Brooke Shields was pushed into the spotlight when she was just a baby by her alcoholic mother – and she has been very open about all the negative things she had to endure as a child star. That’s why, when she became a mother herself, she vowed to do everything she could to protect her children.
Brooke, 57, welcomed two daughters with her husband, Chris Henchy – her first, Rowan, now 19, was born in 2003, and Grier, now 16, came in 2006 – and the mother-of-two has made it her goal to ensure that her kids do not go through what she went through.
She has worked hard to protect them from the immense pressures that come with being in the public eye and to teach them to love their bodies – after she said she spent years feeling ‘shame’ about her curves.
And when her youngest daughter said she wanted to follow in her footsteps and become a model herself, Brooke was very hesitant to let her get behind a camera.
Brooke Shields, 57, has worked hard to protect her daughters, Rowan, 19, and Grier, 16, from the immense pressures that come with being in the public eye
She has been open about all the negative things she had to endure as a child star. That’s why, when she became a mother herself, she vowed to do everything she could to protect her girls
However, the Blue Lagoon star ultimately let Grier enter the world of modeling – they starred in a campaign for Victoria’s Secret together last year – after she said she realized that ‘the business wouldn’t eat Grier up’ since she raised such a ‘strong’ woman.
From their super tight relationship with Brooke and the important lessons she taught them to their own impressive achievements and endeavors, everything you need to know about Brooke’s two children, Grier and Rowan
Both Grier and her older sister Rowan seem to be on successful career paths. Grier has yet to graduate high school and she’s already starred in her first campaign.
She’s also a budding social media star. She has racked up more than 20,000 followers on her Instagram account, where she often flaunts the lavish perks that come with being the daughter of one of the biggest supermodels on the globe.
Rowan is slightly more private, she doesn’t have a public social media account, but the college student – who is currently studying journalism – often attends red carpet events alongside her famous mother.
It’s clear that both of the young women have a very strong bond with their mom, who often gushes about them in interviews and speaks out about the highs – and the lows – that come with parenting teen girls.
Most recently, Rowan and Grier supported their mother during the release of her shocking, tell-all documentary, in which she detailed some of the trauma she faced during her decades-long career as a model and actress.
As Brooke’s daughters continue to stand by her side, FEMAIL went ahead and rounded up everything you need to know about the teens.
From their super tight relationship with Brooke and the important lessons she taught them to their own impressive achievements and endeavors, here’s all the details on Brooke’s two children, Grier and Rowan.
Brooke suffered from severe postpartum depression after welcoming her eldest daughter, and even considered ending her life after she became convinced her baby would be ‘better off without her’
Brooke and her husband, Chris Henchy, tied the knot in 2001, and together, they welcomed their first daughter, Rowan, on May 15, 2003. They are seen with baby Rowan in 2003
But after becoming a mother, Brooke suffered from severe postpartum depression – and she even admitted that she contemplated ending her life. She and Rowan are seen in 2006
Brooke and Chris were introduced by mutual friends in 1999 – following the model’s divorce from tennis player Andre Agrassi.
The couple tied the knot in 2001, and together, they welcomed their first daughter, Rowan, on May 15, 2003.
But after becoming a mother, Brooke suffered from severe postpartum depression – and she even admitted that she contemplated ending her life.
‘I really didn’t want to live anymore,’ she wrote in her 2005 book. ‘I finally had a healthy beautiful baby girl and I couldn’t look at her. All I wanted to do was disappear and die.’ She and Rowan are pictured in 2006
In her 2005 book, Down Came the Rain: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression, she revealed that she considered jumping out of the window of her fourth-floor apartment following the birth of her first daughter.
‘I really didn’t want to live anymore,’ she wrote. ‘I finally had a healthy beautiful baby girl and I couldn’t look at her.
‘I couldn’t hold her and I couldn’t sing to her and I couldn’t smile at her … All I wanted to do was disappear and die.’
