Brooke Shields Reflects on Tom Cruise's apology and the impact of 'Cruise-gate' in new memoir

Tom Cruise's memorable "Today" show rant about Brooke Shields’ use of antidepressants for postpartum depression still resonates. In her new memoir, Brooke Shields is Not Allowed to Get Old , Shields reveals that Cruise eventually apologized for his comments. The incident dates back to 2005, when Cruise criticized Shields’ memoir Down Came the Rain during an interview with Matt Lauer. Shields had written the book to reassure parents dealing with postpartum depression that they weren’t “faulty, broken, bad, or less than as a mother.” What began as a promotional appearance for Cruise’s movie War of the Worlds turned into a heated exchange, with Cruise accusing Shields of spreading “misinformation” and denying the existence of a “chemical imbalance,” insisting antidepressants were unnecessary. Shields recalls being "gobsmacked" by Cruise’s remarks, calling his perspective “an interesting opinion, coming from someone without ovaries.” The controversy inspired her to write a New York Times op-ed titled War of Words , where she defended her position and sought to raise awareness about postpartum depression. Now, 20 years later, Shields shares in her memoir that Cruise came to her home to apologize. “Not publicly, which would have been the right thing to do,” she writes, “but he came to my house and said he was sorry and that he felt cornered by Matt Lauer and that he attacked me, basically, because he could.” Although she describes the apology as imperfect, she accepted it, recognizing it was “what he was capable of.” Despite the drama, Shields reflects on the positive outcomes of what she calls “Cruise-gate.” In 2007, she testified before Congress in support of The Mothers Act , a bill focused on advancing research and providing support programs for postpartum depression. “His ignorance on the issue inspired women to get on their pedestals and scream for their rights and their bodies,” she writes. Along with revisiting this incident, Shields’ latest memoir delves into topics like finding confidence and joy in aging, advocating for oneself in medical settings, and fostering open conversations about menopause.