Brigitte Nielsen: ‘No Such Thing As Too Old’ To Be A Parent

Published: November 22, 2023

Brigitte Nielsen: ‘No Such Thing As Too Old’ To Be A Parent

By Movieguide® Contributor

Model and actress Brigitte Nielsen is opening up about her decision to become a mother again at 55.

“Half the world was saying that when I got pregnant at 55 — including my four older sons,” the now-60-year-old Nielsen laughed. “But first of all, there’s no such thing as ‘too old.’”

She pointed out that many male stars have children later in life, and no one bats an eye — “Look at Robert De Niro. He’s 79, and he has a 7-month-old.”

Nielsen is mom to 5-year-old Frida, as well as four sons (Julian, Killian, Douglas and Raoul) who range in age from 28 to 39.

“You know how kids say grandmothers are the best? I feel like I have that mindset and emotion. I have the patience and that extra bit of love to give now, and I think it’s because I’m a grandmother’s age,” she explained, adding that, as a younger mom, she struggled to balance work and family life — “Now Frida comes first.”

Nielsen underwent a decade of IVF treatments before getting pregnant and was initially warned by doctors that she was at “high-risk” for complications.

However, “It was the easiest pregnancy I ever had,” she said. “Maybe because I had done it four times before, and my priorities had shifted. It was a deep, deep desire within me and a choice.”

Nielsen shares Frida with husband, Mattia Dessì, who she married in 2009.

“I remember people were saying, ‘It’s ridiculous, who does she think she is?’” Nielsen said of the couple’s 15-year age gap. “It just fits perfectly. We’re a good team.”

In a 2018 interview, Nielsen gushed about her husband, saying, “I have that real old-fashioned feel to my family that I always wanted, the kind my mom and dad had.”

“I’m literally a different person, and that has a lot to do with my husband, because my husband doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink,” she continued. “When I met him I was like rock and roll, and he said, ‘I adore you, but I cannot live with that.’ I’ve had some strange men in my life. But I finally found the real deal.”