Brigitte Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Brigitte Nielsen is a Danish model, actress, musician and reality television personality who began her career modelling for Greg Gorman
and Helmut Newton
and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja
and Rocky IV
and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone
. She subsequently appeared with him in the 1986 film Cobra, and was noted for her widely publicized breakup with Stallone in 1987, and her relationship with New York Jets
Mark Gastineau
in 1988.
Her exploits were well-covered in the entertainment media in the 1980s, and the world press started referring to her as an "Amazon" because of her tall stature (verified by the Guinness Book of World Records at 6 ft 6, or 1.98 meters). She first commented on her stature and used the term "Amazonian" to describe herself in 1985.
She later built a career appearing in B-movie
s, and in the 2000s, for appearing on reality shows such as Flavor of Love
, on which she met and began a relationship with rapper
Flavor Flav
. In 2008, she appeared on the reality show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
, which depicted her and several other celebrities dealing with recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
, a suburb of Copenhagen
, Denmark, the daughter of Hanne, a librarian, and Svend Nielsen, an engineer. She has a brother, Jan.
and Helmut Newton
.
In 1985, Nielsen began her acting career in Red Sonja
alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger
. In the same year, she met and married Sylvester Stallone
; the couple acted in two movies together (Rocky IV
and Cobra) before divorcing in 1987. Their marriage and divorce were both highly publicized by the tabloid press. She posed for Playboy
magazine multiple times, garnering the cover in December 1987.
Nielsen started a music career in 1987. She released her debut album Every Body Tells a Story
(a Top 30 hit in Italy) in that year and recorded a duet with Austrian pop star Falco
, Giorgio Moroder
's penned "Body Next to Body" which went to #22 in Germany and #6 in Austria. In 1990, she recorded a single called "Rockin' Like a Radio". She released a follow-up album, I'm the One... Nobody Else
, in 1991. In 2000, she recorded the dance
track "No More Turning Back" under the pseudonym
of Gitta and reached #1 in Spain and topped several other European dance charts. Other tracks recorded as Gitta were 2001's "Tic Toc" and 2002's "You're No Lady", a collaboration with Ru Paul.
In the late 1980s, Marvel Comics
approached Nielsen to pose for photographs dressed as the comic book
character She-Hulk
. The photos did not produce a large amount of investors in the potential film and Marvel was forced to scrap the project. Subsequently, she starred in Beverly Hills Cop II
, Galaxys and The Double 0 Kid
and some European movies.
In 1989, she appeared in Michael Jackson
's "Liberian Girl
" music video and in the 1990s, she hosted an English language talk show that was broadcast across Europe. In 2000, she appeared in heavy metal
band Korn
's music video for the single "Make Me Bad
".
She has worked for Italian television hosting hit shows such as: Festival (1987), the 1992 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, Retromarsh! (1996–1997), and ..la sai l'ultima? (1999); starring in the TV movie Fantaghirò 2
and its sequels (1992–1996); and guest starring in the Rai Tre
's soap opera
Un posto al sole (2000). In 1997 she hosted a talk show
series called Gittes venner for a Danish TV network and some TV shows for RTSI, the Swiss television in the Italian language
.
On 28 August 2008, German record label
Edel Music
re-released her 1991 album I'm the One... Nobody Else
and the 1987 Every Body Tells a Story
under the title Brigitte Nielsen.
On 27 October 2009, she published her first auto-biography in Scandinavia titled: "Gitte Nielsen – Du har kun ét liv – sådan fandt jeg tilbage til mig selv" (translation: "You only have one life – this is how I found myself again."). The book reached the Top5 of Denamark's bestseller
list. The book has been eventually released in the UK under the title You only get one life by John Blake Publishing in May 2011.
In April 2011, she attended the British variety
/talent show
Sing If You Can
, which aired on ITV.
In November 2010, she guest starred
for one episode in the German tv series SOKO: Stuttgart
, aired by ZDF
on 28 March 2011.
She guest-hosted the British chat show Loose Women
on 7 December 2010, and voice acted
for the Danish animated comedy film Ronal barbaren.
reality show The Surreal Life
(2004). In the show, Nielsen was seen flirting with Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav
, and it was confirmed that they were a couple, even though she was still legally married to her fourth husband, Swiss Formula Three
driver Raoul Meyer. The show was such a success that VH1 produced a spin-off
reality show called Strange Love
, which began airing on the channel on 9 January 2005. Nielsen also appeared with Flav on VH1's Big in '04 Awards. In 2006, she guest-starred on Flav's other reality show, Flavor of Love
.
