Brigitte Bardot, French actress and animal rights activist, dies aged 91

Live Reporting

Edited by Sam Hancock and Tinshui Yeung

1. France mourns Brigitte Bardot, a titan of French cinema who later courted controversypublished at 15:43 GMT

   Image source, Corbis via Getty Images

   Brigitte Bardot, a star of French cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, has died aged 91.

   Her signature roles – in films such as And God Created Woman – cemented her cultural status as a symbol of the sexual liberation movement that swept across Europe in the latter half of the 20th Century.

   She stepped back from the silver screen at 39, with almost 50 films under her belt. “I gave my youth and beauty to men, I give my wisdom and experience to animals,” Bardot famously pledged, and spent the remainder of her life campaigning for animal welfare under her Brigitte Bardot Foundation.

   Today, French President Emmanuel Macron praised her “French existence” and “universal brilliance”. He added: “She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century.”

   But, as our culture correspondent Noor Nanji points out, Bardot was not without controversy.

   In 2008, she was convicted for the fifth time for inciting racial hatred after complaining on her website that Muslims were “destroying our country by imposing their ways”. She courted further controversy in 2018 for her perceived dismissal of the #MeToo movement.

   Still, Bardot retains fans. Tearful tributes have been paid to her in Saint-Tropez, while politicians, a film institution, and numerous animal welfare organisations have issued statements remembering her.

   As our reporter in the French Riviera, Pierre-Antoine Denis, noted earlier – media outlets across the country have cleared their usual weekend schedules to focus on Bardot’s life and career.

   • We’re ending our live coverage now but if you’d like to keep reading about Bardot’s life and death, head to our news story

   Image source, Getty Images

2. Bardot considered a symbol of ‘sexual liberation’ – but what does that mean?published at 15:14 GMT

   As we’ve been reporting, Brigitte Bardot was seen as a symbol of sexual liberation.

   The social movement between 1960 and 1980 saw a major shift away from regressive attitudes towards sex in many parts of the world, according to the Digital Encyclopedia of European History.

   During that time, many developed countries saw sexual life move beyond the limits of marriage and reproduction.

   It was around this time that Bardot starred in films such as And God Created Woman, where she defied social convention by playing a woman who made no effort to restrain her sexual appetite, as a man would.

   And, even before Bardot’s acting career took off, she was already known for posing in bikinis – a garment banned in Spain and Italy for indecency.

   French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir hailed Bardot as an icon of “absolute freedom”.

   Image source, Hulton Archive/Getty Images

3. ‘I am really upset’: Fans pay their respects in Saint-Tropezpublished at 14:39 GMT

   Image source, Reuters

   Fans of the late actress Brigitte Bardot have been gathering in the southern French town of Saint-Tropez – where she settled later in life. Reuters news agency has been speaking to some of them about how they’re feeling:

   • Sylvia, from Switzerland, says: “She’s a woman who I loved and respected a lot” She adds that “I think her fight for animal rights is very respectable, and with her beauty, her career, she was really someone great, a great lady”
   • “She put her career on pause, and after 50 years, she still remains an icon” says Sandrine. For her, Brigitte “represents women, she represents freedom, the freedom to love and express ourselves, voila”

   • Another woman, who didn’t give her name, was visibly emotional: “What she did for animals, what she did for women, all that she represented, her frankness, and things will not be the same, we have to learn to live this way” she tells Reuters. “I have to stop speaking because I really am upset”

   Image source, Reuters

   Image source, Reuters

4. ‘What did her Majesty the Queen say to you?’: BBC interviews Bardot in 1956published at 14:28 GMT

   We’ve delved into the BBC’s archives to have a look back at an interview with Brigitte Bardot when she visited the UK for the Royal Film Performance in 1956.

   Bardot, 22 at the time, was asked what Queen Elizabeth II – who began her reign in 1952 – said to her.

   You can watch her answer during the full four-minute interview below.

5. Four marriages and a son who sued her – a look at Bardot’s personal lifepublished at 14:10 GMT

   Image source, Getty Images

   Over the course of her life, Brigitte Bardot was married four times. The first was in 1952 to Roger Vadim, director of And God Created Woman – Bardot’s first film – when she was 18. The couple divorced five years later.