She recalled thinking, ‘I should not exist. The baby would be better off without me. Life was never going to get better – so I better just go.’
During an appearance on the WTF podcast earlier this week, the actress spoke out about it further, and she explained that she had a difficult time becoming pregnant and faced many complications while giving birth, which left her feeling ‘exhausted’ and ‘depleted’ during the first few months of Rowan’s life.
‘I was exhausted. I had gone through IVF seven times,’ she revealed. ‘I lost so much blood when I gave birth to her and herniated my uterus.
‘It was just everything that could have gone wrong. I thought I was going to die. They were going to give me a hysterectomy.
‘There was so much trauma. And then I get home and I don’t know what to do with a baby.
‘I’m depleted and I’m completely biochemically imbalanced, and no-one knows it. I couldn’t understand my mind. It’s the worst.
The actress (seen with Rowan in 2007) explained that she had a difficult time becoming pregnant and faced many complications during birth, which left ‘exhausted’ and ‘depleted’
Brooke said her doctor convinced her to start taking her anti-depressants again, which she had previously taken regularly but stopped ‘cold turkey,’ and they helped her ‘feel better’
Brooke and Chris then welcomed their second daughter, Grier, on April 18, 2006. She is seen with Chris and both daughters in 2010
‘It was like taking everything that made me who I am and absolutely ripping my legs out from under me.
‘You just feel so helpless and scared. I called the doctor and [he] was like, “Oh, it’s the baby blues.”‘
Brooke said that her husband stepped in to help take care of Rowan while she was struggling – but their strong bond made her even more down.
‘[Chris] came in, and he just went into [dad] mode. He had never held a baby before but he was doing it,’ she continued.
‘They have a very strong relationship. I sort of beat myself up about that for a long time. I thought, “You made them bond and you did this to yourself.”‘
Eventually, Brooke said her doctor convinced her to start taking her anti-depressants again, which she had previously taken regularly but stopped ‘cold turkey’ because she thought she didn’t need them anymore.
Once she was on them again, however, she said she started to ‘feel better’ and ‘wanted to be around her’ baby girl again.
Brooke and Chris then welcomed their second daughter, Grier, on April 18, 2006.
Brooke worked hard to protect her daughters throughout their childhood – since she was pushed into the spotlight by her own mother at a very young age and sexualized as a kid
Brooke (seen as a kid) has been open about the negative parts of being in the public eye as a kid – which is why she worked hard to make sure her daughters had the opposite experience
Brooke has spoken out about her attempts to protect her girls – especially since they’re growing up during a time when social media heavily promotes unhealthy body standards
‘I reiterate over and over and over again is that what you see may not be the reality,’ she explained to People magazine last year, when asked how she tries to shield them from it
Brooke was thrown into the spotlight at a very young age – she started modeling when she was just 11 months old, thanks to her alcoholic mother, Teri, who forced her to work to help ‘pay the bills’ – and she went on to become one of the most successful child stars of all time.
In a separate interview with the outlet in 2019, she explained that she always ‘celebrates the differences in her daughters’ bodies’ and encourages them to stand up for themselves
But she has been very open about the many negative aspects that came with being in the public eye as a kid, and has slammed her mom for allowing her to be sexualized at such a young age – which is why she worked hard to make sure that her own daughters had the opposite experience throughout their childhood.
Brooke has spoken out about her attempts to protect her girls – especially since they’re growing up during a time when social media heavily promotes unhealthy body standards.
‘What I do really reiterate over and over and over again is that what you see may not be the reality,’ she explained to People magazine last year, when asked how she tries to shield them from it. ‘And you can’t just accept it because it’s on Instagram.
‘You really have to know that it’s the world of Oz because behind the curtain, that’s where you want to live.’
In a separate interview with the outlet in 2019, she explained that she always ‘celebrates the differences in her daughters’ bodies’ and encourages them to stand up for themselves.
‘I learned to say “no” this year and it came through me saying to my daughters, “This does not have to be your problem. You don’t have to take care of everybody all the time,”‘ she explained.
