Why Brooke Shields no longer wants to 'be tortured' with acting roles

Ralphie Aversa, USA TODAY Mon, May 18, 2026 at 10:55 PM UTC

0

NEW YORK – When it comes to acting, Brooke Shields is leaning into what sparks joy.

"I used to want to be tortured as a younger actress," Shields, 60, tells USA TODAY about how she chose projects in the past. "I wanted all of it to be painful and torture, and that meant I was a good actress."

"Nobody wanted to see me be funny," she adds, noting that the belief ultimately led her to take on "dramatic, heavier movies."

But while it was "fine" at the time, Shields admits she never felt "fully actualized."

Now Shields looks for projects that make her happy. That's how her latest series, "You're Killing Me" (first episode streaming now on Acorn TV), came about. Shields stars in and executive produces the six-episode show, playing a best-selling novelist who teams up with a true-crime podcaster (Amalia Williamson) to solve the murder of a close friend.

Brooke Shields stars in and executive produces the new Acorn TV series "You're Killing Me."

Though a death is at the forefront of the plot, Shields says there's plenty of levity and humor woven throughout the mystery series.

"We come to almost not really think about the murder as much as we think about the characters and their relationships," she says. "I realized the respect that I have for good comedy and females in good comedy."

The origins of Shields' passion for comedy

When it comes to her love for the comedic genre, Shields is quick to credit her 1996 guest appearance on "Friends" and her leading role in the late '90s sitcom "Suddenly Susan."

"It's a hybrid in a sitcom because you're performing a play live every week and you're rehearsing all week, and then you perform in front of a live audience," she explains. "At least in my era, that's what we did."

"That type of energy was such an unbelievable hybrid to me, between theater and film, that I really started to pursue it more," she adds, "and that's where I found so much more joy."

Advertisement

(From left) Brooke Shields stars alongside Amalia Williamson in the Acorn TV series "You're Killing Me."How Shields differs from her 'You're Killing Me' character

For her new show, Shields teamed up with creator-writer Robin Bernheim. It was the third time they've worked together, having previously collaborated on two Netflix films: 2021's "A Castle for Christmas" and 2024's "Mother of the Bride."

But while Shields plays a best-selling author on screen, she's never written a novel in real life. (She has, however, penned multiple memoirs and two children's books.) The actress is also rather cautious about exploring the true-crime genre in her own time.

"I run into trouble when [the podcasts are] true crime, especially if they're unsolved," Shields says. "I know the bad person is then in my house, probably under my bed, probably listening to me, probably tapping my phone. If I delve too far into true crime, I can't sleep."

Shields credits mother Teri with this important trait

"You're Killing Me" is set in a quaint New England town, but the series was filmed in Canada. As with any set she's on, Shields found it important to set a good tone with both the cast and crew as the star of the show.

She learned that from her late mother and manager, actress Teri Shields. Shields says her mother always reminded her of one crucial lesson: "You treat everybody with the same respect as you would the head of the studio or the craft service person. Nobody's time is more important than yours."

"Working really hard doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be successful, but it does give you a way to put your head on the pillow at night and say, 'I led with respect and I was kind, and I also worked my ass off,'" she says. "I watched actresses and actors and I saw their insecurities, and I thought, 'God, that's not helping them out.'"

Shields' 'lucky' life away from cameras

Shields celebrated the premiere of "You're Killing Me" at an event in New York City on May 7, 2026, which was attended by many of her friends and colleagues, including Beth Stern. Though the animal activist and wife of radio host Howard Stern had a busy day promoting her latest children's book, Shields says Beth still showed up to the premiere despite her insistence that she didn't have to.

The actress, who is also close with Demi Moore and Naomi Watts, calls those friendships at this stage of her life "everything."

"I have my high school and college friends," she explains, "but to have adult relationships with really beautiful women in their souls and what they give back and how smart they are and how they show up, this isn't women negating other women or putting them down or being envious or jealous."

"We all wish we could see ourselves the way each other sees us, you know?" she adds. "Just to be 60 and feel that, it makes you feel even more youthful and lucky."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Brooke Shields felt 'more joy' on 'You're Killing Me' TV show

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”