As a child she was interested in painting and attended an art lyceum. At the age of 15 she appeared in an episodic role in the film "The Lucky Galoshes" and afterwards began attending a drama club. She then studied at the Łódź Higher Theatre School, and in 1967 graduated from the Higher School of Theatre, Film and Television in Warsaw. The actress's first notable role was Ewa in the film "And Then Silence Will Come" (1966). Widespread fame came to her after the release of Jerzy Kawalerowicz's film "Pharaoh", based on the novel by Bolesław Prus. In that picture she played the role of Kama, a priestess of Astarte. Among the actress's best works are such films as the historical epic "Pan Wołodyjowski", the melodrama "Anatomy of Love", the drama "Polish Album", and the adventure television series "More Than Life at Stake". The actress appeared extensively in Bulgaria, East Germany, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and she was also known in the USSR — both through foreign films featuring her and thanks to her acting work with Soviet directors: Aleksandr Zarkhi in "Cities and Years" and Yuri Ozerov in "Liberation".

But enormous popularity in Soviet cinema came to the actress after director Eldar Ryazanov invited her to play the leading role of Nadya Sheveleva in the film "The Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath". The actress continues to appear in Russian cinema and performs in theatrical productions by Russian directors in entreprise, and takes part in various TV shows on Russian and Ukrainian television. In 2008 she was a member of the jury of the entertainment television programme "Two Stars - 2" on Channel One. In 2009-2010 she was a member of the jury of the TV show "People's Star" on TRK "Ukraine". In 2002 she began performing on the theatrical stage: this first happened in Moscow in director Roman Markholia's production "Quartet" on the stage of Galina Vishnevskaya's Opera Singing Centre. She has a son, Ludwig (1983). Her daughter, actress and model Barbara Kosmal (1973–15.05.1993), died tragically in a car accident near Brzeziny. In 2007 a book by Barbara Rybałtowska about the life and work of the film star, "Barbara Brylska w najtrudniejszej roli", was published in Poland.