Here's everything you need to know about Brigitte Bardot's second husband, Jacques Charrier, and his short-lived marriage with her.
Brigitte Bardot, the iconic French actress and animal rights activist, died on December 28, 2025, at the age of 91. She passed away at her residence, La Madrague, in Saint-Tropez, and her death was confirmed in a statement by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. Brigitte founded the institute to advocate for animal welfare after retiring from her acting career in 1973 at the age of 39. Her near and dear ones and fellow animal lovers mourned her loss and shared their heartfelt condolences. As Brigitte Bardot makes her voyage to the afterlife, here's a look at her baby daddy, Jacques Charrier.
Jacques Charrier (1936–2025) was a prominent French actor, film producer, and artist. He rose to international fame in the late 1950s, mainly through his starring role in the box-office hit, Les Tricheurs (1958), and his high-profile marriage to cinema icon, Brigitte Bardot. Jacques began his career in theater before transitioning to film. His breakout came in Marcel Carné's Les Tricheurs (1958), where he played 'Bob Letellier', a wealthy, rebellious youth. He also starred in the comedy movie, Babette Goes to War (1959) alongside his ex-wife, Brigitte Bardot.
Jacques Charrier's other notable acting credits include The Chasers (1959), a romantic drama with Charles Aznavour, and Anatomy of a Marriage (1964). In 1969, Jacques co-founded a production company with Jean-Claude Brialy to produce low-budget films, but it was shut down in 1975 after the failure of Il pleut sur Santiago. After retiring from show business in the early 1980s, Charrier returned to his original passion for painting and ceramics. His artwork, often inspired by travel and was exhibited internationally in cities such as Paris, Geneva, and San Francisco.
Jacques Charrier and Brigitte Bardot's romance was one of the most publicised and turbulent relationships of the 1950s, bridging the gap between cinema and real-life drama. The former couple met in early 1959 on the set of the film, Babette s'en va-t-en guerre (Babette Goes to War in English). Brigitte and Jacques felt an immediate connection, and their relationship deepened very soon. By the time filming on Babette Goes to War concluded, Brigitte was pregnant, so they hastily held a marriage ceremony and legally became family.
Brigitte and Jacques tied the knot on June 18, 1959, in a civil ceremony in Louveciennes. The then-pregnant actress wore a pink gingham (Vichy) dress by designer, Jacques Esterel, shunning traditional white and sparking a global fashion trend. The ex-couple's life after marriage was constantly under media and public scrutiny, with their villa in Saint-Tropez, La Madrague, often surrounded by paparazzi. Their marriage was short-lived, and they separated just two years after the birth of their son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, on January 11, 1960.
Brigitte Bardot openly resented her pregnancy, later describing it as "nine nightmarish months" and comparing the fetus to a "cancerous tumor". In her memoirs, she admitted to physically trying to induce a miscarriage. Shortly after the birth of her and Jacques' son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, Brigitte struggled with depression and even attempted s**cide. After two years of troubled marriage, Briggitte and Jacques divorced in 1962. The marriage collapsed due to mutual infidelity and the immense pressure of their public lives. Bardot reportedly had an affair with her La Vérité co-star, Sami Frey, which contributed to the split.
Upon their 1962 divorce, Jacques Charrier was granted sole custody of Nicolas, who was raised primarily by his paternal grandparents. This led to a decades-long estrangement between Brigitte Bardot and her son. In 1997, Jacques and Nicolas successfully sued her for invasion of privacy and "hurtful remarks" in her autobiography, Initiales B.B. The ex-spouses reportedly did not mend their relationship until their deaths. Jacques Charrier passed away at the age of 88 on September 3, 2025, over three months before Brigitte Bardot's passing on December 28, 2025.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to Brigitte Bardot's near and dear ones as they deal with her loss.
Also Read: What Caused Melanie Watson's Demise? Know All About Her Health And Family Amid Her Death At 57