Golden Globe Award-winning actress Brooke Shields is campaigning to be the next president of Actors' Equity Association. In a video released to members of the actor-stage manager union, Shields announced her candidacy. If elected, Shields would replace AEA president of nine years Kate Shindle, who recently announced her decision to opt out of re-election. A representative of Equity confirmed Shields' candidacy to Playbill.

In the video, Shields states: "I've been an actress. I have learned how to live outside of my comfort zone. I understand the real need to support live theatre, and I have a history of being able to open doors and of being able to help." See Shields' full video above. 

Current president Shindle told the New York Times that she expects to remain active in the labor movement, but is stepping down from the leadership role within the union to focus on her acting career. The presidency is an unpaid volunteer position, and Shindle says the time commitment made it so she wasn't able to work enough weeks to qualify for the union's health insurance.

Shindle's tenure was marked by a number of unprecedented challenges, first and foremost among them the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying shutdown of almost all live theatre worldwide.

Shields, primarily a film and TV star, has appeared in a number of Broadway titles, including Chicago, Grease, Cabaret, Wonderful Town, and The Addams Family.