   In 1959, Bardot – after several love affairs – married the actor Jacques Charrier, with whom she starred in Babette Goes To War.

   The couple had a son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier. But Bardot resented her pregnancy: repeatedly punching herself in the stomach and begging a doctor for morphine to induce a miscarriage.

   After the inevitable divorce, Nicolas did not see his mother for decades. Nicolas sued Bardot for emotional damage when she published an autobiography in which she stated that she would have preferred to “give birth to a little dog”.

   A third marriage, to a millionaire German playboy Gunter Sachs, was followed by a string of lovers – although, uncharacteristically, she did reject Sean Connery.

   Her fourth and final marriage in 1992 was to Bernard d’Ormale, an adviser to National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. They were married at the time of her death.

   Image source, Getty Images

6. ‘From her rescued pigeons… to her beloved dogs, Peta will miss Brigitte’published at 13:52 GMT

   Image source, AFP via Getty Images

   The founder of animal welfare organisation Peta has now paid tribute to Brigitte Bardot. Peta awarded her a humanitarian award in 2001, and Bardot supported several of its campaigns over the years.

   “From her rescued pigeons in Saint-Tropez to her beloved dogs, Peta will miss Brigitte, an angel for animals who went to bat and to court to protect them all,” says founder Ingrid Newkirk.

   “She once said that only through protecting animals did she truly bloom – and we call on the public to honour her memory by doing something kind for animals today, so that the seeds she planted continue to flourish” the statement adds.

7. Political leaders, animal activists and a British film body pay tribute to French actress Bardotpublished at 13:33 GMT

   Image source, PA Media

   If you’re just joining our coverage, we’ve been reporting on the death of French film star Brigitte Bardot, 91, who has drawn tributes from political leaders, animal welfare activists, and even Bafta. Here’s what people have said:

   • French President Emmanuel Macron says France is mourning a “legend of the century”, while his far-right opponent Marine Le Pen says Bardot will be “greatly missed”
   • Leader of France’s far-right National Rally party Jordan Bardella praises Bardot as a “woman of heart, conviction, and character”
   • Bardot’s animal rights foundation, named after her, has vowed to “champion” her legacy after the former actress “chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation”, it says. Ingrid Newkirk, PETA’s British-American founder, has also paid tribute
   • On her career as a film star, awards organisation Bafta calls Bardot a “symbol of sexual liberation in film”, while broadcaster Piers Morgan says she made “St Tropez the coolest place in the world”
   • The municipality Saint-Tropez, where Bardot settled, shares a statement saying she made the area in southern France “shine” globally
   • Meanwhile in the wider French Riviera, our reporter Pierre-Antoine Denis writes that TV and radio stations have adapted their coverage to reflect Bardot’s impact
   • Bardot’s is also a complicated legacy, our culture correspondent Noor Nanji writes, after the film star and activist was repeatedly fined for inciting racial hatred later in life
8. 

   A fashion icon, Bardot’s cultural influence spread beyond filmpublished at 13:10 GMT

   Noor Nanji
   Culture correspondent

   One of the most feted stars of the post-war period, Brigitte
   Bardot will primarily be remembered for her influence on French cinema.

   She earned worldwide
   fame with her kittenish charm and continental sensuality, which swept away the
   cinematic cobwebs of the 1950s.

   Her impact was felt far wider than just in France, as today’s statement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts shows.

   But her cultural influence spread beyond just film.

   For many, she was a symbol of a new age of sexual
   liberation. An emblem of a modern woman, who refused to conform to stereotypes.

   She will also be remembered as a fashion icon, with her
   film career inspiring a fashion style that’s still popular today.

   Her signature look featured tousled hair and bold
   eyeliner, and set fashion trends worldwide.

9. Saint-Tropez says Bardot helped French town ‘shine’published at 12:49 GMT

   The resort town of Saint-Tropez is among the latest to pay tribute to Bardot – calling the actress an “icon” of French cinema.

   The town’s official Facebook page posted a tribute earlier today following the news of her death – and says she will forever be associated with the area.

