Brooke Shields has revealed her honest reaction to learning that her 23-year-old daughter, Rowan Henchy, had been cast in a reality television show. Earlier this month, it was announced that Rowan, the eldest of Shields's two daughters with husband Chris Henchy, would star in season two of Bravo's Next Gen NYC.
While appearing on Wednesday's episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, Shields admitted that the news of her daughter's casting made her 'sick to her stomach.' The actress, 60, was wary of Rowan entering Hollywood at a young age but acknowledged that the industry has changed since her own early rise to fame nearly five decades ago.
'They didn't have reality shows,' Shields said of the 1980s, when she famously rose to stardom as a model and actress. She added that it was a 'different' period when people 'were not praised for bad behavior.' 'Bad behavior was not really the goal, so a lot of rating is geared towards that,' she explained.
When Today co-host Hager asked Shields if she was 'worried' when Rowan told her about the opportunity to join Next Gen NYC, the star answered: 'Oh, I was sick to my stomach.' Shields said that she has since advised her daughter, who has a passion for broadcast journalism, on how to act in front of reality TV cameras.
'I said, 'Look, don't be a f*** up. You know? Be the one, the voice of reason, and if you're gonna parlay this' — I mean, it's Bravo and Peacock, she wants to be in broadcast journalism, and she also likes being on camera — so I said, 'See if you can translate that into another opportunity, and it's a business choice you're making,'' Shields recounted.
The Pretty Baby star shares daughters Rowan and model daughter Grier, 20, with husband Chris Henchy. Despite her early reservations, Shields said she has enjoyed the effect that filming season two of Next Gen NYC has had on Rowan so far. 'Bad behavior is not the goal, and this should be a stepping stone of some kind, but it's given her a lot of confidence in a way that's so nice to see,' she said.
Shields also opened up about her parenting style on the morning talk show and joked: 'I reiterate a lot in my household, and then she'll be like, 'Yes, Mom. We get it.''
During her Today show appearance, Shields also discussed her new Acorn series titled You're Killing Me. The six-episode series is a murder mystery following a bestselling novelist played by Shields and a true crime podcast host. She previously told People that her relationship with her two daughters inspired the show. 'We started talking about this generational gap — all the stuff that I feel with my daughters when they make fun of me is funny,' Shields said. She also gushed about serving as an executive producer in addition to her leading role. 'It took me a long time, longer than I hope for my girls, to realize that my voice really was important.'
Rowan's reality TV show pursuits come nearly a decade after Shields famously banned her daughters from entering the modeling industry as minors. Shields began her life in the spotlight as a young model and was 14 when she starred in the infamous film Blue Lagoon. She also appeared in a campaign for Calvin Klein as a 15-year-old. 'We shouldn't just see 15-year-old bodies. I don't want a 15-year-old body. I don't want to look like a little boy,' Shields told Social Life magazine in 2017. 'It's a cutthroat and demoralizing business. Plus, they want you when they want you, and you have to be there for auditions and work, and my kids aren't missing school.'
