Brooke Shields has opened up about the fallout from Tom Cruise’s infamous 2005 rant against her use of antidepressants, revealing he eventually apologized

Actress Brooke Shields has candidly discussed the aftermath of Tom Cruise’s notorious 2005 tirade against her use of antidepressants, noting he did apologize.

The commotion kicked off when Cruise, now 61, lambasted the actress, now 59, on The Today Show, critiquing her for turning to antidepressants for postpartum depression relief—a struggle she chronicled in her memoir “Down Came The Rain.”

Cruise remarked: “Here is a woman, and I care about Brooke Shields because I think she is an incredibly talented woman.” He added: “You look at, where has her career gone? …These drugs are dangerous.”

Shields was quick to counter, quipping: “Has he had a baby? Tom should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women decide which treatment is best for them.”

Brooke Shields
The actress shared that Tom Cruise apologized ( Image: Getty Images)

Taking to Instagram, Brooke Shields detailed in her forthcoming publication, “Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman,” that Cruise’s apology was made in person, though not quite perfect, reports the Express US.

“It wasn’t the world’s best apology, but it’s what he was capable of, and I accepted it,” she recounted. Shields expounded on why she spoke out, standing against “irrational and dangerous comments from an unschooled actor who was speaking way out of his depth,” while concurrently sparking fresh conversation on the often-hidden struggles of postpartum depression.

 

In 2006, Brooke Shields recounted to Jay Leno how Tom Cruise extended an apology for their past issues, saying: “He gave me a heartfelt apology for everything that happened.”

Despite the personal gesture, Cruise’s representative at the time made it clear that his views on antidepressants had not shifted. Shields also shared a curious detail about no longer receiving Cruise’s famous Christmas coconut cakes, which are a $126 Hollywood favorite.

She reminisced about being on the receiving end for a decade, noting: “I was on the list for a while,” and mentioned the evolution of the gift, “It was from them and Suri, so it was the three of them, and then soon it was no Suri and no Katie and just Tom. Then it went from just Tom for a while, but not every holiday. And then the cake stopped.”

The two stars have a unique connection; their daughters were born on the same day in the same hospital in 2006, even celebrating together at a joint birthday party the next year. Now, Shields is left puzzled by the cessation of the cake tradition, humorously appealing: “Tom, I need to be back on the cake list. It’s the best cake.”