The Real Reason Hallmark Vetted Brooke Shields (& Why She Left)

Brooke Shields has been a fixture in Hollywood for years after getting her start as a young actress and enjoying a successful modeling career. When her on-screen work began to slow down, Shields turned to the Hallmark Channel, signing a contract with the network to both star in one of their many beloved cozy mystery movie series, "Flower Shop Mysteries," and serve as an executive producer on the film trilogy. They hoped that bringing on such a big star could re-shape the network by injecting a bit of humor and catapult it to new heights in terms of popularity.

However, after the premier of the third film in the series, "Flower Shop Mystery: Dearly Depotted," Shields made a bold choice — she stepped away from her sizable contract. While she was originally expected to do over a dozen installments in Hallmark's flagship mystery series and was being touted as the new face of the network, Shields left it all behind. Now, with the release of her memoir, fans are finally finding out why.

While actresses like Candace Cameron Bure have found incredible success in the Hallmark formula, starring in long-running franchises for the network, this wasn't something Shields imagined for herself. In her new memoir, "Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman," Shields explained,"Not everything is for everyone, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Hallmark Channel ... but it was not the future I wanted for my career ... I am now a believer in only saying yes to work that serves me." Although simply having different career dreams wasn't the only reason for her departure.

In the 2016 movie series "Flower Shop Mysteries," Brooke Shields stars as Abby Knight, a former lawyer and flower shop owner who solves mysteries in her free time. For Shields, the thing that attracted her to "Flower Shop Mysteries" was the humor and relatability. "They hark back to what we fell in love with in 'Columbo,' 'Kojak,' 'Magnum, P.I.,' and 'Murder, She Wrote' — that genre of television that didn't push the limits too far and appealed to families," Shields told TV Insider in June 2016. "My favorite part about [the series] is the comedy. I think the banter between the characters keeps them alive." However, as she explained in her new memoir, she felt the joy was slowly drained from the series.

"I'd completed only three when I realized I had to renegotiate. I'd been hired, I was told, to help change the face of the network," Shields wrote in her new book. "They wanted me to be funny and bring more comedy to their offerings, but as filming progressed on each of the 'Flower Shop Mysteries' ... all the humor had evaporated." The actress said she no longer felt like the films were what she initially signed up for, and the prospect of doing so many more was daunting.

In the wake of her Hallmark departure, Shields has pursued her desire for comedic work more aggressively. She starred in a recurring role on "Jane the Virgin," and headlined a number of comedies for Netflix, including 2021's Hallmark Channel-esque holiday rom-com, "A Castle for Christmas," and the 2024 rom-com, "Mother of the Bride."