Brigitte Bardot, French screen legend, dies aged 91

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sun 28 Dec 2025 04.50 EST
Last modified on Sun 28 Dec 2025 04.51 EST


Brigitte Bardot, the French actor and singer who became an international sex symbol before turning her back on the film industry to become an animal rights activist, has died aged 91.

Bardot shot to international fame with the 1956 film And God Created Woman, written and directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim, and for the next two decades embodied the idea of the archetypal “sex kitten”. In the early 70s, however, she announced her retirement from acting and became increasingly active politically. Her outspoken support of animal rights evolved into incendiary comments about ethnic minorities and open support for France’s far-right Front National, resulting in a string of convictions for racial hatred.

Born in 1934 in Paris, Bardot grew up in a prosperous, traditional Catholic family but excelled enough as a dancer to be allowed to study ballet, gaining a place at the prestigious Conservatoire de Paris. At the same time she found work as a model, appearing on the cover of Elle in 1950 while still 15. As a result of her modelling work, she was offered film roles; at one audition she met Vadim, whom she would marry in 1952, after she turned 18. Bardot was cast in small roles, with increasing prominence; she played Dirk Bogarde’s love interest in Doctor at Sea, a big hit in the UK in 1955.

But it was Vadim’s And God Created Woman, in which Bardot played an uninhibited teenager in Saint-Tropez, that consolidated her image and turned her into an international icon. The film was a huge hit in France, as well as internationally, and catapulted Bardot into the front rank of French screen performers.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/dec/28/brigitte-bardot-french-screen-legend-and-animal-rights-activist-dies

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Didn't realize she was still around.

[valleyrogue]

1. Unfortunately, she had some vile political beliefs.

She was a real life example of the old saying, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”

[BlueMTexpat]

7. Those beliefs were vile, indeed.

But before she developed them - later in life - she truly WAS an icon!

It was so sad to see her become yet another RRWer!

[valleyrogue]

8. She was a classic pin-up type of woman.

I am a woman, but I have to say no actress ever had a better figure than Bardot in her youth. She had the height, which was a benefit in that regard, and she had been trained as a dancer. She was quite the beauty when she was VERY young, before cigarettes and sun worshipping at St. Tropez aged her looks prematurely. When I say that, she noticeably aged before she turned 25. I give her credit for never undergoing the knife and letting herself age naturally. I can't fault her for that.

I CAN fault her for being a fascist, a racist, a xenophobe, a misogynist, and a homophobe. There is NOTHING to admire about her as a person. I don't think she was so involved with animal "rights" because she was in love with animals as much as she hated people. She was a misanthropist of the worst type.

[BlueMTexpat]

9. There is a lot of truth

in what you say.

But she was definitely admired in France before her radical turn of beliefs, thus an icon.

[valleyrogue]

11. I don't deny that at all, and I won't. She just wasn't a good person. n/t

[Raine]

2. Animals have lost a strong advocate ... R-I-P BB nt

[peacebuzzard]

4. I admired her for this very reason.

The world of animal advocacy lost their friend. RIP BB.
PS Now I start the day on a sad note. Thanks for this post and heads up. She was also a great actress. I watched so many of her old b&w films.

[Omaha Steve]

5. You beat me to the post

K&R!

OS

[valleyrogue]

10. It was in line with her being a misanthropist.

She hated people, especially those who weren't white and privileged like she was. She got fined at least once for speaking out on behalf of her political beliefs.

I don't think she supported animal "rights" because she loved animals. She loathed people, that's why.

There are many other performers who have done work for animal-related causes who were not and are not despicable human beings.

[nitpicked]

3. Link to AP

https://apnews.com/article/france-bardot-obit-397b87b8550dec3d199b2b5754149d7c

[bucolic_frolic]

6. I suggest the 1960s sex bombes were created with triple thick eyeliner

in an age when no one knew, and few imitated, how to do it or why.

I'm thinking of similar makeup in the early seasons of Mission: Impossible in re: Barbara Bain.

[FakeNoose]

12. She also had puffy lips and big hair long before the trend

Rest in Peace, Brigitte Bardot ...

[hunter]

14. I think we are silly apes taught by society...

... to consider certain people "sexy" and certain people not.

Movies and television have been an especially destructive force in our society in this regard, disproportionately harmful to girls and women.

[littlemissmartypants]

19. Her career really took off when she started doing explicitly sexual films.

Of course, that was thanks to her husband director Roger Vadim.

[Clouds Passing]

13. Brigitte

[Beringia]

15. The Pretenders said her name in the song Message of Love from 1981

Now the reason we're here
As man and woman
Is to love each other
Take care of each other
When love walks in the room
Everybody stand up
Oh, it's good, good, good
Like Brigitte Bardot

A muse for musicians: 11 songs inspired by Brigitte Bardot https://wtop.com/national/2025/12/a-muse-for-musicians-11-songs-inspired-by-brigitte-bardot/

[littlemissmartypants]

18. I'm of the opinion that...

The reference to love walking in the room with everyone standing is about what happens when the bride starts down the aisle at her wedding.

[Beringia]

24. Yes, I agree

[LetMyPeopleVote]

16. Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals has done amazing work

Link to tweet

[GoneOffShore]

20. There have been rumbles about some corruption in the organization here in in the south of France.

She was not universally loved by all the rescue groups.

[BaronChocula]

21. Um, she was a despicable person

who once described Jean-Marie Le Pen (another despicable person) as a lovely, intelligent man. FUCK HER!

The only reason she disliked trump was because he reversed Obama's ban on trophy elephant imports. Everything else was right up her alley.

She doesn't even deserve the effort of dancing in the streets.

[orangecrush]

22. Another good one gone

[DinahMoeHum]

23. Larry The Cat pays his tribute to her. . .