Brigitte Nielsen Welcomes Fifth Child at the Age of 54

Brigitte Nielsen has reportedly given birth to her fifth child at the age of 54.

The actress gave birth to a baby girl in a Los Angeles-area hospital on Friday, according to a report by PEOPLE. Her husband, Mattia Dessi, was by her side, and the two announced that that they were naming this newest bundle of joy, Frida.

“We are overjoyed to welcome our beautiful daughter into our lives,” they told the outlet. “It’s been a long road, and so worth it. We’ve never been more in love.”

Frida was reportedly born at five pounds, six ounces. While she is Nielsen’s fifth child overall, she is her first with current husband, Dessi. Her previous four sons were all born throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Nielsen only announced this newest pregnancy in May, when she posted about it on Twitter.

“Family getting larger,” she wrote simply, along with a photo of her growing baby bump. Despite her age, fans were not surprised to find that Nielsen was looking to expand her family. The star has always wanted to have a child with Dessi. In August of 2008, shortly after a successful stint in rehab, she confirmed that she was looking into it.

“The children have kept me going. After I do Playboy, we want to try IVF,” she told Hello! Magazine at the time. “It’s asking a lot, but if it’s possible, it would make our package complete.”

Now, nearly a decade later, she has seen that vision through. She may be looking for something of a shot at redemption, as she admitted in that same interview that she has not always been a stellar parent.

“I’ve been a bad mum at times – when you take the bottle over your kids, you’re a bad mum,” she said bluntly. “But I love them and there has always been a close bond. I’ve been affectionate, caring. It’s unfortunate they’ve seen me in a bad way. But kids are great, they’re the most unconditional, forgiving people.”

Nielson, a Danish-Italian performer, has worked as a model, actress, singer and reality TV personality. She has held a number of iconic roles in her career, including the eponymous lead in Red Sonja, and starring in Beverly Hills Cop II as Karla Fry.

Nielsen’s second marriage, to actor Sylvester Stallone, lasted nearly two years, finally ending in 1987. She also had a highly publicized relationship with rapper Flavor Flav, which led indirectly to her work on reality TV.

Nielsen may also be seen as a precursor to the #MeToo movement, as she spoke openly about her affairs with various powerful men in Hollywood over the years, including a cheating scandal with Arnold Schwarzenneger and a one-night stand with Sean Penn.