Brooke Shields is sharing a candid and vulnerable look into her life, focusing on her personal struggles with body image and the impact of her marriage to tennis star Andre Agassi. 

In her new memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, the 59-year-old actress reveals how these issues shaped her perception of herself and her relationships over the years.

One of the more striking revelations from the book comes from her marriage to Agassi. 

Shields recounts a moment that left her feeling deeply unsettled when Agassi, during a conversation about her body, gave her a backhanded compliment that left her “spinning.” 

In the memoir, Shields writes that Agassi told her she wasn’t “runway worthy” because she wasn’t “skinny enough.” 

This comment, she explains, made her question her self-worth and fed into the insecurities she had about her appearance throughout her career.

Shields, who became famous at a young age, reflects on how her identity was shaped by being called “the face” and how that label made her feel as if her worth was tied solely to her looks. She writes, “Being told you are ‘the face,’ you begin to believe that’s all you are — a face,” adding that she often felt her body existed in a separate, almost disconnected reality. This struggle with body image was not new to her, as the pressures of being in the spotlight often meant her appearance was scrutinized by others, whether it was on movie sets or in the media.

During her brief marriage to Agassi, Shields opened up about these insecurities, hoping for reassurance. However, when she voiced her concerns about her body, Agassi’s response wasn’t the comforting reassurance she had hoped for. “When I would profess my insecurities to my first husband, he would always say, ‘I wish you could see yourself the way I see you,’” she writes. But one particular conversation, when she asked, “Will you still love me if I’m big and fat?” after pregnancy, took a turn she didn’t expect. Agassi’s response — “I love you too much to let you get big and fat!” — left her shocked and emotional. Shields admits that this comment caused her to “spin a bit,” and looking back, she acknowledges how it contributed to the breakdown of their relationship.

Shields and Agassi married in 1997, but their union ended in 1999. The couple didn’t have children together, a fact that Shields now says she’s grateful for, citing a comment Agassi made during their divorce. “Be thankful we didn’t have children,” Shields recalls him saying, “because I would not have made this easy for you.” That statement, she writes, has stayed with her, as she reflects on how difficult their marriage was and how much harder it could have been if they had children.

In addition to these reflections on her marriage, Shields also opens up about other pivotal moments in her life, including the public feud she had with actor Tom Cruise in 2005. Cruise famously criticized Shields for taking medication to treat postpartum depression, a period in which Shields was struggling with her mental health after the birth of her first daughter. The controversy highlighted the challenges Shields faced, not just in her personal life, but also as a public figure trying to navigate criticism and expectations from all sides.

Today, Shields is happily married to Chris Henchy, with whom she shares two daughters, Rowan and Grier. In her memoir, she explores her journey of aging as a woman in the public eye, addressing the societal pressures and personal battles she’s faced throughout her life. Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman offers a raw, honest look at the realities of growing older, dealing with body image, and navigating relationships — both personal and professional.

Shields’ memoir is more than just a recounting of past events; it’s a reflection on how she’s grown as a person, and how the challenges she faced shaped her into the woman she is today. Her story serves as an important reminder that even those who seem to have it all on the surface are often grappling with their own insecurities and struggles. For anyone who has ever faced pressure about their appearance or felt defined by others’ expectations, Shields’ journey is one that will resonate deeply.

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