Brooke Shields reveals how Tom Cruise apologized for his 'ridiculous rant' on her antidepressant usage

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Brooke Shields recently reflected on Tom Cruise's "ridiculous" public criticism of her for using antidepressants to manage her postpartum depression - nearly 20 years after the incident.

In her recent memoir, 'Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman', the 59-year-old 'Pretty Baby' star opened up about her disagreement with prominent Scientologist Cruise.

Tom Cruise 'eventually' apologized to Brooke Shields for ranting about her antidepressant usage

According to Brooke Shields' new memoir, Tom Cruise, 61, privately apologized for his "ridiculous rant" regarding the actress's use of antidepressants in a startling 2005 interview.

Cruise criticized Shields for taking "dangerous" antidepressants and said she didn't "understand the history of psychiatry" in a wild tirade during a 2005 interview with 'Today's Matt Lauer.

He said that she was "irresponsible" for taking medicine while suffering from postpartum depression because it "didn't cure anything."

In her new book, the Golden Globe nominee said that the 'Top Gun' star "eventually" apologized to her and regretted his remarks.

"It wasn’t the world’s best apology, but it’s what he was capable of, and I accepted it," she wrote, per Daily Mail.

Shields continued: "Had Tom taken a public swing at me before I became a mother, I probably would have stayed quiet. I would have ignored his ridiculous rant."

"I might have been content to sit back while this very famous man hijacked my experience to advance his own (deluded) agenda. I would have been satisfied that his behavior would speak for itself."

Shields added that she might have even felt guilty about telling her tale ten years ago, or she might have been worried that her career was stagnating while a strong male movie star was snagging her.

She claimed to be "spurr[ing] discussions on the reality and prevalence of postpartum depression", besides "sticking up for herself" against "irrational and dangerous comments from an unschooled actor who was speaking way out of his depth."

Tom Cruise criticized Brooke Shields for her antidepressant usage in 2005 interview

After a 2005 interview on 'The Today Show', Cruise was highly criticized for his opinion on Shields' admittance of using drugs during her struggle with postpartum depression in the book 'Down Came The Rain.'

"Here is a woman, and I care about Brooke Shields because I think she is an incredibly talented woman. You look at, where has her career gone?... These drugs are dangerous," he said at the time.

"The thing that I'm saying about Brooke is that there's misinformation. She doesn't understand the history of psychiatry... she doesn't know what these drugs are, and for her to promote it is irresponsible."

"You can use vitamins to help a woman through those things," Cruise remarked, adding that the drugs "don't cure anything."

Shields responded at the time, criticizing his Scientology beliefs, asking: "Has he had a baby? Tom should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women decide which treatment is best for them."

Shields revealed in 2006 that Cruise personally apologized at her home. "He came over to my house, and he gave me a heartfelt apology. And he apologized for bringing me into the whole thing and for everything that happened," she told Jay Leno.

Shields further wrote a New York Times op-ed in response to Cruise at the time. She attacked Cruise in the opinion piece for saying things that are "a disservice to mothers everywhere," per HuffPost.

She clarified in her memoir that the inappropriate moment made her feel more confident, noting that Cruise's outburst occurred soon after her 40th birthday.