Brigitte Bardot, the French actress, model, singer, style icon, and influential animal-rights advocate, has died at the age of 91.
Born Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot on 28 September 1934 in Paris, she began her career as a dancer and model before moving into film in the early 1950s. Her breakthrough role in Roger Vadim’s And God Created Woman (1956) transformed her into an international sensation and one of the defining screen presences of the post-war era. With her combination of vulnerability, independence, and irreverent glamour, Bardot helped reshape modern ideas about female sexuality and celebrity.
Over the course of two decades, she starred in dozens of films and worked with leading European directors, bringing a distinctive mix of spontaneity, magnetism, and emotional candour to the screen. Beyond cinema, Bardot became a global cultural phenomenon — her style, image, and spirit crystallising the mood of an entire generation.
At the height of her fame, Bardot retired from acting in 1973 and turned her focus to animal welfare, a cause that would define the second half of her life. In 1986 she established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, dedicating her energy and public platform to campaigns against animal cruelty and to the protection of wildlife and companion animals worldwide. Her activism played a major role in bringing animal-rights issues into mainstream public debate.
Bardot’s life and legacy were complex. Fiercely outspoken and unapologetically independent, she often courted controversy in later years, and her political statements provoked criticism as well as support. Yet her cultural impact — as a cinematic icon, a symbol of post-war modernity, and a passionate advocate for animals — remains undeniable.
Brigitte Bardot leaves behind a body of work that helped define European cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, and a legacy that is at once dazzling, provocative, and unforgettable.
Notable Films of Brigitte Bardot
• And God Created Woman (1956)
Her breakthrough role, directed by Roger Vadim, which made Bardot an international icon and redefined the image of the modern screen siren.
• The Night Heaven Fell (1958)
A visually striking romantic drama set in Spain, showcasing Bardot’s magnetic screen presence.
• La Vérité (The Truth, 1960)
A courtroom drama by Henri-Georges Clouzot, widely regarded as one of Bardot’s most powerful dramatic performances.
• Contempt (Le Mépris, 1963)
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, this poetic, modernist film cemented her status as a symbol of European art-house cinema.
• Viva Maria! (1965)
A playful adventure-comedy co-starring Jeanne Moreau, highlighting Bardot’s comic energy and star charisma.
• Shalako (1968)
A late-career international production opposite Sean Connery, reflecting her enduring worldwide appeal.
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