There Was a Little Girl: The Real Story of My Mother and Me by Brooke Shields Page B

to be passed up. Mom and I felt we could make it work with a tutor and homework assignments. Plus, I knew in advance and could try to get ahead in school before leaving for New Orleans, which I was able to do.
    The entire movie was shot in and around New Orleans. It had all been storyboarded and was seemingly meticulously planned out. The majority of the filming took place in a big white house on Saint Charles Avenue, which has since been converted into the Columns Hotel. The house had a big porch, a beautiful winding staircase, and stained-glass windows. Inside and out, the film’s creative team built the world as it actually existed during E. J. Bellocq’s time.
    But once we arrived, everything was more chaotic than I imagined. The cast and crew were a rowdy bunch. They became known for their loud partying and drug usage. Every night, crew members would either take over the bar or use their rooms to party. Complaints from visitors would be lodged but never seemed to cause change. A lot went on and there were many on-set romances, including a pregnancy (my mother went with the poor girl when she had her abortion). We had all left our real lives at home and had entered a somewhat altered universe.
    I enjoyed life on the set, but it could be very difficult and tense. There was a mystique surrounding Louis. He was making his first American film and there was a great deal of pressure, and he was often a man of few words. He watched more than he talked. He was not one to praise his actors. At first this scared me because I was like a Jack Russell puppy jumping up and up and up, asking, “Do you like me now? Do you like me now?” I wanted to do anything for a treat and a nod. Louis’s reticence made me nervous, but I always believed he was kind.
    He could be difficult with me but he was never mean or overtly demanding. I learned to navigate his often distant manner, and even though he seemed removed, I came to trust that no words were goodwords. I never fully knew whether he was ultimately happy with my portrayal of his lead character, but I had to believe he was getting what he wanted from me.
    At times I craved more direction and felt awkward not being constantly told what to do and how to be and sometimes even how to feel. I began the movie by asking questions or if I was OK, but as time went on I, too, quieted and trusted my instincts a bit more. Sadly, this would be one of the last films in a long while during which I was learning my craft and experiencing hints of self-confidence. I believe it was because of the quality and artistic caliber of the director. He had vision and he expressed himself quietly and without unnecessary chatter. He could say, “Just be defiant.” I knew exactly what that meant to Violet.
    The cinematographer, Sven Nykvist, was a genius. A gentle, beautiful soul whose art came out through his eyes and his heart. He was incredibly sweet and had a shy little laugh whenever I did or said something funny. I remember how quietly he worked and how thorough he was. If Louis was revealing what he called “a slice of life,” then it was Sven who simultaneously stripped away facades and illuminated the honest truth.
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    We were all working long hours every day on the film, and sleep became my most coveted commodity. The amount of work I was required to do was staggering. The shooting days lasted between twelve and fifteen hours and included early calls, late wraps, and all-night shoots that began at 5:00 P.M . and went until at least 5:00 A.M. the next day. The weather was at times excruciatingly hot, and when we worked near the rivers the bugs ate us alive. Occasionally it was miserable, but none of us complained.
    Because it was a period piece (my favorite thing in the world to do), all the costumes were authentically from the era. Nowadays many ofthe undergarments are remade in new materials, and shoes are copied in the style of the 1900s but with more comfortable modern