‘I did not battle, simply completely froze’: Brooke Shields describes rape in Sundance documentary
6 min readBy AFP
PARK CITY: Brooke Shields revealed she was raped as a younger Hollywood actress in new documentary “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” which premiered on day two of the Sundance movie pageant Friday.
The former supermodel didn’t reveal the identification of her attacker however stated she met with the person — somebody she already knew — quickly after she graduated faculty, believing it was a piece assembly to debate casting her in a brand new film.
He took her again to his lodge, claiming he would name her a taxi from his room. He as an alternative disappeared to the toilet earlier than returning bare and assaulting her, she stated.
“I didn’t fight that much… I just absolutely froze. I thought that my one ‘no’ should have been enough. And I just thought ‘stay alive and get out,” Shields recalled within the documentary.
After the incident, Shields recalled phoning her good friend and safety head Gavin de Becker, who advised her: “That’s rape.”
Brooke Shields seems in a scene from the documentary “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” by Lana Wilson | AP
She replied “I’m not willing to believe that,” and has not spoken of the incident publicly till now.
The revelation — which echoes #MeToo revelations by outstanding and lesser-known Hollywood actresses in recent times — is one in all a number of stunning moments within the movie, which will probably be launched on the Hulu streaming platform in two components.
Part one examines the extraordinary sexualization Shields skilled as a younger lady, together with a provocative nude photoshoot at age 10, and her look as a baby prostitute within the movie “Pretty Baby” at age 11.
The documentary exhibits a younger Shields being requested lascivious questions by a lot older male chat present hosts about her roles in motion pictures equivalent to “The Blue Lagoon” and “Endless Love,” and the collection of controversial Calvin Klein denims commercials she starred in.
After experiencing international fame as an adolescent, Shields attended college at Princeton, and initially struggled to seek out appearing roles once more after she graduated — resulting in the assembly along with her alleged rapist.
Perseverance
“My personal message is perseverance, and not allowing yourself to become a victim to a society or an industry,” she stated forward of the movie’s premiere on the pageant in Utah.
“I’m proud of how I kept learning, kept growing, kept striving and kept loving what I do,” Shields stated.
The film, which earned Shields a standing ovation at Sundance, additionally chronicles the media’s later obsession along with her virginity, her mom’s alcoholism, and her first marriage to tennis star Andre Agassi.
Brooke Shields, proper poses with director Lana Wilson on the premiere of the movie on the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 20, 2023, in Park City | AP
It options a number of of Shields’ well-known associates together with Lionel Richie, Laura Linney and Drew Barrymore.
Co-founded by Robert Redford, Sundance is a key launching pad for unbiased motion pictures and documentaries.
Also on Thursday was the premiere of “Justice,” a shock late addition to the pageant line-up, which explores the sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The first documentary “The Bourne Identity” director Doug Liman, it options testimony from Deborah Ramirez, one in all Kavanaugh’s accusers and a former Yale classmate.
WATCH | Brooke Shields breaks down as daughter Rowan leaves for faculty, shares emotional video
It additionally contains audio of one other classmate, who stated he noticed Kavanaugh expose himself to a unique, “extremely drunk” lady scholar at one other occasion, however whose account was solely reported in US media months after Kavanaugh’s polarizing 2018 Senate affirmation listening to.
The lady, who will not be named, has stated she doesn’t bear in mind the incident.
“This was the kind of movie where people are terrified” to talk out, Liman stated.
Kavanaugh has categorically denied partaking in sexual misconduct.
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival is the primary to be held in particular person for 3 years, as current editions have been pressured on-line by Covid. It runs till January 29.
PARK CITY: Brooke Shields revealed she was raped as a younger Hollywood actress in new documentary “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” which premiered on day two of the Sundance movie pageant Friday.
The former supermodel didn’t reveal the identification of her attacker however stated she met with the person — somebody she already knew — quickly after she graduated faculty, believing it was a piece assembly to debate casting her in a brand new film.
He took her again to his lodge, claiming he would name her a taxi from his room. He as an alternative disappeared to the toilet earlier than returning bare and assaulting her, she stated.
“I didn’t fight that much… I just absolutely froze. I thought that my one ‘no’ should have been enough. And I just thought ‘stay alive and get out,” Shields recalled within the documentary.
After the incident, Shields recalled phoning her good friend and safety head Gavin de Becker, who advised her: “That’s rape.”
Brooke Shields seems in a scene from the documentary “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” by Lana Wilson | AP
She replied “I’m not willing to believe that,” and has not spoken of the incident publicly till now.
The revelation — which echoes #MeToo revelations by outstanding and lesser-known Hollywood actresses in recent times — is one in all a number of stunning moments within the movie, which will probably be launched on the Hulu streaming platform in two components.
Part one examines the extraordinary sexualization Shields skilled as a younger lady, together with a provocative nude photoshoot at age 10, and her look as a baby prostitute within the movie “Pretty Baby” at age 11.
The documentary exhibits a younger Shields being requested lascivious questions by a lot older male chat present hosts about her roles in motion pictures equivalent to “The Blue Lagoon” and “Endless Love,” and the collection of controversial Calvin Klein denims commercials she starred in.
After experiencing international fame as an adolescent, Shields attended college at Princeton, and initially struggled to seek out appearing roles once more after she graduated — resulting in the assembly along with her alleged rapist.
Perseverance
“My personal message is perseverance, and not allowing yourself to become a victim to a society or an industry,” she stated forward of the movie’s premiere on the pageant in Utah.
“I’m proud of how I kept learning, kept growing, kept striving and kept loving what I do,” Shields stated.
The film, which earned Shields a standing ovation at Sundance, additionally chronicles the media’s later obsession along with her virginity, her mom’s alcoholism, and her first marriage to tennis star Andre Agassi.
Brooke Shields, proper poses with director Lana Wilson on the premiere of the movie on the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 20, 2023, in Park City | AP
It options a number of of Shields’ well-known associates together with Lionel Richie, Laura Linney and Drew Barrymore.
Co-founded by Robert Redford, Sundance is a key launching pad for unbiased motion pictures and documentaries.
Also on Thursday was the premiere of “Justice,” a shock late addition to the pageant line-up, which explores the sexual misconduct allegations in opposition to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The first documentary “The Bourne Identity” director Doug Liman, it options testimony from Deborah Ramirez, one in all Kavanaugh’s accusers and a former Yale classmate.
WATCH | Brooke Shields breaks down as daughter Rowan leaves for faculty, shares emotional video
It additionally contains audio of one other classmate, who stated he noticed Kavanaugh expose himself to a unique, “extremely drunk” lady scholar at one other occasion, however whose account was solely reported in US media months after Kavanaugh’s polarizing 2018 Senate affirmation listening to.
The lady, who will not be named, has stated she doesn’t bear in mind the incident.
“This was the kind of movie where people are terrified” to talk out, Liman stated.
Kavanaugh has categorically denied partaking in sexual misconduct.
The 2023 Sundance Film Festival is the primary to be held in particular person for 3 years, as current editions have been pressured on-line by Covid. It runs till January 29.
