Brooke Shields, 61, says the key to her decadeslong career in Hollywood is knowing when to pivot.
“I think what I fought for the whole time is a diverse type of creative career,” Shields said during an appearance on Monday’s episode of “The Bossticks” podcast.
When one part of her career cooled off, she shifted her focus elsewhere, whether that meant working in theater or writing a book.
Exploring different creative paths helped her continue growing as an artist while surrounding herself with people who supported her, she said.
Shields also said her mother taught her to stay resilient in the entertainment industry.
“My mom used to say never take no for an answer. And you know, that’s easier said than done, but I would sort of say, oh, OK, you don’t want me right now. Someone will, so I’ll come back to you,” she said.
Instead of dwelling on rejection, Shields said she was willing to try new things and “keep switching it up.”
“I think that that’s helped me in the darker times when I wasn’t getting what I really coveted and dreamt about, it still kept me busy and creative,” she said.
Shields said career longevity — especially in Hollywood — is about resisting the urge to compare yourself to others and “trying to fit into something that you’re told is the right way to do it.”
She said that can be difficult in an industry where people are constantly measuring themselves against one another.
There will be moments when people have to play by the industry’s rules, even when the work isn’t exactly what they want to be doing, she said.
“But don’t let them tell you that because you’re not like so-and-so or this, that you somehow don’t have value,” she said.
Shields’ comments echo a sentiment shared by other stars.
In a 2024 interview with Variety, Kathy Bates credited her longevity in Hollywood to embracing what made her different rather than trying to fit a conventional mold.
“I have to say I give an inner wink when I see friends who have been beauty queens who are no longer working because of ageism, and in my case, I’ve been able to continue working for many years because I don’t look like that,” she said.
During a March podcast appearance, Conan O’Brien said learning to “roll with it” rather than dwell on career setbacks helped him thrive in Hollywood.
“Reset, recommit, and look for the next opportunity,” he said.
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