Brooke Shields Breaks Down Why Her Relationship Husband Chris Henchy Gave Her Unprecedented 'Freedom'

When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as perfect timing or calculated planning – most of the time, it just happens. For Brooke Shields and her husband Chris Henchy, who have been happily married since 2001, their first years together were magical, but full of challenges as well.

In a recent interview with Glamour, Shields looked back at their relationship, which started in a complicated and “dark” time in her life. “He met me getting a divorce,” Shields remembered. In 1999, The Blue Lagoon star was splitting from her first husband, tennis player Andre Agassi.

More from SheKnows

• Jennifer Garner & BF John Miller's Super-Rare Outing Had a PDA Moment Fans May Have Missed

Unfortunately for Shields, the breakup wasn’t even the most concerning problem in her life at the time. “I had been diagnosed with CIN 3, cervical dysplasia, which is precancerous. Next step is cancer. I have to have this massive surgery. My dad gets sick. My best friend dies,” she remembered.

Despite all of that, however, Henchy was her rock. “I was at this level, and he was unfazed,” she said. “He was so funny and so smart, and I just fell into him but never turned into anybody for him.”

Looking back at her first marriage, Shields knew her connection with Henchy was different. “When I was with Andre, I wanted to morph into his world,” she said. “Chris saw me for who I was, loved who I was with all of my dorky things, and just was unfazed,” she added. “It was freedom to me.”

“His jokes were funnier than the ones I was being written [on Suddenly Susan], and so he was giving me alts and I was claiming them as my own,” she revealed.

Many years later, it seems like Shields and Henchy, who share daughters Grier Hammond Henchy, 17, and Rowan Francis Henchy, 20, are as strong as ever. In May, the two celebrated their 22nd wedding anniversary. “22 years married today… sometimes it feels like it’s been forever in the blink of an eye!” Shields wrote on Instagram. “There’s nobody else I’d rather drive insane or be driven insane by… catch or be caught by… love or be loved by ❤️ I’m in it for the long haul. You’re a keeper.” Talk about a power couple!

Before you go, click here to see the longest celebrity marriages.

Best of SheKnows

• All the Celebrities Who Got Married in 2023

• All the Celebrity Couples Who Broke Up This Year

• 25 of Keith Urban & Nicole Kidman’s Steamiest Red Carpet PDA Moments

Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.