While chatting with Yahoo in 2019, Brooke said she used many of her own issues as a learning lesson for her daughters
‘I had a very strong disconnect to my body,’ she said. ‘I don’t want them to have any of that shame but I want them to maintain a sense of that their body is their body, it’s their own’
When asked what the biggest lesson was that she learned from her mom, Rowan revealed that it was to love her curves and ‘show off what she has.’ She is seen as a baby with Brooke
‘You try to teach them to take the high road but at times, you have to say, “That did not make me feel good. I didn’t appreciate it. I’m not going to succumb to that level.”‘
While chatting with Yahoo in 2019, Brooke said she used many of her own issues as a learning lesson for her daughters.
‘I had a very strong disconnect to my body. But now, I’m trying to present to them the image of a whole woman, which was very different from the way I grew up,’ she dished.
‘I don’t want them to have any of that shame but I want them to maintain a sense of that their body is their body, it’s their own.’
When asked by People what the biggest lesson was that she learned from her mom last year, Rowan revealed that it was to love her curves and ‘show off what she has.’
‘We’re a big-boned family – we’ve got some hips. And so if there’s one thing [my mom’s] said it’s just, “Wear things that are tight, why not?”‘ the 19-year-old said.
‘It’s flattering and not to be provocative or scandalous or anything, but just to show off what you have.’
Rowan is studying to be a journalist while Grier starred in her first modeling campaign last year – and both of them often grace the red carpet alongside their famous mother
Rowan graduated from high school in 2021, and she is now studying journalism at Wake Forest University in North Carolina
And when Rowan (seen in her dorm) left for college, Brooke called it the ‘worst thing she’s ever experienced’
‘She’s just really blossoming and growing,’ Brooke gushed of Rowan in 2021. ‘She’s really her own person and I’ve done my best in my job and I’m going to try to get out of her way’
Rowan and Brooke are certainly very close, and they even got matching ladybug tattoos to commemorate her graduation
Rowan graduated from high school in 2021, and she is now studying journalism at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.
And when Rowan left for college, Brooke called it the ‘worst thing she’s ever experienced.’
The design stemmed from Rowan’s nickname when she was younger – little bug
‘I’m not ever going to get used to her being gone. She’s going to be married with her own children, and I’m still not going to be used to her being gone,’ she said during an appearance on Live with Kelly in August 2021.
‘She’s really living her life, she’s enjoying college, she’s just really blossoming and growing.
‘I listen to the way [my daughters] talk to each other and their friends and the things they’re discussing, and you think, “Wow, she’s really her own person and I’ve done my best in my job and I’m going to try to get out of her way.”‘
Rowan and Brooke are certainly very close, and they even got matching ladybug tattoos to commemorate her graduation. The design stemmed from Rowan’s nickname when she was younger – little bug.
The teen also loves to borrow stuff from her mother’s closet – and she opted to wear the dress that Brooke donned during the 1998 Golden Globe Awards to her prom.
The teen (left) also loves to borrow stuff from her mother’s closet – and she opted to wear the dress that Brooke donned during the 1998 Golden Globe Awards (right) to her prom
‘I thought it was a special night when I was nominated for a Golden Globe and wore this dress, but nothing could prepare me to see my daughter wearing it to her prom,’ Brooke gushed
As for Grier, she’s still in high school, but she has already started following in her mom’s footsteps. She appeared in a Victoria’s Secret campaign alongside Brooke in May 2022
Afterwards, Brooke admitted that she ‘resisted’ letting her daughter model at first, but called it an ’emotionally beautiful’ experience to pose together
‘I thought it was a special night when I was nominated for a Golden Globe and wore this dress in 1998, but nothing could have prepared me to see my daughter wearing it to her prom,’ Brooke gushed on Instagram at the time. ‘Proud mama.’
As for Grier, she’s still in high school, but she has already started following in her mom’s footsteps. She appeared in a Victoria’s Secret campaign alongside Brooke in May 2022.