In 2003, Nielsen appeared in the Danish Big Brother VIP. In January 2005, she was a contestant in the British version of Celebrity Big Brother, along with her former mother-in-law, Jackie Stallone
. Nielsen came third in the final public vote. In 2006, she appeared in another reality TV series, VH1's The Surreal Life: Fame Game
. In March 2007, she starred in a new British documentary
called Killing Brigitte Nielsen, which aired on Sky Travel
. She also appeared in the first season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
, which chronicled her struggle to overcome her alcoholism
at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California
. The series premiered in January 2008 on VH1 and in July 2009 on United Kingdom's Fiver.
In May 2008, she revealed on German television that she would "renew" her body by having six plastic surgeries (which would cost €66,000 altogether). Nielsen was filmed during those surgeries by RTL
and she had her own television show "Aus alt mach neu – Brigitte Nielsen in der Promi-Beauty-Klinik"(Make do and mend – Brigitte Nielsen in the celebrity beauty hospital). The same show was broadcast under the title Celebrity Makeover: Brigitte Nielsen on SKY Italia
in Italy in December 2008 and in 2009 on Italia 1
.
In 2009, Nielsen and other alumni of Celebrity Rehab appeared as panel speakers to a new group of addicts at the Pasadena Recovery Center, anticipating the two-year mark of her sobriety that coming July. Her appearance was aired in the third season episode "Triggers", which aired in February 2010.
In January 2010, Nielsen appeared as one of the celebrity contestants of the French reality show TF1
's La Ferme Célébrités
, the French version of the TV series The Farm
. She was eliminated after one week, mainly due to her lack of fluency in French and subsequent difficulties to interact with the other contestants.
Nielsen was one of the celebrity contestants of 2010's Let's Dance, the German version of Dancing with the Stars
. In 2010, she also took part of Celebrity Come Dine With Me
in Denmark (Til middag hos... ), and in Germany (Das Perfekte Promi Dinner).
She has a son Julian Winding (born in 1984) with first husband Kasper Winding who she was married to from 1983-1984.
Nielsen married actor Sylvester Stallone
, on 15 December 1985, in Beverly Hills, California. Stallone and Nielsen's marriage lasted two years and their subsequent divorce was highly publicized by the tabloid press. The press constantly claimed that Brigitte was unfaithful to Stallone. She later confessed an affair with Tony Scott
.
Her second son, Killian Marcus Nielsen (born in 1989) she had with ex-fiance Mark Gastineau
Nielsen has two sons with fourth husband Raoul Meyer, Douglas Aaron (born in 1993) and Raoul, Jr. (born in 1995).
In 2005, Nielsen had a highly-profiled relationship with rapper, Flavor Flav
. The relationship was filmed on their reality show Strange Love.
Her current husband, Mattia Dessi, lived with her in Italy, as shown on Strange Love
, which was filmed prior to their marriage. They live in Palm Springs
.
In the aftermath of Arnold Schwarzenegger
's infidelity scandal, Nielsen came forward and confessed that she too had an affair with Schwarzenegger while he was in a relationship with Maria Shriver
, saying, "Maybe I wouldn't have got into it if he said 'I'm going to marry Maria' and this is dead serious, but he didn't, and our affair carried on."
facility in North Hollywood following what some reports claim was a family intervention
. Her manager, Steven Tempone, confirmed on 19 July 2007 that she had checked into rehabilitation and told the Associated Press
"All I know is it's something she did of her own free will and we're proud of her and wish her very well...When she gets out we'll have a big birthday party, and Coca-Cola
only".
As of 22 July 2007, Nielsen was out of rehabilitation to attend the Comedy Central roast of Flavor Flav. She told People that she felt "like a new-born person ... I made a choice about a new life. It's not been easy but it was definitely time." While People does not report the date that Nielsen checked into rehabilitation, they state that she "had been in treatment for a few weeks". On 10 January 2008, VH1
began airing the reality TV series, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Nielsen appeared on the show for alcoholism
.
In a January 2010 TV Guide
story on her success with sobriety, Celebrity Rehab producer John Irwin stated, "She's sober, and she quit smoking. She's doing crazy good."
