Brooke Shields Slams Meghan Markle’s ‘Too Precious’ Gender Equality Story at SXSW

Brooke Shields didn’t hold back when she called out Meghan Markle for being "too precious" during a panel at last year’s South by Southwest Festival. The 60-year-old actress, known for her candidness, shared the moment on India Hicks’s podcast, recalling how she felt compelled to interrupt the Duchess of Sussex mid-story to save the audience from a drawn-out anecdote.

The panel, timed with International Women’s Day, featured a question on gender equality posed by Katie Couric. Markle jumped in with a childhood tale of writing a letter to a company over a commercial that suggested dishwashing was solely a woman’s job. Shields recounted how Markle’s repeated emphasis on being just 11 years old at the time felt overly self-congratulatory. “It was just too precious,” Shields noted, sensing the audience’s waning interest.

Unable to resist, Shields interjected with a humorous jab. “Excuse me, I’m so sorry, I’ve got to interrupt you there for one minute,” she said, before quipping, “When I was 11, I was playing a prostitute.” Referencing her controversial role in the 1978 film Pretty Baby, Shields instantly lightened the mood, earning roars of laughter and loosening up the room.

Beyond the quip, Shields also opened up during the panel about her own experiences as a child star, thrust into the spotlight with roles that sexualized her at a tender age. From nude scenes in Pretty Baby at 11 to provocative shoots for Playboy as a 10-year-old, she reflected on an industry that often exploits its youngest talents. “Hollywood is predicated on eating its young,” she said, a stark commentary on the systemic challenges she faced. Yet, Shields credited her strong support system, including her mother and a grounding in regular schooling, for shielding her from becoming another tragic statistic.

This clash of perspectives—Markle’s polished advocacy and Shields’ raw, unfiltered honesty—highlights the diverse ways women navigate and narrate their pasts in the public eye. It’s a reminder that behind every story, there’s a deeper, sometimes darker, reality waiting to be unpacked.