‘Needy And Weird’: Brooke Shields And Drew Barrymore Dish On Their Experience With Stage Moms

Actresses Brooke Shields and Drew Barrymore recently shared their personal experiences with their ever-present, “needy and weird” stage mothers during an interview on “The Drew Barrymore Show.” Shields, who has been making headlines recently due to her Hulu documentary titled “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” joined her friend Barrymore, another child star all grown up, on Tuesday’s episode.

Barrymore got right down to brass tacks and asked Shields about whether her mother, Teri Shields, had ever crossed the same line that Jaid Barrymore had crossed – dating the same men that her daughter had. Shields replied, “No, because she was in love with me … I was her main focus. Both of us were cut off from our sexuality.” Shields added that her mother had been so focused on helping her with her career that she had not seemed interested in men at all. Barrymore responded by joking that perhaps her own mother had been a little bit in love with her as well, but that she had shown it in a different way: “My mom was so enamored with me that she wanted to be with the people I was with.” “I get it. It’s so needy and weird,” said Shields.

Shields went on to explain that, for a number of years, her mother had been present and a part of every interview that she gave. “No one’s going to get you. I’m going to be there. I’m there first. You’re mine. I’m not going to give you to somebody,” Shields explained her mother’s rationale, adding that it was presented “under the guise of protection, but it was more ownership and fear, I think.”

Shields also spoke in the interview about her take on the #MeToo movement, particularly after being sexualized in Hollywood as a young teenager. She and Barrymore shared their experiences of being child actors, which required navigating complex relationships with parents who were not always sure what was best for them.

Despite the challenges they faced early on in their lives and careers, Shields and Barrymore emerged with a sense of resilience and gratitude. Shields noted that it was something in their character that allowed them to emerge from their experiences unscathed.

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