Keeping it Together: Brooke Shields gets real about aging

Brooke Shields is feeling fabulous at 59. But she didn't expect to.

Hi, my name is David Oliver, and I'm one of Paste BN's wellness reporters. Shields' words stuck with me. It feels like toxic aging discourse is never-ending. But there are clearly other ways to look at it.

After turning 50, the "Mother of the Bride" star didn't expect to feel more free. More powerful. "We're not taught that," she says over a Zoom call from New York. "We're taught that this is the end of the road for us."

That scared her – and many others, as anyone and everyone tries to channel their best Meryl Streep or Goldie Hawn in "Death Becomes Her" and channel eternal youth. "I feared it too much, because that's the way I grew up," she adds. "You chase youth and that everybody's supposed to be young forever."

These thoughts and more went into her upcoming book, "Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman."

The actress – also the founder of hair company Commence and president of the Actors' Equity Association – is debunking the notion she's not supposed to age by partnering with pharmaceutical company GSK to educate adults over 50 about their risk for shingles and vaccination options. She's also loudly and proudly speaking up about the lows and highs of aging.

For more on this interview, click here. And check out our other stories from the week below.