Brigitte Bardot on Motherhood: Why She Never Wanted Children and Her Complex Relationship With Her Son

Brigitte Bardot was known worldwide as a model, actress, singer, and cultural phenomenon, but motherhood was a role she openly admitted she never wanted. In her memoir Initiales B.B., Bardot made candid and controversial statements about her feelings toward becoming a parent, writing that she did not believe she was suited for motherhood.

“I’m not made to be a mother. I’m not adult enough to take care of a child,” Bardot wrote, a passage that would later spark decades of public debate.

Despite her reservations, Bardot and her then-husband, actor Jacques Charrier, welcomed a son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, in 1960.

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The Birth of Nicolas-Jacques Charrier

Nicolas-Jacques Charrier was born on January 11, 1960, in Paris during a home birth at the couple’s apartment. Contemporary reports noted that he weighed approximately seven pounds at birth. Bardot later described her pregnancy as emotionally overwhelming, expressing fear, loss of independence, and a deep internal conflict about motherhood.

Her reflections on this period would later become some of the most discussed passages in her memoir.

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Raised Away From Brigitte Bardot

Following Bardot and Charrier’s divorce in 1962, Jacques Charrier was granted custody of their son. Nicolas was largely raised by his paternal grandparents, with Bardot remaining mostly absent from his daily upbringing.

Bardot later explained that she felt unable to provide stability during that phase of her life, stating that she believed she could not be the emotional “roots” her son needed while she herself felt lost amid fame and public pressure.

Attempts to Censor Initiales B.B.

Before the release of Initiales B.B., Nicolas and his father attempted to prevent the publication of sections referencing their private lives. Those efforts were unsuccessful, and the memoir’s release generated intense public reaction.

Some of the most controversial passages included Bardot describing her son as the “object of my misfortune,” language that drew widespread criticism and media attention.

Legal Battle Over the Memoir

After the book’s publication in 1997, Jacques Charrier and Nicolas filed a lawsuit against Bardot, citing invasion of privacy. The memoir included deeply personal claims, including Bardot’s descriptions of pregnancy and accusations related to their marriage.

A Paris court ultimately ruled against Bardot, ordering her to pay approximately $40,000 in fines for violating their privacy.

Jacques Charrier’s Response

That same year, Jacques Charrier published his own book, My Response to Brigitte Bardot, offering a counter-narrative. In it, he claimed that Bardot’s private letters demonstrated affection for their son that was not fully reflected in her memoir.

Charrier passed away in 2025.

Limited Contact and Later Years

Despite a strained relationship, Bardot and her son maintained limited contact over the years. When Bardot married Bernard d’Ormale in 1992, she reportedly contacted Nicolas personally ahead of the wedding, hoping he would meet her future husband.

In a June 2024 interview, Bardot explained that she stopped speaking publicly about Nicolas after promising him she would no longer discuss him in interviews.

Through Nicolas, Bardot became both a grandmother and a great-grandmother. Their relationship, however, has remained largely private in her later years.

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A Rarely Discussed Chapter of Bardot’s Life

Brigitte Bardot’s reflections on motherhood remain one of the most complex and debated aspects of her life story. Her openness challenged traditional expectations placed on women, particularly those in the public eye, while also exposing the deeply personal costs of fame, independence, and honesty.