Summary

• Shields' roles in sitcoms like Jane the Virgin showcased her strength as a comedic actress with great on-screen chemistry.
• Despite mixed reviews, Shields' performance in The Blue Lagoon launched her into superstardom with emotional resonance.
• Shields' versatility as an actress was evident in Law & Order: SVU, where she portrayed Sheila Porter with depth and intensity.

Warning: This article contains mentions of violence and abuse.

Brooke Shields received several Razzie Award nominations over the years, but despite this, she had a solid and varied career in both TV shows and movies. The actress famously stepped into the spotlight for the first time at less than a year old as a child model and made her first on-screen appearance as a performer in After the Fall, the 1974 TV show adaptation of the play of the same name by Arthur Miller. From there, Shields quickly established herself as a big name in Hollywood throughout her childhood, teenage years, and into adulthood.

Despite being known for her bad performances, Shields consistently proved that she had her strengths as an actress, too. Throughout her career, Shields cemented herself as a famous comedic actress and starred as various supporting characters in quite a few of the best sitcoms of all time. She was also impressively good in darker and more dramatic roles, although her humor and physical comedy skills were her most considerably successful traits. From the tense to the hilarious, Brooke Shields had plenty of great movies and TV shows.

10 A Castle For Christmas (2021)

Character: Sophie Brown

In A Castle for Christmas, Shields portrayed the lead character, Sophie Brown, an author traveling to Scotland to avoid backlash about her most recent novel. While the movie wasn’t Oscar standard, Shields received praise for her all-around enjoyable and wholesome performance in the Christmas-themed romantic comedy. Sophie's journey of self-discovery as she moves on from her divorce and falling in love with the village of Dunbar in Scotland was tender and emotional, something Shields beautifully translated to the screen.

While the film's plot generally followed a similar pattern to Hallmark-style movies, Shields stood out in A Castle for Christmas because of how she delivered Sophie’s personality and quirks.

The actress’ charisma was particularly noticeable in A Castle for Christmas, especially in interactions between Sophie and her romantic interest, Myles (Cary Elwes). While the film's plot generally followed a similar pattern to Hallmark-style movies, Shields stood out in A Castle for Christmas because of how she delivered Sophie’s personality and quirks. Overall, Shields brilliantly presented a developed character with relatable flaws, engaging audiences.

9 The Blue Lagoon (1980)

Character: Emmeline

The Blue Lagoon was a staple in Brooke Shields’ career, and years after its release, it has continued to be one of her most discussed titles. Shields starred as Emmeline in The Blue Lagoon at the age of 14, which caused the coming-of-age movie to receive significant attention because of its incestuous storyline. Despite the controversies, Shields held herself well in the role and was acknowledged by critics and audiences for the emotional resonance she brought to the character.

Shields' role in The Blue Lagoon became a pivotal moment in her career and launched her further into superstardom, making the jump from child star to fully-fledged, mature actress.

Because of her young age and youthful beauty, Shields gave an extra layer of authenticity to Emmeline, which worked brilliantly for the character’s journey throughout the film. Shields' role in The Blue Lagoon became a pivotal moment in her career and launched her further into superstardom, making the jump from child star to fully-fledged, mature actress. Despite mixed reviews from critics, Shields’ performance in The Blue Lagoon cemented her name in Hollywood, and even though it saw plenty of hostile reception and won her a Razzie for Worst Actress, it didn’t hold her back from continuing her career.

8 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–)

Character: Sheila Porter