Model and actress Brooke Shields shares why this decade of her life is the right time to embrace leadership roles and take professional chances.

Shields enjoys a good pratfall and has perfected the art of incorporating physical comedy into her performances, making her characters more engaging and humorous. This is quite a shift from her early days as a teen model and actress, famously dubbed the "Face of the ’80s" by TIME magazine.

Currently, she serves as the executive producer of her new series, leads her hair care brand COMMENCE, and is the president of Actors’ Equity.

Embracing Comedy

In her latest role in You’re Killing Me, a six-episode mystery series on Acorn TV, Shields aimed to highlight physical comedy with her character, mystery writer Allison Chandler. Initially, her team had reservations.

“I pushed for it, but they insisted, ‘No, we need you to seem likable and beautiful.’ I had to say, ‘I’m not interesting without more depth. Physical comedy is where I shine,’” she explained.

At a recent screening, audiences validated her instincts.

“All the elements I advocated for, which they feared would make me appear silly, had the audience laughing,” Shields remarked.

Following her intuition has become more important to her lately. You’re Killing Me marks her first series since Lipstick Jungle ended in 2009, and it’s a project she actively brought to life.

“I created this show because I was tired of waiting to be chosen,” Shields stated. She collaborated with a writer to make it a reality.

Learning the CEO Ropes

Another venture she initiated is her beauty company. In 2024, Shields launched COMMENCE, a line dedicated to hair care products for women over 40, promoting hair growth and scalp wellness.

“Women over 50 are incredible, and we’re all embarking on fresh journeys,” Shields noted. “Yet, the beauty industry often overlooks us.”

Through extensive research, Shields oversaw the creation of six unique products and gained firsthand experience in entrepreneurship.

She found fundraising in the male-dominated venture capital sector more challenging than developing her haircare line.

After several meetings where she felt patronized, she decided to take a stand. Shields firmly told one investor, “I’m not here for your advice. I’m here for your funding. If you don’t want to invest, that’s your choice.”

She also observed a notable difference in interactions with male versus female investors. “The women VCs I met with never belittled me. They approached conversations by saying, ‘What worked for us? Have you considered this?’”

A smart entrepreneur, Shields recognizes her strengths. She enjoys the creative aspects of her business and is eager to find someone to manage operations. “I can’t wait to hire an amazing female CEO who knows more about business than I do,” she added.

Advocating for Fellow Artists

Shields has also taken on another heartfelt leadership role as the president of Actors’ Equity, representing stage actors and managers. Her motivation stems from her desire to support fellow performers who helped her when she started on Broadway in 1994, joining the cast of Grease as Rosie O’Donnell’s replacement.

She describes this role as her most challenging yet. Recently, she surprised attendees at Casa Bonita in Denver, where she delivered a petition advocating for cliff divers facing unsafe working conditions.

Brooke Shields’ unwavering work ethic shines through in all her endeavors, driven by her commitment to make a positive impact, one challenge at a time.