Brigitte Nielsen: biography, filmography, personal life

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

With the release of her first film, Danish-born Gitta Nielsen woke up famous. Many circumstances helped her to make a dizzying career: high growth and spectacular appearance, long work as a model and trying herself as a singer. And our heroine is known to many as the wife of Sylvester Stallone. So who is Gitta Nielsen, who managed to conquer not only her native northern country, but the whole world?

Quick start modeling career

Until a certain point, this unremarkable girl lived an ordinary life. Born near Copenhagen in 1963, the future actress (her name in her native language is spelled as Brigitte Nielsen) did not make plans to grace the covers of magazines until the age of 16, much less become a screen star. But at one point, her opinion changed. It was not easy for her to talk with her parents, who nevertheless allowed her daughter to go into the modeling business. In her hometown of Redovre, there was no agency for novice models, and Nielsen swung big: having received an invitation to become a “national” model, she, without hesitation, leaves for France and Italy. Brigitte Nielsen, a charming beauty, conquers Armani and Versace, andlater, all the capitals of the fashion world bow before her. At 20, she marries musician Casper Windinga and gives birth to her first child, Julian.

Red Sonya Appears

By this time, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who gained fame after The Terminator, is preparing to shoot in a new large-scale fantasy. Red Sonya, a brave warrior who, together with the hero of legends Kalidor, undertakes to save the world from great enslavement, is a character for the performance of which the director Dino De Laurentiis had to choose an actress.

He drew attention to Nielsen, whose photo was decorated with many glossy publications. The type that he painted in the future picture suddenly appeared on the covers. The joy of the director knew no bounds! It remained to find a model and get consent. Brigitte did not have to be persuaded: she regarded the invitation as the only chance to break into the world of cinema and made the right choice.

Birth of the Amazon

This picture instantly elevated Nielsen to the pinnacle of fame. "Red Sonja" will long remain the best film in the actress's career and the most successful on-screen incarnation of the comic book character of the mid-80s. Before the release, the acting troupe made a promotional tour, during which Brigitte met Sylvester Stallone. He has already established himself as an action hero and the young people have made a lasting impression on each other. Their relationship grew into two whole joint projects. So, in 1985, the fourth part of “Rocky” was released, followed by “Cobra”, where the actress got the role of a witness pursuedkiller. Alas, the wedding of Brigitte and Sylvester in Malibu was followed by a series of scandals and an inevitable divorce.

Another divorce - singing is not a hindrance

Being left without a husband for the second time, Nielsen focused on work. Moreover, the quick career of the actress did not let her get bored - one after another she received offers that had to be carefully weighed.

Brigitte Nielsen did not want to be remembered by the audience by one image, but dreamed of diversifying her filmography.

In 1987, “Beverly Hills Cop 2” and the drama “Goodbye Baby” are released. For the sake of participating in a musical show, Brigitte leaves for Italy. The European pseudonym Brigitte Nielsen appears there for the first time, which is associated with the release of the debut disc and a separate single in the pop dance genre. The recording takes part Johann Helzel, known as Falco. The music charts in Austria and Germany place the album at number 22. Still with a beautiful figure, Brigitte Nielsen returns to her original occupation, to the delight of all fans, appearing naked in Playboy magazine.

From Sony to new looks

Marvel Studio, which has long been developing the concept of future films about superheroes, started releasing a tape about She-Hulk. In the green-skinned beauty, the company saw Brigitte, who had already de alt with the red-haired warrior. The advertising photo session was supposed to attract new investors, but due to their absence, the project had to be postponed until better times. Meanwhile, Brigitte is invited to television, and she starred in fantasy films."Fantaghiro" and "Murder in the Moonlight". In 1992, the actress gets a small role in the horror movie "Devil's Phone 2".

Personal life and new projects

Marriage failures don't stop this passionate beauty. In 1988, Brigitte Nielsen, already famous for her novels, starts a relationship with athlete Mark Gastineau. The couple has a son, Killian.

In 1990, the actress married director Sebastian Coplando. Parting with him will be marked by the release of the second album, which did not receive worthy recognition. Three years later, Nielsen marries Raoul Mayer, with whom a son, Douglas, is born.

At this time, Brigitte Nielsen returns to the screens. The level of cinema has dropped significantly compared to her early career. Different in genres, “Double Agent”, “Mission of Justice” and “Passion on the Chain” are neutral for the audience. In the early 90s, the actress moved to television, where she became a talk show host.

She is also invited to music festivals in Sanremo. While in Italy, Brigitte is removed in the continuation of the fairy tale “The Cave of the Golden Rose”. In 1999, Nielsen writes the script and produces the film with his participation "Dylda". The comedy tells the story of a successful designer, V, whose business is suffering from the consequences of a crisis. Doug, who is two heads shorter than her, can help overcome them…

Undoubtedly, fans of the star regarded the picture as a tribute to themselves because of their high growth. The first years of the new millenniumwere marked by the release of two new dance records and an appearance on a reality show. In 2006, Nielsen went down the aisle for the fifth time. This time, the bartender Mattia Dessi became her chosen one.

Over the past few years, the actress has rarely acted, more often appearing in episodic roles in TV shows. In 2014, the adventure thriller The Mercenaries was released, where Cynthia Rothrock, Zoe Bell and Christian Loken became her partners on the set.

Why did Sylvester Stallone fall in love with Brigitte? According to his confession, in her he saw much more than a pleasant appearance. The actress herself has been in the Book of Records since the release of Red Sonja for her height, which is 182 cm. Other tallest stars include Sigourney Weaver, Geena Davis, Margot Hemingway and Nicole Kidman.

Besides, she can be proud that few Danish actresses have been able to find the same fame as Brigitte.