Brooke Shields Book Bombshells: Tom Cruise, Bradley Cooper and More

In the 1980s, nothing got between Brooke Shields and her Calvins.

These days, it seems as if nothing gets between real life and the comments section.

Brooke Shields shared during an interview on Good Morning America, prior to the January 14th launch of her new book titled “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old”, that she encountered a comment on one of her Instagram Lives along the lines of “I wish you looked the way you used to”. Upon reading this, she expressed her surprise with “Really?”.

The 59-year-old couldn’t help but chuckle, as that’s simply not the way things function – neither for her nor anyone else.

While trying to respond to the rapid stream of comments, Shields reflected, “I realized, ‘Gosh, we’re all so disconnected. Let’s discover happiness within this situation.’

Due to this, she chose to pen another autobiography, focusing on her experience of growing older in the public limelight. She was a youth who gained fame for her beauty and was seemingly pressured to maintain an appearance that suggested she stepped out of the ’80s Blue Lagoon movie at any given moment.

Instead of pursuing youth as the beauty industry suggests, we should contemplate our past regrets – “What if, what if” – and actress Brooke Shields, mother of daughters Rowan (21) and Grier (18), expressed this sentiment on Good Morning America. She believes it’s crucial to remember one’s journey, but also finds it uplifting to acknowledge, “I may not know my future, but I am here.

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Through a mix of wit and modesty, Brooke highlights and critiques the structural elements that lead to age-based prejudice.

She occasionally longs for things to be slightly elevated and snugger, yet she also acknowledged, “Regardless, I’ve rightfully acquired every feature on my face.

In her recently published memoir, she confessed that mistaking a wrinkle for dust on the camera lens while having her picture taken was an enlightening moment for her.

During a mole check-up appointment with a dermatologist, he indicated, while gesturing towards various areas on her face, “I can address all these concerns of yours.

Here are the biggest revelations from Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old:

Brooke Shields was initially reluctant to speak out about postpartum depression.

In her memoir titled “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Age“, she expressed her greatest concern at that time was being reduced to a pitiful tale – “oh dear, Brooke Shields cries” – due to her fortunate past. Interestingly, she once pondered if the sorrow she felt after welcoming daughter Rowan Henchy in 2003 might have been some sort of retribution for decades of good fortune she had experienced.

Ultimately the possibility that she might help other women feel less alone won out.

In a memorable interview on the Today show in June 2005, Tom Cruise left Brooke Shields taken aback when he criticized her for expressing that antidepressants had been beneficial to her.

At a younger age, she might not have defended herself, as she confessed in the book. However, after reaching 40, instead of allowing myself to be a target for abuse, I chose to retaliate. She wrote an op-Ed piece for the New York Times (despite her publicist’s advice not to respond to his comments), standing up to Cruise and criticizing his “unfounded rant” about a condition he would never endure.

Later on, Cruise visited Shields’ home to express his apologies. This was disclosed to Jay Leno during a 2006 episode of The Tonight Show. It was confirmed by the actor’s representative that they had made up, but they added that Cruise hadn’t altered his stance on antidepressants.

At the wedding of Cruise and Katie Holmes in November, Shields penned in her memoir that his apology wasn’t perfect, yet it represented the limit of his abilities, and she graciously accepted it.

Coincidentally, Shields’ second child, Grier Henchy, and Suri Cruise share the same birthdate, April 18, 2006. Remarkably, they both entered the world at the same Santa Monica, California hospital.

As I stepped out, I couldn’t help but notice the swarm of cameras and media vans clamoring outside. It turned out to be an awkward moment when a nurse discreetly shared that the commotion wasn’t about me, but rather Tom, Katie, and their newly-born daughter.

In the year 2014, Shields entered into a contract for 16 movies with the Hallmark Channel. However, following the production of just three Flower-Shop Mystery films, she found it necessary to rediscuss and adjust the terms of her deal.

In my professional journey, I was brought on board to inject some wit and laughter into the television network, yet the amusing essence seemed to vanish from the enigmatic TV show we were working on.

In her own words, she mentioned that walking away from an unsuitable deal was something she wouldn’t have considered in her twenties. However, as she grew older, the self-assurance needed to terminate such deals when they weren’t advantageous to her, developed with time.

As an ardent admirer, I’ve always held my beloved role model, Teri Shields, in high esteem. She once imparted wisdom that work is work, and one should never demean oneself by doing anything beneath them. However, there’s a certain charm in the ability to be selective and discriminating, only after proving oneself worthy through hard work.