   Image source, VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images

   Bardot has long been associated with the town in the south of France after settling in a property she bought there – La Madrague.

   It continues to say she made a mark on the history of Saint-Tropez and helped make it “shine” globally.

   Image source, Getty Images

10. How the news broke in the French Riviera, where Bardot livedpublished at 12:39 GMT

    Pierre-Antoine Denis
    Reporting from Nice, southern France

    I was driving with my parents when a special announcement came on France’s main commercial radio station, RTL.

    The tone was immediately sombre. The presenter opened by calling Brigitte Bardot a true legend, saying there would be time for sadness later, but for now the entire newsroom was focused on bringing listeners special coverage.

    By the time I arrived home in Nice, close to where Bardot used to live, every French news channel had reshaped its usual weekend schedules to focus on Bardot.

    Coverage was organised around the defining chapters of her life: acting, modelling, singing and, what many described as her life’s calling, her animal welfare foundation.

    For those of us in the South of France, everyone has seen or has a story involving Bardot – from her dazzling Cannes during the film festival, to her elegant appearances in the many fancy restaurants on the French Riviera.

    As I heard someone put it to French TV earlier, La Riviera is Bardot and Bardot is La Riviera

11. Bafta pays tribute to ‘symbol of sexual liberation in film’published at 12:21 GMT

    Image source, Getty Images

    We’ve heard some reaction from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) just now.

    During her acting career, Brigitte Bardot received a Bafta nomination for her role in Viva Maria in 1967.

    Reflecting on the news of her death today, the organisation writes: “Bardot became known as a symbol of sexual liberation in film and starred in numerous French cinema hits in the 1950s and ’60s.”

12. Foundation vows to ‘champion the legacy of Brigitte Bardot’published at 12:08 GMT

    Image source, AFP via Getty Images

    We can now bring you some more details of a statement released by The Brigitte Bardot Foundation, and shared by her agent, upon her death.

    It focuses on Bardot’s work advocating for animal welfare – with the Foundation referencing her appearance, at the age of 28, on the 1962 TV programme “Cinq colonnes à la une” [Five columns in the spotlight], where she called for animals to be stunned before being slaughtered.

    Bardot’s foundation, which was established in 1986, has rescued more than 12,000 animals through its “Arche de BB” programme, the statement continues.

    “By frequently lobbying politicians to advance legislation, securing convictions for perpetrators of animal abuse, carrying out rescues every day, and raising awareness among a wide audience, the Foundation has become a global benchmark, the continued success of which Brigitte Bardot ensured,” it says.

    The statement adds that Bardot’s legacy will live on through her campaigns and that the Foundation will continue to “champion the legacy of Brigitte Bardot”.

13. After a breakout role at the age of 18, Bardot went on to star in dramas and comediespublished at 11:57 GMT

    Brigitte Bardot arguably redefined cinematic allure, captivating the world as a 1950s screen icon.

    Bardot’s breakout appearance came at the age of 18 in And God Created Woman – a provocative film that launched her to international stardom. It was directed by her husband Roger Vadim.

    Image source, ScreenProd/Photononstop/Alamy

    Through the late 1950s and 1960s, Bardot became a global phenomenon with roles in The Truth, earning critical acclaim for her dramatic depth; Contempt, a Jean-Luc Godard masterpiece; and Viva Maria!, showcasing her comedic flair alongside Jeanne Moreau.

    Image source, Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images

    Beyond her most iconic roles, Bardot showcased her versatility in films like Love on a Pillow, where she portrayed a complex, emotionally-torn character, and Two Weeks in September, a romantic drama that highlighted her ability to convey vulnerability.

    In The Bear and the Doll, she brought playful charm to a comedic role, proving her range across genres. These films, though less celebrated, underscored her ability to captivate audiences in diverse narratives.

14. Magazine fame and journey to film stardom: Bardot’s early lifepublished at 11:40 GMT

    Image source, Getty Images

    Born in Paris on September 1934, Bardot and sister Marie-Jeanne grew up in a luxurious apartment not far from the Eiffel Tower.