Afterwards, Brooke admitted that she ‘resisted’ letting her daughter model at first, but called it an ’emotionally beautiful’ experience to pose together.
‘To watch her handle herself in a way, it makes me realize, OK, she’s a pretty strong character,’ she added.
‘So I don’t feel like this business will eat her up. It was really fun to be in front of the camera with her.’
Grier has just as strong of a bond with her mom as Rowan, and according to Brooke, her younger daughter is also a thief when it comes to her clothes.
She told People in 2021, ‘If I want to know where anything good that I have is, and I can’t find it in my closet, I know exactly where to find it. It’s [Grier].’
Both of the girls often accompany the former supermodel to star-studded award shows, elite parties, and coveted red carpet events – including the 2022 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner and Milan Fashion Week, to name a few.
‘To watch her handle herself in a way, it makes me realize, OK, she’s a pretty strong character,’ she added. ‘I don’t feel like this business will eat her up’
Both of the girls often accompany the supermodel to star-studded events – including the 2022 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner (left) and Milan Fashion Week (right)
While Rowan doesn’t have a public social media account, Grier has gained more than 22,000 followers on her Instagram, where she regularly flaunts her lavish lifestyle
She often shares snaps of herself enjoying beach days in the Hamptons or jetting off on glamorous vacations, and has visited places like Italy (left) and the Bahamas (right)
While Rowan doesn’t have a public social media account, Grier has gained more than 22,000 followers on her Instagram, where she regularly flaunts her lavish lifestyle.
Back in 2018, brook told Porter that she was in awe of how Rowan and Grier have turned out. She gushed: ‘They’re so much more mature than I was. So much more confident in their own bodies’
She often shares snaps of herself enjoying beach days in the Hamptons or jetting off on glamorous vacations, and has visited places like Italy and the Bahamas over the last year.
Back in 2018, brook told Porter that she was in awe of how Rowan and Grier have turned out. She gushed: ‘They’re so much more mature than I was. So much more confident in their own bodies.
‘They have the same stubbornness and strength that I do, but are more well-adjusted. I am jealous as all hell about that – but, of course, I created it.’
But that doesn’t mean that the mother-daughter trio doesn’t have their rough patches.
That same year, Brooke joked that Rowan, then 14, was an ‘a**hole’ during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live. When asked how old they were, she said, ’11 and a**hole.’ Relatable.
Most recently, Grier was by her mother’s side at the premiere for her new documentary.
But according to the actress, the teen was ‘outraged’ after she watched it and discovered all the horrific things she went through.
Brooke gushed: ‘They have the same stubbornness and strength that I do, but are more well-adjusted. I am jealous as all hell about that – but, of course, I created it’
But that doesn’t mean that the mother-daughter trio doesn’t have their rough patches. That same year, Brooke joked that Rowan, then 14, was an ‘a**hole’ during a TV appearance
Grier was by her mother’s side at the premiere for her new documentary. But according to the actress, the teen was ‘outraged’ after she watched it and discovered what she went through
During the explosive movie, the former supermodel recalled posing nude at age 10, playing a child prostitute when she was only 11, and being raped when she was 22.
While speaking on Today with Hoda & Jenna , Brooke said that Grier started ‘sobbing’ and ‘ran out of the screening room’ after becoming so horrified over everything she endured
While speaking on Today with Hoda & Jenna, Brooke said that Grier started ‘sobbing’ and ‘ran out of the screening room’ after becoming so horrified over everything she endured.
‘Grier looked at it as all the things that I kept from her, she was outraged and she was very sad,’ Brooke said.
‘She said, “Nothing you say to me, Mom, is going to make it better.” She said, “I hate seeing bad things happen to you.”
‘She just sobbed and ran out of the screening room, and my husband was upset because I wasn’t protecting her.’
As for Rowan, the 57-year-old said she instantly felt the importance of the documentary, explaining, ‘[Rowan] was able to say, “Women need to see this.”‘
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