Ashley Graham Says Brooke Shields Has Been ‘a Beacon of Light’ as She Preps for Debut in Broadway’s Chicago

Ashley Graham received some supermodel support from Brooke Shields ahead of her big Broadway debut.

During a visit to CBS Mornings on Wednesday, April 9 to promote her upcoming role as Roxie Hart in the long-running musical Chicago, Graham revealed the important part that Shields — a former Roxie Hart herself — has played in helping prep her for the stage.

“Brooke Shields has been a beacon of light,” Graham said of the Suddenly Susan alum, who starred in Chicago in both New York City and London. “She has texted me paragraphs and photos and has been so kind and sweet.”

Turns out, Graham actually ran into Shields, 59, in the bathroom, minutes before her audition. “[I] was like, ‘This is a godsend, for sure.’ ” Graham, 37, recalled.

Graham went on to reveal the advice Shields sent her way.

“She just said, ‘Be yourself.’ And I was like, ‘What does that mean?’ ” Graham said. “But that’s what I did, I just was myself in the audition because Roxie really is in all of us. She’s the go-getter, she wants to make it to the top, and she’ll do anything to get there.”

“I have been told no so many times in my career. I’ve been told that I’m not good enough. All the tings,” Graham said. “And I’m using that and bringing that to the stage.”

Audiences can catch Graham as Roxie beginning on April 15 at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City. She’ll be in the production through May 25.

The mother of three announced the news of her gig back in March, sharing clips of herself in dance rehearsal.

She told CBS Mornings that she’s been rehearsing six days a week, admitting that the dancing has been the hardest part for her. But the role is a longtime dream come true.

“When I was doing my vision board in 2019, I wrote this down, ‘Sing on Broadway,’ ” Graham said. “And I don’t know what told me inside that was something that maybe I could actually do. Because I usually only write things down that like, are a possibility that I want to work my way to. And sure enough, here we are. I’m going from zero to 100, baby!”  

Tickets for Chicago are now on sale.