Brooke Shields Reveals the Tragic Reason Why Her Mother Never Let Her Date Anyone

Brooke Shields has always acknowledged the true dynamics of her relationship with her late mother without any denial. Renowned in the entertainment industry as Shields’ unwavering guardian and manager, their bond bore striking similarities to that of Drew Barrymore and her own mother. During an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show to discuss her newly released documentary, Pretty Baby, Shields candidly revealed the complexities of her relationship with her mother and the uncommon closeness they shared.

Turbulent mother-daughter relatonships

During the interview, the Endless Love actress disclosed that her mother, Teri Shields, who passed away in 2012, never dated anyone because she was “in love with her.”

Shields had recently criticized her for allowing her to appear in a renowned magazine at the young age of 10. The show’s host, Drew Barrymore, known for her role in E.T., could relate to Shields’ experiences, sharing her own stories about her own tumultuous relationship with her mother, Jaid Barrymore, who is now 76 years old.

Shields was cut off from having a personal life.

During the interview, the 57-year-old actress was asked by Barrymore if her mother had dated any of her partners, similar to what Barrymore experienced with her own mother. Shockingly, Shields responded, “No, because she was in love with me.” The actress went on to reveal that her mother had little interest in men due to her focus on managing Shields’ career.

Shields further explained that she was her mom’s main focus, while both of them were cut off from having personal lives. Barrymore then shared her own similar experience, recalling a time when her mother, Jaid Barrymore, tried to date her boyfriend. “My mom was so enamored with me that she wanted to be with the people I was with,” Barrymore said, to which Shields responded, “I get it. It’s so needy and weird.”

Her mom was needy and possessive, but Shields didn’t seem to mind at the time.

Moreover, the Blue Lagoon actress shared that her mother accompanied her to every single interview she had when she was younger, saying, “No one’s going to get you. I’m going to be there. You’re mine. I’m not going to give you to somebody.” Shields realized that her mother’s actions were not just about protection, but also about ownership and fear.

Despite the suffocating dynamics, the child star admitted that, at the time, she didn’t mind her mother’s behavior because she associated the work she was doing with being able to provide for her mother. “I did a movie and we got a car. All I knew was to keep my mother alive, keep dancing, and get stuff,” Shields recalled.

“But to emerge from it not angry or jaded... It’s something in your character. It’s in my character,” reflected Shields.

She was exploited at the beginning of her career.

The actress and model also opened up about feeling functionally exploited during her early years as a performer. She revealed, “It was fun and loving at times, but... I was just there. I was a pawn, I was a piece, I was a commodity.” The mother of 2 daughters Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16, had also previously spoken out about how she would never allow her own children to live the same way she and her mother did.

She regrets taking part in some of her popular movies.

Shields additionally expressed her struggle to understand why her mother, Teri Shields, did not prevent her from accepting some of the movies she was in, like Pretty Baby. She shared that during the filming of certain scenes, she made a repulsed face but was yelled at by the director. However, her mother did not step in to protect her. The actress spoke about this experience in an interview when discussing the documentary.

“It was hard for me to not justify my mom to them,” Shields said. “But when they asked me, I thought, ’Oh God, I have to admit this.’ I could say, ’Oh, it was the time back then,’ or ’Oh, it was art.’ But I don’t know why she thought it was all right. I don’t know.”