Brooke Shields, 53, has a new interview with People Magazine. She’s promoting her endorsement of a sparkling wine called Meiomi. (At first I read that as Meloni.) She talked about holiday family traditions with her two girls: Rowan, 15, and Grier, 12. Brooke has been married to their father, screenwriter/producer Chris Henchy, 54, since 2001. She was good about promoting the wine by emphasizing that she always keeps red, white and sparkling wine in her house for guests over the holidays. That’s not a bad idea actually. Then she talked about the fact that her daughters encourage her to photograph and Instagram every meal. Brooke does post to Instagram, the last time we reported on her was in March when she was on vacation and modeling bikinis, but she doesn’t go overboard with it. That’s because she finds Instagram culture baffling and doesn’t see the point. I can relate.
On holiday traditions
“The kids, they love the tradition,” she told PEOPLE. “Whether it’s hot chocolate, or decorating the tree, or eating cranberries or popcorn or whatever it is. You initiate these traditions, and then, later on, they crave them. It’s heartwarming to see. They want the magic of it. Not just the gifts, but actually having traditions.”Shields added, “It was a gift to me for them to hold on to it and say, ‘When are we getting the tree? Can I put the star on? Can I do it?’ You take that and you think, ‘Oh, I created this.’ Because this is what I enjoy. And then you take it and you pass it on and they take what they want from it. But they hold on to it.”
On social media warping things
“When they’re babies, you have a modicum of control because they’re babies and you’re the boss,” she said. “But you add social media into it, and by osmosis, things infiltrate their sweet, innocent minds. There’s so many different things that have changed just since our first daughter was born.”Shields added, “It’s such a new landscape. It can be toxic.”
“Their issue is that they think I should be on it more,” the star explained to PEOPLE. “They would like me to take a picture of every meal I eat, every emotion I have, every gesture I make. That’s their vernacular at this point. So they’re saying, ‘Mom, you need to do this.’“
Shields, on the other hand, isn’t having any of it. She said, “That’s not the way my face works. I’m not gonna do that with my face and I’m not gonna put bunny ears on my head and have a little bear nose. I don’t want to. It’s fine, but I’m 53. I don’t feel like doing that. It’s good for other people — I don’t judge. But I’m not gonna do it.”
I’ve been using Instagram and have even been posting the occasional selfie, but I don’t use filters and I refuse to use those apps that change your face. That seems so weird to me. Like Brooke I don’t judge though. I’m lucky that my teenage son is not that active on Instagram and is aware of the privacy issues, especially with Facebook. I took down my personal Facebook months ago, which has likely kept me from keeping in touch with some friends. (Given everything we’ve heard about Facebook, especially lately, I do not regret it.) So for me limiting my involvement is more about the incredible ramifications of social media. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to worry about a teen who is constantly on Instagram, although I give them a lot of credit for understanding and navigating that world. They’re usually savvy with it and can teach us some things.
As for holiday traditions, I agree with her about that too. Some of my favorite childhood memories are from the holidays. I was considering putting up my Christmas decorations a couple of weeks ago, but I’m waiting until this weekend as a compromise. We’re going away for Thanksgiving so it will feel nice to come back to a tree and lights.
Brooke is hustling for her new QVC clothing line. No shame in that.
I have always liked Brooke Shields. She seems like a good person
She’s so lovely. I can’t imagine her life was easy being a child star but she sounds like a thoughtful educated woman who is super down to earth.
Finally, someone who comes out and says that those animal face filters are idiotic. I get creeped out when I see friends who are my age (late 40’s) posting in their stories with cute bunny ears and filter face, or especially that long-tongue dog nose and mouth and the dog ears. WHHHYYYYY. It’s so Kardashian.
That’s why.Those Kardashian’s have alot to do with it.I have a friend that is close to my age [mid 50’s] and she uses those stupid things and I told her they were ridiculous.I do have a FB page and I only did it one time because it was Easter for my profile picture.But to use filters and all these other things everyday is just silly.No wonder younger people are on there phones constantly.They just look at themselves all day and post.So annoying.
Her younger daughter is the blonde version of her at that age.
She always had a goody-goody reputation while growing up, which is surprising with some of the roles she had as a child. Even her show Suddenly Susan, she was always the nice girl. The first time I saw her play a not-so-innocent woman was on Nip Tuck. I was so shocked I almost fell off my sofa. I know in real life she wasn’t as naive/innocent as her reputation, she is a normal person, but seeing the total opposite of what I was used to shocked me. I loved it. Her character in The Middle cracked me up. I’m a fan of Brooke.
Her daughters are so gorgeous! She seems like a good person and her family seems well-adjusted. I have nothing bad to say about her.