Previously, Shields mentioned experiencing a grand mal seizure at a restaurant in New York City back in 2023. When she regained consciousness, Bradley Cooper – a neighbor of hers – was found to have been holding her hand. This happened because the hostess contacted Shields’ assistant, who then reached out to Cooper’s assistant, who eventually got in touch with Cooper himself.

Cooper joined her in the ambulance ride to the hospital, and as she recounts in her book, “I discovered not just a grand mal seizure was diagnosed, but also an embarrassing incident where I wet myself. (Trivia: The only thing more humiliating than wetting yourself is learning later that you did so while being escorted by Bradley Cooper.)

Brooke Shields’ seizure occurred due to excessive hydration, as she had consumed large amounts of water before performing in her cabaret show, titled “Previously Owned by Brooke Shields“. This excessive intake disrupted her sodium levels.

At the hospital, she penned down that one of the most aggravating aspects of her ordeal was when certain male doctors inquired if she’d been reducing her salt consumption and reprimanded her saying, “It’s not advisable for you to minimize your salt intake only for the purpose of shedding water weight.

According to Shields, she had been consuming less food, which was primarily caused by nervousness.

Instead of considering a response involving a slap with soiled pants, Shields opted to express herself more diplomatically, saying, “I’m a fifty-eight-year-old woman. It seems ironic that when I’m bloated, I appear younger. Consuming salt is like a natural facial treatment for me. No, I haven’t been restricting my salt intake with the intention of losing weight or looking slimmer.

In her mid-30s, Shields had an unusual pap smear result which led to a cone biopsy procedure, during which abnormal cells were removed from her cervix.

In her report, she noted that the process had been completed successfully, however, nobody informed her about the fact that she was stuffed with gauze to stop the bleeding. It was only when the gauze was removed that she observed some blood.

In her own words, she wasn’t being dramatic when she described feeling as if she was bleeding profusely and on the verge of death, or giving birth to something unexpected, which she hadn’t realized was inside her. She expressed that it seemed like her entire uterus had slipped out onto the bathroom floor.

Furthermore, I must confess, I hadn’t been given a heads up about the possibility of such extensive scar tissue building up within her body, which could potentially complicate her journey towards motherhood.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the biopsy had led to a contraction and shrinkage of her cervix. Consequently, when she underwent in-vitro fertilization (IVF), the doctors were compelled to access her uterus via her navel rather than the usual route through the uterine canal to implant the embryo.

In 2006, Shields experienced a pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage three months into it. She shared this personal story in her book titled “Down Came the Rain.

In her 2025 memoir, Shields pointed out that a male physician neglected to inform her about potential side effects from the biopsy. Meanwhile, a woman specializing in fertility clarified that the process probably impacted her chances of becoming pregnant.

Shields determined that she would have undergone the biopsy regardless, but he expressed his preference for having been provided with the specifics in advance, allowing him to give properly informed consent.

On Shields’ journey towards understanding that doctors may not always be infallible, she encountered another challenging episode, reinforcing her belief that she is her own strongest ally in advocating for her physical wellbeing.

After becoming a mother of two, Shields chose to have a procedure known as labial reduction, not for cosmetic reasons but due to persistent discomfort she’d experienced since high school. She often joked with her close friend, who shared the same issue, about it feeling like carrying “two small punching bags” between them.

Since it was viewed as a purely aesthetic treatment, Shields was recommended to a renowned plastic surgeon in Los Angeles who specialized in male patients, known for his exceptional skills.

Following my four-hour procedure, my physician shared that he had additionally performed a subtle enhancement in that area, explaining that everything becomes slightly less taut post-pregnancy due to its natural loosening. This was what I jotted down in my notes.

She informed the doctor that she had undergone two Caesarean sections, but his response made her feel as if she owed him a favor. Shocked yet speechless, she later described driving home in a daze.

According to Shields, the “bonus procedure” didn’t enhance her intimate relationships, but had she been satisfied with the outcome, she would still have felt angry. She never pursued legal action, and at one point, she even questioned whether she might be misinterpreting the situation and was in fact fortunate for the complimentary experience.

But fast-forward to now, she wrote, and “my reaction wouldn’t be so generous.”

In fact, she added, “My sentiment is basically a giant middle finger. F–k that guy!”

Although Shields appears more self-assured and insightful now compared to her 20s, it doesn’t imply that she hasn’t experimented with various beauty techniques aimed at counteracting the effects of aging.

