Brooke Shields

I went to an ordinary school in New York City with no other actors. I learned to compartmentalise different parts of my life. I was one person at home and then another person at work and for that reason my career didn't challenge my family life.

Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life.

I have always liked lionesses. Female lions have always seemed like the best. They were really strong and took care of their babies and are beautiful.

The thing I'm the most proud of in my personal life is that my daughter actually thinks that I'm fabulous.

Don't waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window or break down a door.

Too many people use abortion as a form of birth control. And that's very wrong. I could never, ever have an abortion.

The very damaging frightening part of postpartum is the lack of perspective and the lack of priority and understanding what is really important.

I have bad-mom moments all the time. Sometimes I have the wrong reaction, but I try to remember to pull back and think about it. Even when I make the mistake, I'm able to then go, 'Oh, okay, let's do this again.'

You don't necessarily have to be in misery to be talented.

I was the first child at four at a modeling agency, so I had an advantage.

I don't ever feel like I have it all together.

The most rewarding thing is being on Broadway. I went into Cabaret as a replacement and was really challenged beyond anything I could have imagined.

I could never, ever have an abortion.

The very damaging, frightening part of postpartum is the lack of perspective and the lack of priority and understanding what is really important.

I'm just starting to realize the type of work that I want to do. Not everyone can fit into the sitcom world because it's so fast-paced, but it feels comfortable to me.

Smoking kills. If youre killed youve lost a very important part of your life.

Have faith in your own thoughts.

I've never been naturally fashion conscious. I'm the kind of person who sees a whole outfit in a magazine, runs out and buys it but looks like a clown.

I don't like to leave my children for long periods of time. It's made me more picky about roles that are close, especially on television.

'Suddenly Susan' is my life.

I have a place in the Broadway community that can only be earned.

The difficulty of IVF or of any fertility issues is the hope and the shattered hope, the dream that it might happen this time and then it doesn't happen.

My younger years of modeling were really just filled with fun trips. I was doing catalogues for Alexander's and Bloomingdale's.

From the time I could speak, I knew I wanted to have children. It was just an innate desire.

I have a group of friends in my life, and we all give each other something different. I've known my two closest friends for many years. One is a friend from high school, and the other I met right after college. My deep, deep friends remind me every day of the good parts of my personality.

Being nice to everybody saying hello to everyone in the room signing every autograph it was instilled in me at a very young age that this was what I was suppose to do. But I dont think it helps at all. I see more people who are rude or arrogant being rewarded but this way I can put my head on the pillow at night.

Modeling is the world that I feel most welcome in.

If my girls are rude, it's over. There is no place in the world for it.

Everybody says, 'When you have kids, you really get away from yourself.' But really, it's the most selfish thing I've ever done. It's like, Okay, I'm going to create unconditional love for myself, and I'm going to need it and want it and ask for it every day, and I'm going to get it.

We live in New York. To be able to have a steady job and take your kids to school, and be around and work hard, is the perfect life.

Someone said adversity builds character, but someone else said adversity reveals character. I'm pleasantly surprised with my resilience. I persevere, and not just blindly. I take the best, get rid of the rest, and move on, realizing that you can make a choice to take the good.

What Tupperware has stood for all these years is the independence of women, allowing women to work from home, earn a living - and that what this Boys & Girls Clubs of America program, the SMART Girls program, is about.

At Princeton I gained a great deal of pleasure from success in my classes. knowing that I could accomplish those things, and I realized that my success was directly proportionate to the work I put in.

My father's death, my move, and my frightening and difficult delivery created a tremendous amount of stress, pain, and sadness for me. I was practically devastated beyond recovery.

I'm a hands-on mum and I'm lucky to be able to be that. I can remember the things my mum used to do with me and that time together is so important.

Dont waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes run to the next window. Or break down a door.

Being nice to everybody, saying hello to everyone in the room, signing every autograph; it was instilled in me at a very young age that this was what I was suppose to do. But I don't think it helps at all. I see more people who are rude or arrogant being rewarded - but, this way, I can put my head on the pillow at night.

It was my mom and I against the world. We lived in New York in this bohemian lifestyle where an extended group of artists and photographers were like my aunts and uncles.

I would have thought that I would have become one of those parents - just because it's my nature to be such a perfectionist - that anything falling short, I would have seen as a failure. But something has happened to me over the past few years - it's not Zen, believe me, I'm not at all Zen - but I'm so appreciative of even the chaos.

The thing about Broadway, they always welcome you with open arms.

Don't waste a minute not being happy. If one window closes, run to the next window- or break down a door.

My mother totally protected me as a model. She took me on every look-see, she was there on the set if I wanted her to be.

Honesty is the quality I value most in a friend. Not bluntness, but honesty with compassion.

Eight shows a week is daunting, and it can be terrifying. But it just instills such a sense of confidence and growth.

I was such a nerd, a complete geek, but then I was lucky enough to have a fancy career, where I can be like 'See, I'm not a nerd. Look, I'm in 'Vogue.'

I think I'm going to have to live vicariously through my daughter's rebellion because I certainly never did go through adolescence.

I suffered from post-natal depression after Rowan was born. I had a healthy, beautiful baby girl and I couldn't look at her. I couldn't hold her, smile at her. All I wanted was to disappear and die.

I always feel like the odd mom out, because trust me when I tell you I'm on my girls. And every time I am, I know from the outside it looks like I'm an overbearing, controlling parent. But I don't think we have any responsibility to anybody else but our kids and ourselves.

I am a city girl I think, at heart.

People think of me as a mannequin, all show and no substance.

Modeling is the world that feel most welcome in.

Louis Malle was the best filmmaker I've ever worked with. He was such an artist. He was dealing with the theme of innocence and experience.

I've never found therapy to be a sign of weakness; I've found the opposite to be true. The willingness to have a mirror held up to you definitely requires strength.

The older I get, the younger I feel. Growing up, I was always the kid, but I spoke like an adult and was in adult roles. I didn't feel like a kid. The older I get, I actually feel younger! Which is good. I always thought when you get older, you'll want to slow down, but I want to do even more.

I hope this will help new moms not feel alone or desperate, and that there is no shame in their feelings. PPD is out of their control, but the treatment and healing process is not.

What does good in bed mean to me? When I'm sick and I stay home from school propped up with lots of pillows watching TV and my mom brings me soup - that's good in bed.

Humour has always been a self-defence mechanism for me.

I'm so adamant that being a really good parent does not mean you have to be there 24/7. I find that I'm never not thinking about where they are, but instead of it stressing me out, it comforts me to know that I'm completely aware of their schedule, and they're with someone I trust.