. The theme of the show was Nielsen's attempt to look "as young as her husband" by undergoing plastic surgery
. The show was aired in Italy
as well, on SKY
Italia during December 2008 and the following summer on Italia 1
.
Greg Gorman
Greg Gorman is an American portrait photographer of Hollywood celebrities. His work has been seen in national magazine features and covers, including Esquire, GQ, Interview, Life, Vogue, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Time, Vanity Fair, and the London Sunday Times...
and Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton, born Helmut Neustädter was a German-Australian photographer. He was a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications."-Early life:Newton was born in Berlin, the son of Klara...
and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja
Red Sonja (1985 film)
Red Sonja is a 1985 sword and sorcery/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in a supporting role and introducing Brigitte Nielsen as the title character...
and Rocky IV
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...
and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
. She subsequently appeared with him in the 1986 film Cobra, and was noted for her widely publicized breakup with Stallone in 1987, and her relationship with New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Mark Gastineau
Mark Gastineau
Marcus Dell Gastineau is a former American football player who was a leading defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, his 100½ quarterback sacks in only his first 100 starts in the NFL made him one of the quickest and most feared pass rushers of his generation...
in 1988.
Her exploits were well-covered in the entertainment media in the 1980s, and the world press started referring to her as an "Amazon" because of her tall stature (verified by the Guinness Book of World Records at 6 ft 6, or 1.98 meters). She first commented on her stature and used the term "Amazonian" to describe herself in 1985.
She later built a career appearing in B-movie
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
s, and in the 2000s, for appearing on reality shows such as Flavor of Love
Flavor of Love
Flavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
, on which she met and began a relationship with rapper
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
. In 2008, she appeared on the reality show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew is a reality television show airing on the cable network VH1 that chronicles a group of celebrities as they are treated for alcohol and drug addiction by Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California. The first season premiered...
, which depicted her and several other celebrities dealing with recovery from drug and alcohol addiction.
Early life
Nielsen was born Gitte Nielsen in RødovreRødovre
Rødovre Kommune is a municipality in Region Hovedstaden on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark. Its mayor is Erik Nielsen, a member of the Social Democrats political party who hold a majority of seats in the council.-History:The municipality was created in 1901 when the parish of Rødovre was...
, a suburb of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark, the daughter of Hanne, a librarian, and Svend Nielsen, an engineer. She has a brother, Jan.
Career
At the beginning of the 1980s, Nielsen did some modeling work, and was photographed by Greg GormanGreg Gorman
Greg Gorman is an American portrait photographer of Hollywood celebrities. His work has been seen in national magazine features and covers, including Esquire, GQ, Interview, Life, Vogue, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Time, Vanity Fair, and the London Sunday Times...
and Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton
Helmut Newton, born Helmut Neustädter was a German-Australian photographer. He was a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically charged black-and-white photos were a mainstay of Vogue and other publications."-Early life:Newton was born in Berlin, the son of Klara...
.
In 1985, Nielsen began her acting career in Red Sonja
Red Sonja (1985 film)
Red Sonja is a 1985 sword and sorcery/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in a supporting role and introducing Brigitte Nielsen as the title character...
alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
. In the same year, she met and married Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
; the couple acted in two movies together (Rocky IV
Rocky IV
Rocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...
and Cobra) before divorcing in 1987. Their marriage and divorce were both highly publicized by the tabloid press. She posed for Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
magazine multiple times, garnering the cover in December 1987.
Nielsen started a music career in 1987. She released her debut album Every Body Tells a Story
Every body tells a story
Every Body Tells a Story is the title of the debut studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1987, and was produced by Christian De Walden.The title track was released as a single.The album was a Top30 hit in Italy....
(a Top 30 hit in Italy) in that year and recorded a duet with Austrian pop star Falco
Falco (musician)
Johann Hölzel , better known by his stage name Falco, was an Austrian pop and rock musician and rapper. He had several international hits: "Der Kommissar", "Rock Me Amadeus", "Vienna Calling", "Jeanny", "The Sound of Musik", "Coming Home " and posthumously, "Out Of The Dark"...
, Giorgio Moroder
Giorgio Moroder
Hansjörg "Giorgio" Moroder is an Italian record producer, songwriter and performer based in Los Angeles. When in Munich in the 1970s, he started his own record label called Oasis Records, which several years later became a subdivision of Casablanca Records...
