one got near to me. She was my protector.
Brooke admits Hollywood is full of broken careers, and the lives of child stars. Brooke also says her attention on Teri was probably what prevented her from following the same path.
She said, “I don’t understand why I didn’t,” ‘I talk about it a lot in therapy, but I think because I was so…I had to keep my mother alive. My main focus was to keep her alive. We are the only people in the world.
Teri had previously justified her decision to let Brooke star in Pretty Baby. She told an American television show, a few decades later, that she saw total innocence.
“And two they have the sexy child, they have the person they like.
Shields said in the same interview that her accusers of exploiting her child had been jealous.
Brooke, for her part, said that it was only a job. Brooke said that she was not planning to become a prostitute when she grows up.