Brigitte Bardot, the French screen legend who transformed post-war cinema and later renounced fame to fight for animals, has died aged 91 at her home, La Madrague, in Saint-Tropez. Her death was confirmed by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which said she passed away peacefully, marking the end of one of the most influential and contradictory lives in modern cultural history. pasted
French President Emmanuel Macron led national tributes, calling her “a legend of the century” who embodied freedom, brilliance, and a uniquely French form of rebellion. Her face, he noted, once became Marianne—the symbolic image of the French Republic—an honour reserved for figures who transcend celebrity and enter collective memory.
From Paris Ballerina to Global Icon
Born Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot in Paris in 1934, she was trained as a ballerina before fashion modelling brought her into the orbit of cinema. Her international breakthrough came with And God Created Woman, a film that shattered conservative norms with its unapologetic portrayal of female desire. The role made Bardot a global star and a lightning rod for debate, turning her into one of the defining symbols of the sexual revolution. pasted
Across the 1950s and 1960s, she starred in more than 40 films, worked with directors such as Jean-Luc Godard and Louis Malle, recorded over 60 songs, and became a fashion force—popularising the bikini, the “Bardot neckline,” and an entire aesthetic of effortless sensuality. French leader Charles de Gaulle famously remarked that she was one of France’s greatest exports, on par with its industrial icons. pasted
Walking Away at the Height of Fame
In 1973, at just 39, Bardot stunned the world by retiring from acting. She later said the film industry had consumed her youth and individuality, leaving her craving privacy and meaning. What followed was not retreat, but reinvention.
In 1986, she founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, devoting her life to animal protection. She auctioned personal possessions to fund shelters, opposed seal hunting, bullfighting, and the consumption of horse meat, and became one of the most recognisable animal-rights activists on the planet. Her activism earned her global honours, including recognition from the United Nations Environment Programme, UNESCO, and PETA. pasted
Controversy and Polarisation
Bardot’s later years were also marked by repeated legal convictions for statements deemed to incite racial or religious hatred, particularly against Muslims and minority communities. Courts fined her multiple times, and critics argued her rhetoric crossed the line from provocation into prejudice. Bardot maintained that her remarks stemmed from cultural and animal-welfare concerns rather than hatred, a defence that did little to soften public division. pasted
This duality icon of liberation and source of controversy defined her final decades. To supporters, she was fearless and uncompromising. To critics, she was reckless and offensive. Both views coexisted, unresolved, until the end.
A Lasting Legacy
Despite the controversies, Bardot’s cultural impact is indisputable. She reshaped representations of women on screen, influenced generations of artists and designers, inspired musicians from Serge Gainsbourg to Bob Dylan, and left an indelible mark on global cinema. Long after leaving the spotlight, she remained a reference point—an idea as much as a person.
As tributes continue to pour in from the worlds of film, fashion, and activism, one truth remains clear: Brigitte Bardot was never ordinary. She lived intensely, divided opinion relentlessly, and refused to fade quietly. In cinema, she symbolised freedom. In activism, she pursued moral absolutism. History will remember her not for simplicity, but for impact.
