Screen Legend Brigitte Bardot Dies at 91

Bardot’s extraordinary career spanned cinema, music, fashion and animal rights activism — including movies such as ‘And God Created Woman’ and ‘Contempt.’

Brigitte Bardot in the documentary 'Bardot'. Photo: RTL.

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Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 91.
She was a screen icon known for a variety of movie roles.
Bardot retired from her acting career to pursue activism.

Brigitte Bardot, the French actress, singer, model and cultural force whose sensuality, spirit and later humanitarian zeal helped define modern cinema and public life, has died at the age of 91.

Her passing was announced on Sunday by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, the animal-welfare organization she founded, which said it was with “immense sadness” that it confirmed her death.

...And God Created Woman

"...but the devil invented Brigitte Bardot!"

PGDrama Romance

Audience
Score

Release Date: Oct 21, 1957

Run Time: 1 hr 32 min

Budget: $300,000

Starring: Brigitte Bardot, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Curd Jürgens

Watch ...And God Created Woman Online

Among Bardot’s most enduring credits are her roles in ‘...And God Created Woman,’‘Contempt,’‘The Truth’ and ‘Viva Maria!’, films that not only showcased her on-screen magnetism but helped reshape international perceptions of feminine freedom and beauty.

Brigitte Bardot: Early Life and Career Beginnings

Brigitte Bardot in 1956's 'And God Created Woman'. Photo: Cocinor.

Born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot grew up in a conservative household before discovering dance and modeling in her teens.

Her striking looks and effortless presence quickly brought her to the attention of filmmakers, and by 1956, at the age of 22, she had risen to global fame with Roger Vadim’s provocative ‘...And God Created Woman.’ The film’s success made her one of the most recognizable faces of post-war cinema and a symbol of sexual liberation.

Brigitte Bardot: Film, Fashion, and Cultural Influence

Brigitte Bardot in 1956's 'And God Created Woman'. Photo: Cocinor.

Bardot’s work in the late 1950s and 1960s spanned French art house and international productions. She collaborated with celebrated directors like Henri-Georges Clouzot, Louis Malle and Jean-Luc Godard, balancing roles in dramatic works such as ‘The Truth’ and 'Contempt' with lighter fare and international co-productions like ‘Shalako.’

Brigitte Bardot: From Stardom to Activism

Brigitte Bardot in the documentary 'Bardot'. Photo: RTL.

In 1973, Bardot retired from acting at just 39 years old, choosing instead to devote herself to animal rights. In 1986, she established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals. Over decades, she campaigned passionately against practices such as seal hunting, animal testing and fur farming, channeling her fame into tangible advocacy for the voiceless.

At the same time, Bardot’s outspokenness extended into politics, where her often controversial remarks and positions drew both support and criticism, leading to multiple legal convictions in France for inciting racial hatred. Her public life in later years was as complex as her film legacy.
Voice and Values

Bardot’s transition from screen goddess to activist reflected a powerful, if sometimes polarizing, personal evolution. Devoted to animal welfare with equal fervor to her early embrace of artistic freedom, she used her global stature to challenge cruelty and spotlight suffering. Her foundation continues that work, upholding the mission she championed for decades.

Brigitte Bardot: Legacy

Brigitte Bardot’s life, marked by beauty, rebellion and devotion, will be remembered as one that continually defied easy definition — and one that reshaped the contours of 20th-century culture forever.

She is survived by her husband Bernard d’Ormale and her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier.