French film icon Brigitte Bardot, a symbol of sexual liberation in the 1950s and 1960s, has died at the age of 91. Her foundation confirmed she passed away Sunday at her Saint-Tropez home, La Madrague, on the French Riviera.
“The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president,” the statement read. Bardot had left a prestigious acting career to dedicate herself to animal welfare. No cause of death was provided, though she underwent a minor procedure in October.
Known affectionately as “BB,” Bardot quickly became a global star after her breakthrough role in And God Created Woman (1956). She went on to appear in around 50 films before retiring from cinema in 1973.
Fans and locals paid tribute outside her Saint-Tropez residence. A handful left flowers near her gate, while a hearse was seen entering and leaving the property.
Bardot was born in Paris in 1934 and grew up in a traditional Catholic household. She was married four times and had one son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, with her second husband, actor Jacques Charrier.
After stepping away from acting, Bardot devoted herself to animal rights. Her interest reportedly began on the set of her final film, when she rescued a goat from being killed. She later founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986, which now has thousands of donors and hundreds of employees.
While she earned global fame, Bardot also became known for her far-right political views. She supported Marine Le Pen, opposed the “Islamization of France,” and was convicted multiple times for hate speech, comments that alienated some of her fans.
Despite controversy, tributes poured in after her death. President Emmanuel Macron described her as a “legend” of the 20th century, highlighting her cultural impact while avoiding reference to her political stances.
Bardot remained outspoken until her final years. In her last book, published just months before her death, she criticized contemporary France and Saint-Tropez, maintaining the blunt, provocative style she was famous for.
She had long expressed her desire for a simple farewell. Bardot wanted no large crowd at her funeral and requested a modest wooden cross for her grave, like those she arranged for the animals she cared for. AFP
