Brooke: The bionic mom
TO christen a new theater, Cinema Society’s
Andrew Saffir had Brooke Shields host a 40th-anniversary screening of “Pretty Baby.”
Before showing her old movie, Brooke rolled up her pant leg to show me her new knee. I smoothed it and she explained, “Titanium. I’m now bionic. I tore it, and had to have it replaced. I’m very into rehab and working out a lot — three or four times a week. Today, I even dance on the thing.
“I’m now grateful. It was a long, slow, painful rehabilitation process. But I watch myself carefully. If I let myself, I could drink you under the table with tequila. And I love wine.
“Now, it’s limiting myself — no hard alcohol, and making sure to balance my intake. And not going through metal detectors.”
Says the long-time actress and onetime child model: “This movie came out in 1978. I made it when I was 12. I finally saw it in college and wrote my thesis on it.”
Now, at 53: “I love going to movies with my two children. I love the emotional community connec- tion of sharing with other people. TV is isolating. Spatial recognition is diminished. “But raising kids nowadays can be exhausting and . . . it’s hard to negotiate today’s social media.” Besides show business, Brooke also has a successful QVC clothing line of separates and accessories, and says: “I think I just have an Old World ethic.”