's penned "Body Next to Body" which went to #22 in Germany and #6 in Austria. In 1990, she recorded a single called "Rockin' Like a Radio". She released a follow-up album, I'm the One... Nobody Else
I'm The One... Nobody Else
I'm the One... Nobody Else is the title of the second studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1992, and was produced by Christian De Walden .My Girl and How Could You Let Me Go were released as singles....
, in 1991. In 2000, she recorded the dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
track "No More Turning Back" under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Gitta and reached #1 in Spain and topped several other European dance charts. Other tracks recorded as Gitta were 2001's "Tic Toc" and 2002's "You're No Lady", a collaboration with Ru Paul.
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
approached Nielsen to pose for photographs dressed as the comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
character She-Hulk
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is a Marvel Comics superheroine. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Buscema, she first appeared in Savage She-Hulk #1 ....
. The photos did not produce a large amount of investors in the potential film and Marvel was forced to scrap the project. Subsequently, she starred in Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop II is a 1987 action-comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Tony Scott. It is the first sequel in the Beverly Hills Cop series. Murphy returns as Detroit police detective Axel Foley, who returns to Beverly Hills, California to track down a joint robbery/gun-running ring...
, Galaxys and The Double 0 Kid
The Double 0 Kid
The Double 0 Kid is a 1992 direct-to-video family adventure/comedy film starring Corey Haim, Nicole Eggert and Brigitte Nielsen.-Plot summary:...
and some European movies.
In 1989, she appeared in Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's "Liberian Girl
Liberian Girl
"Liberian Girl" was the ninth single to be released from Michael Jackson's 1987 album Bad. The song was written as early as 1983 and was among those considered for The Jacksons' Victory album. It was reworked and rewritten for Bad...
" music video and in the 1990s, she hosted an English language talk show that was broadcast across Europe. In 2000, she appeared in heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
's music video for the single "Make Me Bad
Make Me Bad
"Make Me Bad" is a song written and recorded by American nu metal band Korn for their fourth studio album, Issues. Many Korn fans interpret the lyrics to be about frontman Jonathan Davis' getting tired of drinking and drug abuse and his decision to get sober a year prior to Issues coming out...
".
She has worked for Italian television hosting hit shows such as: Festival (1987), the 1992 edition of the Sanremo Music Festival, Retromarsh! (1996–1997), and ..la sai l'ultima? (1999); starring in the TV movie Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
and its sequels (1992–1996); and guest starring in the Rai Tre
Rai Tre
Rai 3 is part of RAI, the Italian government broadcasting agency, which owns other channels, such as Rai 1 and Rai 2 . Rai 3 first started transmissions on December 15, 1979. In the eighties it was under the predominant political influence of the Italian Communist Party...
's soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Un posto al sole (2000). In 1997 she hosted a talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
series called Gittes venner for a Danish TV network and some TV shows for RTSI, the Swiss television in the Italian language
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
On 28 August 2008, German record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Edel Music
Edel Music
-History:Edel Music was founded in 1986 by Michael Haentjes in Germany as a mail order record company selling mostly soundtracks. With artists such as Scooter, SASH!, Holly Johnson and many others, it became a very successful pop music label...
re-released her 1991 album I'm the One... Nobody Else
I'm The One... Nobody Else
I'm the One... Nobody Else is the title of the second studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1992, and was produced by Christian De Walden .My Girl and How Could You Let Me Go were released as singles....
and the 1987 Every Body Tells a Story
Every body tells a story
Every Body Tells a Story is the title of the debut studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1987, and was produced by Christian De Walden.The title track was released as a single.The album was a Top30 hit in Italy....
under the title Brigitte Nielsen.
On 27 October 2009, she published her first auto-biography in Scandinavia titled: "Gitte Nielsen – Du har kun ét liv – sådan fandt jeg tilbage til mig selv" (translation: "You only have one life – this is how I found myself again."). The book reached the Top5 of Denamark's bestseller
Bestseller
A bestseller is a book that is identified as extremely popular by its inclusion on lists of currently top selling titles that are based on publishing industry and book trade figures and published by newspapers, magazines, or bookstore chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and...
list. The book has been eventually released in the UK under the title You only get one life by John Blake Publishing in May 2011.
In April 2011, she attended the British variety
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
/talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
Sing If You Can
Sing If You Can
Sing If You Can is an ITV1 game show which features celebrities attempting to sing in front of a live studio audience whilst various attempts are made to disrupt their performances. It is presented by Keith Lemon and Stacey Solomon, though originally Vernon Kay was scheduled to host, but he felt...
