Now What? with Brooke Shields

Author, model, and former MTV VJ Karen Duffy joins the show to talk about the importance of having a “life philosophy” and how ancient wisdom helped her cope with a life-altering diagnosis. Brooke and Duff talk about aging out of the beauty industry and the difficulties they had trying to conceive their children. Plus, Duff shares a true story about her surrogate that’s worthy of a Lifetime movie....

Actor, comedian, and podcaster Rosie O’Donnell joins Brooke for a wide-ranging conversation about having a family member who suffers from addiction, the ways they learned to practice tough love, and what it’s like to come into your own in the public eye. Rosie opens up about her early stand-up career (including stealing Jerry Seinfeld’s jokes!), her controversial turn as a co-host on The View, and...

Author and therapist Amy Bloom joins Brooke to talk about her powerful new memoir “In Love,” which chronicles her late husband’s decision to pursue end-of-life treatment after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Amy shares how she made peace with her husband’s unwavering choice, how they approached their final months together, and the ways in which his death gave her a greater appreciation f...

Brooke sits down with Dr. Nicole Bedera, a sociologist and leading researcher on sexual violence, to talk about the pervasiveness and danger of normalizing traumatic experiences. Brooke opens up about her own sexual assault and shares why she struggled to come forward. Then, Dr. Bedera debunks some of the biggest myths surrounding rape culture and shares what you can do to support survivors. Resou...

Award-winning journalist and all-around badass Lisa Ling (This is Life with Lisa Ling, Take Out with Lisa Ling) joins the show! Lisa talks with Brooke about her experience being raised by a single dad, what it was like dropping out of college to become a war correspondent, and how a trip to Taiwan helped repair her relationship with her mother. Lisa also reflects on her “uncomfortable” fight for e...

Model, muse, and fashion icon Twiggy joins the podcast! Brooke and Twiggy chat about their cringe-worthy ‘80s TV movie, their famous teenage years, and why the fashion industry’s claim that it’s now “body positive” feels like a big sham. Twiggy gets candid about her years as a single mom after her first husband’s death and shares how a dream job helped her cope during difficult times. See omnystud...

Hello… It’s Lionel Richie. The music icon -- and Brooke's longtime friend! -- joins the podcast to share his experiences growing up in Alabama during the civil rights movement, the first song he ever wrote, and his unexpected rise from college freshman to Motown superstar. Plus, Lionel explains the biggest lesson he learned as a co-parent and why he wishes his own children “lots of failures" when...

Monica Lewinsky opens up about the fallout from her most famous ‘Now, What?’ moment and how she learned to cope with both the shame of her experience and the weight of decades-old abuse. Then, Brooke and Monica discuss the ways in which public shaming has shaped the 21st Century, and what they wish private citizens understood about life in the public eye. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Alan Cumming (The Traitors, The Good Wife) opens up about his difficult childhood and the freedom he felt when he finally parted ways with an abusive parent. Brooke and Alan reflect on lessons learned from past relationships and discuss why they never put their drinks down at Hollywood parties. Plus, all the behind-the-scenes secrets from Alan’s hit new show ‘The Traitors.’ See omnystudio.com/list...

Jenny Slate (Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, Obvious Child) and Brooke talk about their mutual love for Marcel the Shell, what it was like for Jenny to continue working with her ex-husband after their divorce, and how she’s learned to overcome crippling stage fright. Plus, Jenny gets candid about her uncomfortable time as a cast member on 'SNL'.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately, Chelsea Handler: Revolution) joins Brooke for the final episode of season one! The two chat about the surprising way Chelsea got into comedy, their cringeworthy Bill Cosby stories, and how the death of Chelsea’s oldest brother changed the entire course of her life. Plus, Chelsea looks back at her year of “Now What?” moments, including fighting to get her special so...

Brooke reunites with  Blue Lagoon  co-star Christopher Atkins to swap stories about their 1980 movie that became a surprising cult classic. Did they ever date? Did a young Brooke make a powerful acting choice or was it just pneumonia? Hear the good, the bad, and the ugly, including how the two really felt about all the nudity on set. Plus, Chris opens up about the life-changing moment when Hollywo...

