Brooke Shields on Playing the Love Interest at 58: 'It's Unprecedented'

Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields is invigorated by the opportunities surrounding her at this phase of her life.

The actress' latest project, Mother of the Bride, sees her take center stage in the Netflix romantic comedy, playing the titular character, who gets a second chance at her first love (Will played by Benjamin Bratt)—and catches the eye of a younger doctor named Lucas (Chad Michael Murray)—while in Thailand for her daughter's destination wedding.

"We need these kinds of stories. We need rom-coms. We need joy. We need love. We need laughter," Shields told Parade in a new one-on-one interview. "You know, there's so many things that are in this film. We need to celebrate women in this age bracket."

Shields, 58, hopes her new movie inspires women "to know that this period of their lives is not the beginning of the end. "There is a new beginning here," she noted.

The Blue Lagoon star, who shares daughters Rowan and Grier with husband Chris Henchy, added, "And when your children start to leave you, whether they're going to college or they're getting married, it's a huge rite of passage for mothers in particular, I believe. I mean, fathers too. And I think that you often don't know who you are anymore without being in the context of that relationship with your child, and it shifts and it changes, and I hope women feel not scared about this period in their lives,  because it can be really quite exciting and wonderful."

Like her character Lana, Shields knows what it's like to have a daughter leave home. The mom of two's oldest child, Rowan, left for college back in 2021, and soon, the actress' younger daughter, Grier, will be leaving the nest. "It's so melancholy to think of them embarking on their own lives," the mom of two said, "and also getting to know these human beings in a way you've never known them."

Continue reading for Parade's exclusive interview with Brooke Shields about her new movie, Mother of the Bride—now streaming on Netflix—and how the Hollywood star has gotten better at self-care thanks to her daughters.

How would you describe this stage or chapter of your life that you're currently in?

I feel it's as if it's such [uncharted] territory. I have no idea what's going to happen. You spend so much of your life, especially as a female, I did, bound by your ovary age. You get married; you do all these sort of milestones; and then you find yourself in this period where, hopefully, your kids are pretty well cooked, and they're onto their own lives. And if you've done it right, hopefully they feel free to fly and know that you'll always be there. But I just find it so exciting. My work opportunities are all of a sudden circling around me again in a way that I find so refreshing. To be able to be the love interest at this age, it's quite unprecedented from what we look at and what we see. And I think those stories are starting to become more a part of what we're watching.

As a mother of two daughters, did this movie pull at your heartstrings or make you examine your relationship with your daughters?

Oh, of course. Walking Miranda [Cosgrove, who plays her character's daughter] down the aisle, I'm just thinking, "Oh my God. What am I gonna be like? How am I gonna handle this? I'm not gonna be able to not cry, but why am I crying?" It's all these mixed emotions and you want nothing more than for your children to be happy.

Related: Brooke Shields Shares Sweet Throwback Pics With Miley Cyrus for Hannah Montana Anniversary

How did your own experience as a soon-to-be empty nester influence your portrayal of Lana?

It just gutted me. It's gutting. It's like, you have no idea, and all of a sudden, one day, it's there. And you're like "No, no, no." I find myself looking at old videos of them in diapers and singing and doing all their little things when they were little baby girls. It's so melancholy to think of them embarking on their own lives and also getting to know these human beings in a way you've never known them.

You could obviously relate to Lana not wanting Emma to leave home. 

Of course. Are you kidding? It's like, "Oh, no, no, no, you're gonna live with me forever." Cause it's part of a dream of yours...these are your babies, no matter how old they are.

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Lana has to sacrifice the things that she had envisioned for her daughter's wedding day because of [Emma's social media]. Do you think the movie reflects the challenges that some people face today in prioritizing connections over social media, likes and followers?

I think that tells that story in a very beautiful way, in this, "I'm not going to miss out on these real-life moments for a photo opp." Yes, there's a time and place for all of it, but not at the sacrifice of my core, and those who really love me deeply. She realizes her mother's really trying really, really hard to just resist and be there for her daughter so unconditionally and the thing that is coming in between them is not the groom, or even the dad of the groom in a way, but it's this sort of bigger character, which is social media and the job and live-streaming. And what happened to the personal part of that, the connection, the soul? It's a learning moment for both of them that they don't want to miss out on.

I saw Sam Smith in concert, and it was a very small charity event, and everybody had their phone out, and I just didn't want to waste the moment looking at the screen, and I just was just listening and loving it, and we went back after to take pictures. And Sam said, "You never went on your phone once, the whole time." And I said, "No, I just didn't want to miss you." Even though I was right there. And [Sam] goes, "Wow that's refreshing." I imagine if you are doing a concert, you want people to be in the moment with you. And I think that message gets told nicely in the film, too.

Emma tells her mom [in the movie] that she wants her to take care of herself. I think that can be hard for some moms who are used to prioritizing everybody else in the family. How do you practice self-care and take care of yourself? And how has it changed over the years as your girls have gotten older?

I've gotten so much better at it through my girls, because they love beauty, and beauty to them is a form of self-care. And I've learned through them that if I put a little more time and effort into myself, my beauty, whatever it is, or baths or whatever things that make me feel good about myself—if my hair looks good—I hold myself differently. You know, all these sort of things that I used to associate with vanity as a younger person, and a job—because to me, it was just my job, it had no place in my real life. And through them, I've started to appreciate self-care in that way; it's the ceremony of it and just taking time for yourself. They've actually taught me: "It's okay mom. You don't have to always be productive or always be doing something for somebody."

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Next, Brooke Shields Reflects on Her Early Career: 'I'm Proud of That Little Girl'