Pretty Baby: Why Is Brooke Shields’ Role in 1978 Movie Controversial?

ABC recently broadcast an award-winning documentary titled Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, which showcased the extraordinary life and career of American actress, Brooke Shields. Originally premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, this documentary received a standing ovation from a sold-out crowd. Shortly after, Hulu released it on their platform.

Brooke Shields’ career began when she was only 11 months old. She was a successful child model and even appeared in projects such as, After the Fall and Alice, Sweet Alice. However, her big break arrived when she starred in Louis Malle’s 1978 film, Pretty Baby. In the movie, Shields played the daughter of a prostitute and also featured in a scene where the brothel auctioned off her virginity.

In addition, there was also a scene where Shields appeared completely nude. Since she was just a child, this caused massive outrage among the audience and is still a topic of huge controversy.

According to ABC’s official website, the synopsis of Pretty Baby: Why Is Brooke Shields reads, “

“Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” follows Shields through her extraordinary childhood and complex relationship with her mother and manager, Teri Shields. Brooke Shields’ professional career began at only 11 months old, working as a child model before starring in Louis Malle’s controversial film “Pretty Baby” at the age of 12.”

It further reads, “She became the face of the ’80s with Calvin Klein jeans ads and leading roles in “The Blue Lagoon” and “Endless Love,” navigating the unrelenting scrutiny of the press and a culture that wanted to commodify her. After defying stereotypes by putting her career on hold to go to college, Shields reentered the entertainment industry as an adult, but it wasn’t until she began to trust herself and her instincts that she was able to find her identity and voice.

How old was Brooke Shields in the 1978 film Pretty Baby?

Brooke Shields was only 12 years old in Louis Malle’s Pretty Baby. According to Distractify, Shields worked 12 to 15 hours per day and wore an antique footwear that injured her skin. Furthermore, co-star, Susan Sarandon slapped her in nine consecutive takes because it apparently couldn’t be faked.

In a 2023 interview with The New Yorker, the actress spoke candidly about her role in the controversial film. She stated, “See, I think it’s the most beautiful movie I’ve ever made. It’s the only real quality film I’ve ever been in. I value that movie in such a different way and wrote my thesis on it. I’m fascinated with that journey of innocence to experience, and who owns it. Do they become a victim to it? Or do they not? It’s very interesting to me, that movie. You couldn’t make it today, obviously.”

In addition, Shields even spoke about his experience working with actress Susan Sarandon who played her mother in the film. She said, “I wanted so much approval from her—as a woman, as an actress, as a mom. She was a maternal figure for me in the film, and she was very serious. I never felt like I got approval from her. I was a golden retriever puppy. That was me off-camera. On camera, [my character,] Violet[,] has this very stoic reaction to her mother. During the slapping scene, I remember that’s when I switched the way that I reacted toward her.”

Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards. One for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary for Lana Wilson and another for Outstanding Picture Editing.

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