Brooke Shields reveals ex-husband Agassi 'body-shamed' her in memoir
What's the story
In her recently released memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, Hollywood actor Brooke Shields has opened up about various aspects of her life revealing how body image issues have impacted her journey. The 59-year-old actor detailed an incident with her ex-husband, tennis legend Andre Agassi, which left her "body-shamed." She claimed that Agassi's remark about her weight sent her into a downward spiral.
Career struggles
Shields felt 'unworthy' due to comments on her looks
Shields, famous for her roles in films like Mother of the Bride and Pretty Baby, shared that she was frequently told she wasn't "runway worthy" since she wasn't "skinny enough." These remarks made her think her worth was only in her appearance. She wrote, "Being told you are 'the face,' you begin to believe that's all you are—a face...From the neck up, I was Brooke Shields, but it was like my body existed in a different reality."
Relationship woes
Agassi's response to Shields's insecurities left her 'spinning'
During her short-lived marriage to Agassi, Shields opened up to him about her body image issues. But his words weren't comforting. "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 remembered in her memoir. But when she asked him if he'd still love her if she gained weight (hinting at pregnancy), his reply was shocking and unsettling for Shields.
Unsettling remark
Agassi's comment about Shields's potential weight gain
Reportedly, Agassi told Shields, "I love you too much to let you get big and fat!" The remark caught her off guard and left her disturbed. "I definitely did not see that coming and must admit I started to spin a bit," she confessed in her memoir. The couple, who got married in 1997, ended their marriage in 1999 without having any kids.
Post-divorce reflections
Shields's relief over not having children with Agassi
Shields, now a mother of two daughters with her husband Chris Henchy, said she was relieved to not have had kids with Agassi. This is because of something the latter allegedly said to her during their separation. He had told her, "Be thankful we didn't have children...because I would not have made this easy for you." Recalling that, Shields wrote in her memoir, "It would have been a disaster...When we got divorced, he made that very clear."