, which aired on ITV.
In November 2010, she guest starred
Guest appearance
In show business , a guest appearance is a participation of an outsider performer , usually called guest artist , in an event , i.e., the participation of a performer which does not belong to the regular crew In performance...
for one episode in the German tv series SOKO: Stuttgart
SOKO 5113
SOKO 5113 is a long running German police television series. It was first aired in 1978 on 2 January. SOKO is an abbreviation of the term "Sonderkommission" in German.-Longest serving cast:...
, aired by ZDF
ZDF
Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen , ZDF, is a public-service German television broadcaster based in Mainz . It is run as an independent non-profit institution, which was founded by the German federal states . The ZDF is financed by television licence fees called GEZ and advertising revenues...
on 28 March 2011.
She guest-hosted the British chat show Loose Women
Loose Women
Loose Women is a British lunchtime television programme, first broadcast in 1999 on ITV. It consists of a panel of four women who interview celebrities and discuss topical issues, ranging from daily politics and current affairs, to celebrity gossip...
on 7 December 2010, and voice acted
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
for the Danish animated comedy film Ronal barbaren.
Reality TV
Nielsen appeared on the first season of the Italian version of The Mole (2004) and on the third season of the VH1VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
reality show The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
(2004). In the show, Nielsen was seen flirting with Public Enemy rapper Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
, and it was confirmed that they were a couple, even though she was still legally married to her fourth husband, Swiss Formula Three
Formula Three
Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers...
driver Raoul Meyer. The show was such a success that VH1 produced a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
reality show called Strange Love
Strange Love
Strange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav...
, which began airing on the channel on 9 January 2005. Nielsen also appeared with Flav on VH1's Big in '04 Awards. In 2006, she guest-starred on Flav's other reality show, Flavor of Love
Flavor of Love
Flavor of Love is an American reality television dating game show parody starring Flavor Flav of the rap group Public Enemy.While not a direct spin-off, the show was a result of Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav's failed relationship on Strange Love, as well as The Surreal Life...
.
In 2003, Nielsen appeared in the Danish Big Brother VIP. In January 2005, she was a contestant in the British version of Celebrity Big Brother, along with her former mother-in-law, Jackie Stallone
Jackie Stallone
Jacqueline 'Jackie' Stallone is an American astrologer and celebrity who is the mother of the actor Sylvester and singer Frank. She is also the mother of actress Toni D'Alto whom she had with ex-husband Anthony Filiti.-Early life:Stallone was born Jacqueline M...
. Nielsen came third in the final public vote. In 2006, she appeared in another reality TV series, VH1's The Surreal Life: Fame Game
The Surreal Life
The Surreal Life is a reality television series that sets a select group of past-their-prime celebrities and records them as they live together in Glen Campbell's former mansion in the Hollywood Hills for two weeks...
. In March 2007, she starred in a new British documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
called Killing Brigitte Nielsen, which aired on Sky Travel
Sky Travel
Sky Real Lives was an in-house channel from BSkyB that showed extensive programmes about travel, adverts for travel agencies and documentaries. The channels closed on 19 August 2010.-History:...
. She also appeared in the first season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew
Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew is a reality television show airing on the cable network VH1 that chronicles a group of celebrities as they are treated for alcohol and drug addiction by Dr. Drew Pinsky and his staff at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California. The first season premiered...
, which chronicled her struggle to overcome her alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
at the Pasadena Recovery Center in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. The series premiered in January 2008 on VH1 and in July 2009 on United Kingdom's Fiver.
In May 2008, she revealed on German television that she would "renew" her body by having six plastic surgeries (which would cost €66,000 altogether). Nielsen was filmed during those surgeries by RTL
RTL Television
Rtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
and she had her own television show "Aus alt mach neu – Brigitte Nielsen in der Promi-Beauty-Klinik"(Make do and mend – Brigitte Nielsen in the celebrity beauty hospital). The same show was broadcast under the title Celebrity Makeover: Brigitte Nielsen on SKY Italia
Sky Italia
Sky Italia S.r.l. is an Italian digital satellite television platform owned by News Corporation launched on 1 August 2003, when the former platforms TELE+ and Stream TV merged together...
in Italy in December 2008 and in 2009 on Italia 1
Italia 1
Italia 1 is an Italian commercial television channel on the Mediaset network. It is oriented especially at young people.Italia 1 was launched in January 1982 and, originally, was owned by Rusconi; after a few months, however, due to the aggressive dumping practices of Silvio Berlusconi's rival...
