Brooke Shields gets skanky, wearing a mullet (think Billy Ray Cyrus), a tattoo, a cold sore and sucking down a beer — but it’s all in fun for an episode of “The Middle,” in which she plays Frankie’s (Patricia Heaton) tacky neighbor.

Patricia Heaton said this about Brooke:

“I met her a long time ago in an elevator and she was so lovely and gracious, so when I heard she was coming on the show, I was just so excited, especially because she’s playing completely against type, which is very brave of her.

She is playing our horrible, skanky neighbor, who has four really nasty boys who terrorize the neighborhood.”

Indeed, nothing like Brooke Shields offscreen.

In this episode of “The Middle,” Frankie fears a confrontation with Rita (Shields) when Frankie’s daughter Sue (Eden Sher) has a run in with the boys.

Brooke says she can relate to her role, because there is always one neighbor that no one else gets along with.

source: Brooke Shields Gets ‘Skanky’ on ‘The Middle’ [et online]