Who was Jacques Charrier? All about Brigitte Bardot’s second husband as actress dies at 91

The death of Brigitte Bardot at 91 has again put her legendary film career and activist exploits in the spotlight, and of course, her personal life. However, it’s also important to consider that Jacques Charrier, the man who married Brigitte Bardot and became her second husband, is more than just a footnote in her biography. In fact, he is someone who is important in his own right and is also the father of Bardot’s only child.

Brigitte Bardot would go on to international fame and later dedicate her life to animal rights, while Charrier maintained a different trajectory. There was initial success for Jacques Charrier as a screen actor for French films, and he would later become a well-rounded artist and creative. His life was characterized by general interest, personal struggles, and a long life that was somewhat under the spotlight due to his much-famous ex-wife.

Who was Brigitte Bardot’s husband, Jacques Charrier?

Born in Metz, France, in November 1936, Charrier originally studied in the decorative arts and ceramics before ultimately pursuing a career in acting, which introduced him to the fledgling genre of French cinema of the time.

Early appearances solidified Jacques Charrier within the industry as a young star, and he met Brigitte Bardot on the set of a film he starred in. His association and subsequent romance were swift and passionate, and in 1959, when Charrier was still a young man, the couple married.

Their marriage brought much publicity in France. Brigitte Bardot was already an established star, and his wife’s publicity came through association and his own stage performances. They had a son named Nicolas-Jacques in 1960.

However, the marriage proved short-lived and culminated in divorce shortly after that. Decades later, when Bardot penned her autobiography and shared candid opinions about her pregnancy and early experiences as a mother, both Charrier and their son filed lawsuits against her for invasion of privacy. This legal action revealed that public fascination with their private lives had not faded, even many decades after the marriage ended.

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As far as this chapter goes, there is ample information about Charrier’s life filled with artistic activities. He acted in a variety of films in the 1960s, formed a small production company, and later focused more on visual arts. The 1980s saw a return to his studies of oil painting and pottery to exhibit his art in cities like Paris, Geneva, and San Francisco.

Personal life saw several more marriages and a total of four children. Jacques Charrier passed away in September of 2025 at the age of 88. A reflection on his life shows that Charrier was far more than just the ex-husband of the famously celebrated Brigitte Bardot. He was a creative force in his own right, leaving a distinct mark on cinema and the arts, while navigating a life shaped as much by love and personal struggle as by fame.

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