.
In 2009, Nielsen and other alumni of Celebrity Rehab appeared as panel speakers to a new group of addicts at the Pasadena Recovery Center, anticipating the two-year mark of her sobriety that coming July. Her appearance was aired in the third season episode "Triggers", which aired in February 2010.
In January 2010, Nielsen appeared as one of the celebrity contestants of the French reality show TF1
TF1
TF1 is a national French TV channel, controlled by TF1 Group, whose major share-holder is Bouygues. TF1's average market share of 24% makes it the most popular domestic network...
's La Ferme Célébrités
La Ferme Célébrités
La Ferme Célébrités is the French version of the international TV show The Farm, produced in France by Endemol and broadcast on TF1. A certain number of B-List celebrities appearing on it. The show was running in 2004 and 2005, then in 2010. It was hosted by Christophe Dechavanne and Patrice...
, the French version of the TV series The Farm
The Farm (TV series)
The Farm is a reality TV show created by Swedish producer Strix. Sold to more than 40 countries, The Farm is one of their most popular formats, including Survivor, The Bar or Fame Factory. In some countries the series is produced by Endemol, in association with Strix.Like Big Brother format, The...
. She was eliminated after one week, mainly due to her lack of fluency in French and subsequent difficulties to interact with the other contestants.
Nielsen was one of the celebrity contestants of 2010's Let's Dance, the German version of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
. In 2010, she also took part of Celebrity Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me
Come Dine With Me is a popular Channel 4 television programme shown in the United Kingdom, produced by Granada Television and first broadcast in January 2005. The show has either four or five amateur chefs competing against each other hosting a dinner party for the other contestants...
in Denmark (Til middag hos... ), and in Germany (Das Perfekte Promi Dinner).
Family and relationships
Nielsen has been married five times and has four sons:She has a son Julian Winding (born in 1984) with first husband Kasper Winding who she was married to from 1983-1984.
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, on 15 December 1985, in Beverly Hills, California. Stallone and Nielsen's marriage lasted two years and their subsequent divorce was highly publicized by the tabloid press. The press constantly claimed that Brigitte was unfaithful to Stallone. She later confessed an affair with Tony Scott
Tony Scott
Anthony D. L. "Tony" Scott is an English film director. His films include Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, The Last Boy Scout, True Romance, Crimson Tide, Enemy of the State, Spy Game, Man on Fire, Déjà Vu, The Taking of Pelham 123, and Unstoppable...
.
Her second son, Killian Marcus Nielsen (born in 1989) she had with ex-fiance Mark Gastineau
Mark Gastineau
Marcus Dell Gastineau is a former American football player who was a leading defensive end for the New York Jets from 1979 to 1988. A five-time Pro Bowler, his 100½ quarterback sacks in only his first 100 starts in the NFL made him one of the quickest and most feared pass rushers of his generation...
Nielsen has two sons with fourth husband Raoul Meyer, Douglas Aaron (born in 1993) and Raoul, Jr. (born in 1995).
In 2005, Nielsen had a highly-profiled relationship with rapper, Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
. The relationship was filmed on their reality show Strange Love.
Her current husband, Mattia Dessi, lived with her in Italy, as shown on Strange Love
Strange Love
Strange Love is a reality series featuring Brigitte Nielsen and Flavor Flav that aired on VH1. Sparked by their on-screen romance in the third season of VH1's The Surreal Life, it is a spin-off that focused solely on Brigitte and Flav...
, which was filmed prior to their marriage. They live in Palm Springs
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
.
In the aftermath of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
's infidelity scandal, Nielsen came forward and confessed that she too had an affair with Schwarzenegger while he was in a relationship with Maria Shriver
Maria Shriver
Maria Owings Shriver is an American journalist and author of six best-selling books. She has received a Peabody Award, and was co-anchor for NBC's Emmy-winning coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics. As executive producer of The Alzheimer's Project, Shriver earned two Emmy Awards and an Academy of...
, saying, "Maybe I wouldn't have got into it if he said 'I'm going to marry Maria' and this is dead serious, but he didn't, and our affair carried on."
