Net Worth Ranker
What Is Brigitte Nielsen’s Net Worth?
Brigitte Nielsen, a Danish actress, model, and television personality, has accumulated a net worth of approximately $600,000. Her career spans various domains within the entertainment industry, contributing to her overall financial standing. While her acting roles in films like “Red Sonja” and “Rocky IV” and her modeling career have played a role, her net worth is also influenced by her appearances on reality television and her ventures into the music industry.
Brigitte Nielsen’s Early Career and Modeling Ventures
Born Gitte Nielsen on July 15, 1963, in Rødovre, Copenhagen, Denmark, Brigitte’s early career began in modeling. Her height, exceeding six feet, quickly drew attention, leading to work with prominent photographers such as Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton in the early 1980s. Nielsen’s modeling career gained momentum through multiple appearances in “Playboy,” including a cover feature in December 1987. In the late ’80s, Marvel Comics approached her to pose as She-Hulk. The press, captivated by her stature, nicknamed her “Amazon”.
Acting Career: Films, Television, and Notable Roles
Brigitte Nielsen transitioned into acting with her debut in the 1985 films “Red Sonja” and “Rocky IV.” These roles were significant in launching her acting career. In 1986, she co-starred with Sylvester Stallone in “Cobra,” further solidifying her presence in action films. One year later, she played Karla Fry in “Beverly Hills Cop II” (1987). From 1992 to 1996, she played the Dark Witch in the Italian TV Series “Cave of the Golden Rose”. Her early film roles are key milestones in her career, providing her with exposure and establishing her as a recognizable face in the entertainment industry.
Nielsen appeared in Michael Jackson’s “Liberian Girl” and Austrian Rock Star Falco’s “Body Next to Body” music videos.
Television Appearances and Reality TV Stints
In 1997, Brigitte Nielsen hosted “Gittes venner”, a talk show series for a Davis TV network, along with appearances on other Danish TV shows and in commercials in the late ’90s. In 2003, she was on the Danish version of “Big Brother” alongside her former mother-in-law Jackie Stallone. Brigitte appeared on season one of the Italian TV show “The Mole” in 2004 and also appeared on season three of VH1’s “The Surreal Life.” In 2006, Nielsen guest-starred on “Flavor of Love.” In 2007, she starred in the British mockumentary “Killing Brigitte Nielsen,” which premiered on the Sky Travel network. 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 at a Pasadena rehab clinic. These appearances contributed to her public profile and likely led to various endorsement opportunities.
In 2010, Brigitte appeared as a celebrity contestant on two French reality shows. In 2011, Nielsen did voice work for the Danish animated comedy “Ronal the Barbarian.” The next year, she appeared in the horror flick “Eldorado” and was a celebrity contestant and winner of the German version of “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” In 2013, she was featured in the short film “The Key.” In 2014, Brigitte starred in the science-fiction film “Exodus,” the TV series “Raising Hope,” and the action film “Mercenaries.” In 2015, Nielsen began hosting her own talk show, “Gitte Talks,” on the Danish TV channel Kana 4. Since August 2016, she has been a presenter for the German dating show “Wirt Sucht Liebe.” In 2017, she joined the cast of the TV series “Gods and Secrets.” In 2018, Brigitte reprised her “Rocky IV” role of Ludmilla Drago in “Creed II.”
Music Career and Album Releases
Brigitte Nielsen ventured into the music industry in 1987 with the release of her debut album, “Every Body Tells a Story.” That same year, she recorded a duet with Austrian pop star Falco, which achieved notable success, reaching #22 in Germany and #6 in Austria. Her follow-up album, “I’m the One…Nobody Else,” was released in 1991. She has released some songs under the pseudonym “Gitta” because producers wanted to see if she could find success as a singer without her real, famous name on the cover. The first song she released as Gitta was “No More Turning Back,” and it peaked at #54 on the British Single Charts.
Personal Life and Relationships
Brigitte is fluent in Danish, English, German, and Italian, with some understanding of French. Nielsen’s first husband was Kasper Winding. They were married from 1983 to 1984 and they have one son, Julian Winding, whom Brigitte has had little contact with. Perhaps her most publicized relationship was her marriage to Sylvester Stallone in December 1985. They were engaged during the filming of 1985’s “Rocky IV.” Their marriage ended in an also highly-publicized divorce in July 1987. They had no children. Her second child, Killian Marcus Gastineau, was born in 1989 and was fathered by her ex-fiance Mark Gastineau. Nielsen was married to director and photographer Sebastian Copeland from 1990 to 1992. Brigitte had two sons with her fourth husband, Raoul Meyer. In 2005, she had a highly publicized relationship with rapper Flavor Flav. Nielsen married Mattia Dessi in July 2006. In June 2018, Brigitte gave birth to her fifth child at the age of 54.
Challenges and Recovery
Nielsen checked herself into a rehab facility in North Hollywood in July 2007, and reports surfaced quickly that there had been a family intervention. Her manager, Steven Tempone, publicly confirmed that she had checked herself in. She was out a week and a half later to attend the Comedy Central roast of “Flavor Flav.” In addition to appearing on “Celebrity Rehab” for alcoholism, “TV Guide” aired her success story with sobriety, and it was confirmed in 2010 that she was sober and had quit smoking.