From my experience as a dancer with kinesiology tape, she shared: ‘Whenever I have an upcoming film promotion or modeling gig, I’ve discovered the trick of taping my thighs to my Spanx. This involves lifting my skin from the knees and sticking it to my shapewear, providing an instant (and surgically-unnecessary) lift.’

She mentioned that perhaps someday she might accept going gray, but at present, this brunette has her roots colored.

Shields, too, undergoes Fraxel and laser treatments to achieve an even skin tone. She confesses that she favors a put-together appearance in public, just in case photographers are present.

Although she was crowned beautiful at a young age and achieved global fame as the face of Calvin Klein, Shields was made aware, in clear terms, what distinguished her from the top-tier models of her era.

She wrote, “I was explicitly informed that I didn’t meet the standards for a runway model because I wasn’t thin enough.

And being told she didn’t have the “right body” became a state of mind.

In her words, “Above the neck, I resembled Brooke Shields, but my body seemed to inhabit an alternate dimension. This peculiar sensation lingers, regardless of who one may be.

Shields married Andre Agassi in 1997 after several years of dating, but they divorced in 1999.

When she shared her fears about gaining weight during pregnancy and asked him if he would continue to love her when she became larger, Shields wrote, observing that she was referring to her future weight gain. His reply was, “I care for you deeply enough not to allow you to become overweight!

Admittedly, I understand that wasn’t the direction our conversation was heading, but let’s be honest about past relationships – we both know where it ended up. So, shall we shift focus and discuss more positive aspects instead?

In his 2009 memoir “Open”, Agassi explained several reasons why he and Shields were not compatible. Before their marriage, as part of her intense pre-marital preparation routine, Agassi mentioned that she placed a picture of Steffi Graf (with whom he has been married since 2001) on the fridge to serve as motivation.

In April 2016, while working on the set of Daisy Winters in Savannah, Ga., Shields vividly remembered experiencing a particularly intense hot flash. It was so severe that production had to halt momentarily because the makeup artist struggled to keep up with wiping her down quickly enough.

Applying a mixture of cold water and Sea Breeze astringent to her neck solved the issue, as Shields penned, yet she continued to express sincere apologies.

She was almost 51 at the time, but admittedly was startled to find out she was in perimenopause.

She mentioned that it hadn’t crossed her mind before, which might seem odd but, as she has discovered, is surprisingly typical.

Around a year or so down the line, Shields’ physician suggested hormonal therapy involving estrogen and progesterone to alleviate some of the harsher symptoms associated with menopause.

She acknowledged that choosing a treatment course is a matter best decided between an individual and their physician. However, Shields has found the low-dose regimen particularly beneficial for herself and continues to use hormones up until now.

In 1996, when Shields appeared as a guest on the popular sitcom Friends, she took the opportunity to playfully retaliate against Matthew Perry, who had a recurring joke where he’d dash towards an attractive woman, mimicking sliding into home plate, and attempt to glance up her skirt.

Instead, consider this rephrased version: She held back until the opportune instant on the set, then sprinted towards Perry, knelt down and acted as if she was looking up his trousers.

Overwhelmed by sudden anxiety at the last moment, questioning her audacity for such an action, she felt reassured upon seeing Perry laugh.

In the year 1999, Brooke encountered her husband Chris Henchy at a gym situated within the Warner Bros. studio complex, while she was acting in the NBC sitcom ‘Suddenly Susan’. Interestingly, as per her own account in her book, she was then married to Agassi at that time.

However, it wasn’t until the year after her divorce and amidst several personal upheavals that she began dating the writer-producer, Henchy. His chivalrous demeanor, reminiscent of a knight in shining armor, was appealing to her.

Initially, Shields confessed that when she and Henchy started their relationship, she imagined they would form a dynamic duo in Hollywood, creating numerous projects jointly.

Eventually, however, she realized there was enough work out there for the both of them, separately.

In his writing, Shields admitted that he was unfair and overburdening both him and our relationship. Eventually, he informed him that unless a role tailored for him was written, he needed to be removed from the selection process since he couldn’t continue auditioning for him.

Instead of saying “She wrote,” we could rephrase it as “She put it into words.” Experiencing rejection from a crowd of creative minds, including her husband, would be tough on her self-esteem, she put it into words.

In essence, keeping their family relationships at the forefront was a key factor in maintaining their long-lasting marriage. Now that their children have grown, they’ve shifted focus to rekindling the very aspects that initially attracted them to each other, aiming to strengthen those connections once more.

2025-01-14 16:18

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