Alcohol problems
On 9 July 2007, Nielsen checked herself into the Cri-Help rehabilitationDrug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
facility in North Hollywood following what some reports claim was a family intervention
Intervention (counseling)
An intervention is an orchestrated attempt by one, or often many, people to get someone to seek professional help with an addiction or some kind of traumatic event or crisis, or other serious problem. The term intervention is most often used when the traumatic event involves addiction to drugs...
. Her manager, Steven Tempone, confirmed on 19 July 2007 that she had checked into rehabilitation and told the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
"All I know is it's something she did of her own free will and we're proud of her and wish her very well...When she gets out we'll have a big birthday party, and Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
only".
As of 22 July 2007, Nielsen was out of rehabilitation to attend the Comedy Central roast of Flavor Flav. She told People that she felt "like a new-born person ... I made a choice about a new life. It's not been easy but it was definitely time." While People does not report the date that Nielsen checked into rehabilitation, they state that she "had been in treatment for a few weeks". On 10 January 2008, VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
began airing the reality TV series, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Nielsen appeared on the show for alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
.
In a January 2010 TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
story on her success with sobriety, Celebrity Rehab producer John Irwin stated, "She's sober, and she quit smoking. She's doing crazy good."
Plastic surgery
In mid-2008, Nielsen starred in the reality show Aus alt mach neu, broadcasted by the German TV-station RTLRTL Group
RTL Group is Europe's largest TV, radio and production company, and is majority-owned by German media conglomerate Bertelsmann. It has 45 television and 32 radio stations in 11 countries...
. The theme of the show was Nielsen's attempt to look "as young as her husband" by undergoing plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
. The show was aired in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as well, on SKY
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
Italia during December 2008 and the following summer on Italia 1
Italia 1
Italia 1 is an Italian commercial television channel on the Mediaset network. It is oriented especially at young people.Italia 1 was launched in January 1982 and, originally, was owned by Rusconi; after a few months, however, due to the aggressive dumping practices of Silvio Berlusconi's rival...
.
Other
Besides her native Danish, Nielsen is fluent in English, Italian and German, and some understanding of French.Filmography
- Red SonjaRed Sonja (1985 film)Red Sonja is a 1985 sword and sorcery/action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in a supporting role and introducing Brigitte Nielsen as the title character...
(1985) - Rocky IVRocky IVRocky IV is a 1985 American film written by, directed by, and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the fourth and most financially successful entry in the Rocky franchise...
(1985) - Cobra (1986)
- Beverly Hills Cop IIBeverly Hills Cop IIBeverly Hills Cop II is a 1987 action-comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Tony Scott. It is the first sequel in the Beverly Hills Cop series. Murphy returns as Detroit police detective Axel Foley, who returns to Beverly Hills, California to track down a joint robbery/gun-running ring...
(1987) - Bye Bye Baby (1988)
- Domino (1988)
- Murder By Moonlight (1989)
- 976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor976-Evil II976-EVIL II, also known as 976-EVIL 2: The Astral Factor, is a 1992 supernatural horror–slasher movie directed by Jim Wynorski.The tagline for the movie was: "Call if you dare!" The film is a sequel to the 1988 horror film 976-EVIL. The movie was referenced in Invasion of the Scream Queens...
(1991) - The Double 0 KidThe Double 0 KidThe Double 0 Kid is a 1992 direct-to-video family adventure/comedy film starring Corey Haim, Nicole Eggert and Brigitte Nielsen.-Plot summary:...
(1992) - Mission of Justice (1992)
- Counterstrike (1992) (TV series) episode "Bastille Day Terror" (17 October 1992)
- Fantaghirò 2Fantaghirò 2Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
(1992) (TV) - Chained Heat II (1993)
- Fantaghirò 3Fantaghirò 3Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
(1993) (TV) - Fantaghirò 4Fantaghirò 4Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
(1994) (TV) - Galaxis (1995)
- Compelling EvidenceCompelling EvidenceCompelling Evidence is a crime novel by Italian American novelist Steve Martini as the first of the Paul Madriani series.Written in 1992, published by Putnam, Compelling Evidence was a bestseller.-Plot:...
(1995) - Codename: Silencer (1995)
- Snowboard AcademySnowboard AcademySnowboard Academy is a 1997 independent slapstick comedy film, starring Corey Haim, Jim Varney and Brigitte Nielsen.-Plot summary:A competition is held between two brothers on their father's ski slopes one is a skier the other a snowboarder...