Jessica Capshaw (Grey’s Anatomy, Tell Me Lies) chats with Brooke about the misconceptions people have about her famous parents, the stigma of being a small-screen actress during the heyday of film, and how she handled being discharged from Seattle Grace/Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital after playing the beloved Dr. Arizona Robbins for 10 years. Plus, Brooke and Jessica break down the “creative” ways w...

Cooper Manning (Fox Sports’ The Manning Hour) joins Brooke to talk about growing up in a football famous family, the secret to raising Super Bowl champs (no, there’s nothing in the water), and the devastating diagnosis that ended his own sports career and forced him to pave a different life path. Plus, Coop shares his secret dream of doing stand-up comedy one day and reveals which Manning brother...

Bestselling author Angela Garbes (Essential Labor: Mothering As Social Change, Like a Mother) and Brooke discuss how the pandemic created a once-in-a-generation   opportunity for us to rethink the ways in which we value domestic work. The two   share why they’ve embraced leaning on others to help raise their own children, the ways their own mothers influenced their parenting styles, and why changi...

Gayle King (CBS Mornings, Oprah Daily) and Brooke talk about the difficulties of divorce, the biggest co-parenting challenges, and the one unforgettable piece of advice Maya Angelou gave Gayle when things got tough. Plus, Gayle reflects on working at CBS during the height of the #MeToo movement and shares a "now what" moment from her childhood that has come to define her life. See omnystudio.com/l...

New York Times bestselling author Celeste Ng ( Little Fires Everywhere, Everything I Never Told You ) chats with Brooke about the underlying meaning of her latest novel Our Missing Hearts , why she doesn't take public reaction to her work personally, and what it's like to take a back seat when a project gets adapted by Hollywood A-listers. Plus, Celeste reveals how a harrowing racist encounter fro...

Actor, comedian, and Brooke’s bestie Ali Wentworth joins the show for our first-ever crossover episode! Brooke shares why she regrets waiting to lose her virginity, Ali reveals the time she asked her mom about masturbation on Christmas, and the two swap stories about their failed relationships (from ending an engagement to catching a cheating ex-fiancée). Plus, Brooke reveals if she's ever slept w...

Brooke talks with Patton Oswalt (The King of Queens, The Goldbergs, A.P. Bio, I Love My Dad) about the “coin flip” that landed him in San Francisco, how grief made him more emphatic after the tragic loss of his first wife Michelle, and what he wishes internet trolls understood about his friendship with Dave Chappelle. Oh yeah, and Brooke tells us about the time she sent her mom into the afterlife...

Kal Penn (House, Designated Survivor, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle) opens up to Brooke about his “tragic” rejection from Yale, being pigeonholed in Hollywood because of the color of his skin, and how Harold and Kumar helped him subvert racial stereotypes and land his dream role. Then, Kal digs into the biggest pivot of his life: his decision to leave acting to go work for the Obama Admini...

Geena Davis (Thelma and Louise, A League of Their Own, Commander in Chief) joins Brooke to talk about the perils of having polite parents, how playing empowered female characters onscreen helped her cope with childhood trauma and her latest thoughts on Bill Murray. Plus, she shares a #MeToo moment involving a Hollywood director that changed how she forever saw the industry. See omnystudio.com/list...

Brooke and Julianna Margulies ( ER, The Good Wife, The Morning Show ) swap stories about their bohemian childhoods, what it’s like to realize you’re famous, and how they've learned to shed the labels given to them by others. Plus, why Julianna turned down a $27 million paycheck in order to leave ER and how she dealt with the unexpected backlash from fans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

What do you do when you encounter the unexpected? That make-or-break moment that leaves you crying in front of strangers or quitting your job to pursue your true passion. Now What? with Brooke Shields dives deep into the world of redos, resets, and forward fails: From career pivots and personal missteps to moving through grief (or just plain moving on). Join Brooke as she sits down with authors, e...