(1996) - Fantaghirò 5Fantaghirò 5Fantaghirò 5 is the fifth and final film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines. It was originally aired on television as a two-parter, and hence is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 9 and Fantaghirò 10...
(1996) (TV) - She's Too Tall (1998) (also associate producer and writer)
- PaparazziPaparazzi (1998 film)Paparazzi is a 1998 French comedy film, directed by Alain Berbérian.-Plot:Franck Bordoni loses job as a night watchman when he finds himself inadvertently on the front cover of a popular magazine. The photograph was taken whilst he was enjoying at a football match instead of working...
(1998) - Hostile Environment (1999)
- Doomsdayer (2000)
- Un Posto al sole (2000) (Italian TV series) 2 episodes (September 13–14, 2000)
- The Hustle (2008)
- The Fish (2009)
- Nite Tales - The Series (2009) (TV series) episode "Black Widow" (September 11, 2009)
- Big Money RustlasBig Money RustlasBig Money Rustlas is an American Western comedy film directed by Paul Andresen. The film is the prequel to the 2000 film Big Money Hustlas. Joseph Bruce wrote the story, and he, Andresen, and Studebaker Duchamp adapted the story into a screenplay. Their writing was influenced by classic Western...
(2010) - Eldorado (2010)
- SOKO StuttgartSOKO 5113SOKO 5113 is a long running German police television series. It was first aired in 1978 on 2 January. SOKO is an abbreviation of the term "Sonderkommission" in German.-Longest serving cast:...
(2011) (German TV series), episode "Stuttgart aber sexy" (March 2011) - Ronal Barbaren (2011)
- Terminated (2011)
- Skinny Dip (2011)
Albums
- 1987 Every Body Tells a StoryEvery body tells a storyEvery Body Tells a Story is the title of the debut studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1987, and was produced by Christian De Walden.The title track was released as a single.The album was a Top30 hit in Italy....
- 1991 I'm the One... Nobody ElseI'm The One... Nobody ElseI'm the One... Nobody Else is the title of the second studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1992, and was produced by Christian De Walden .My Girl and How Could You Let Me Go were released as singles....
- 2008 Brigitte Nielsen (re-release of I'm the One... Nobody ElseI'm The One... Nobody ElseI'm the One... Nobody Else is the title of the second studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1992, and was produced by Christian De Walden .My Girl and How Could You Let Me Go were released as singles....
and Every Body Tells a StoryEvery body tells a storyEvery Body Tells a Story is the title of the debut studio album by actress Brigitte Nielsen. It was released in 1987, and was produced by Christian De Walden.The title track was released as a single.The album was a Top30 hit in Italy....
)
Singles
- "Body Next to Body" – FalcoFalco (musician)Johann Hölzel , better known by his stage name Falco, was an Austrian pop and rock musician and rapper. He had several international hits: "Der Kommissar", "Rock Me Amadeus", "Vienna Calling", "Jeanny", "The Sound of Musik", "Coming Home " and posthumously, "Out Of The Dark"...
meets Brigitte Nielsen; 1987; (#6 AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, #22 GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, #1 JapanOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
) - "Every Body Tells a Story"; 1987; (#38 ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
; #15 Germany) - "Maybe"; 1988
- "Siento"; 1988 (South America only)
- "It's a Strange Love"; 1988
- "Rockin' Like a Radio"; 1990
- "My Girl (My Guy)"; 1991
- "How Could You Let Me Go?"; 1992
- "No More Turning Back" (as Gitta); 2000; released by JiveJive RecordsJive Records was a record label based in New York City, operating under RCA Music Group. Jive was primarily known for a string of successes with hip hop artists in the 1980s, and in teen pop and boy bands in the late 1990s. The word "jive" was inspired by Township Jive, a form of South African...
; (#1 Spain, #1 EurodanceEurodanceEurodance is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s or early 1990s primarily in Europe. It combines many elements from House, Techno, Hi-NRG and especially Italo-Disco...
chartChartA chart is a graphical representation of data, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart"...
; #64 Netherlands) - "Tic Toc" (as Gitta); 2001; released by Blanco y Negro
- "You're No Lady" (as Gitta with Ru Paul); 2002; released by Do it YourselfDo it yourselfDo it yourself is a term used to describe building, modifying, or repairing of something without the aid of experts or professionals...
; (#1 Spain)