    Her mother soon enrolled her in ballet classes from the age of seven. At age 15, a family friend encouraged Bardot to pose for the cover of Elle magazine – the photographs sparked her rise to international fame as a personification of a new “jeune fille” (young girl) style.

    These pictures also caught the attention of film director Marc Allegret. His assistant, Roger Vadim, tracked Bardot down.

    Screen tests for acting were unsuccessful at first, and the pair began an affair. When her parents found out Bardot was threatened with being sent to England, and was stopped just in time when she subsequently attempted to take her own life.

    She was eventually allowed to marry Vadim – who was six years older than her – when she turned 18. He soon helped her find roles in various small films before the pair teamed up for Vadim’s debut And God Created Woman.

15. Controversies included convictions for inciting racial hatred and criticising #MeToopublished at 11:23 GMT

    Image source, Getty Images

    Later in life Bardot made headlines for her controversial remarks about Islam and, more recently, the #MeToo movement.

    In 2008, she was convicted for the fifth time for inciting racial hatred after complaining on her website that Muslims were “destroying our country by imposing their ways”.

    She was fined €15,000 (£12,000) and in a letter to the court insisted she had a right to speak up for animal welfare after publishing remarks in which she deplored the slaughter of animals for the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.

    Bardot was also convicted in 1997, 1998 and 2000 for inciting racial hatred in various written articles and comments made in interviews.

    In January 2018, Bardot also dismissed actresses who commented on sexual harassment via the #MeToo movement as “hypocritical”.

    “In the vast majority of cases they are being hypocritical, ridiculous, uninteresting,” Bardot said in an interview with French magazine Paris Match.

    “There are many actresses who flirt with producers in order to get a role.”

16. 

    Bardot leaves behind a complicated legacypublished at 11:14 GMT

    Noor Nanji
    Culture correspondent

    For many, Brigitte Bardot’s revered as a symbol of French independence, of sexuality, of femininity.

    But she was not without controversy.

    She was criticised in later years for homophobic slurs and was repeatedly fined for inciting racial hatred. These sorts of comments will have impacted how she was seen by the French public.

    She was unapologetically as she wanted to be and that often did find some criticism.

    Notwithstanding that, there’s no doubt she had a lasting impact on cinema, on fashion and French popular culture, and it will be interesting to see how France reacts today to this news.

17. Marine Le Pen praises ‘incredibly French’ Bardotpublished at 11:08 GMT

    Image source, Getty Images

    We’ve also heard reaction from French far-right politician Marine Le Pen this morning, who says Bardot’s death is an “immense sorrow”.

    “France loses an exceptional woman, through her talent, her courage, her frankness, her beauty,” she writes.

    “A woman who chose to break with an incredible career to devote herself to the animals she defended until her last breath with inexhaustible energy and love.

    “She was incredibly French: free, untamable, whole. She will be greatly missed by us.”

    At the time she died, Bardot was married to Bernard d’Ormale, a former adviser to the late far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen – the father of Marine.

18. Macron mourns ‘a legend of the century’ in tributepublished at 10:50 GMT

    Breaking

    Image source, EPA

    We’ve just heard from French President Emmanuel Macron, who has paid tribute to Brigette Bardot on social media. He writes:

    “Her films, her voice, her dazzling glory, her initials, her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became Marianne, Brigitte Bardot embodied a life of freedom.

    “French existence, universal brilliance. She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century.”

19. France’s oldest animal protection group praises ‘iconic and passionate’ Bardotpublished at 10:45 GMT

    Image source, Getty Images

    As we just mentioned, at the height of her fame, Brigitte Bardot retired from acting in 1973, aged 39, to champion animal rights.

    Reacting to her death, France’s oldest animal protection association – The Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA) – has paid tribute to an “iconic and passionate figure for the animal cause”.

    “Since the 1970s, and then through her foundation created in the 1980s, she has devoted her life to defending those who have no voice,” La SPA says.

    “Her unwavering commitment has helped raise awareness and achieve major advances for animal protection.”

    The organisation says Bardot inaugurated a former SPA shelter in Gennevilliers in 1973, and participated in numerous awareness-raising actions.

    “Thank you, B.B., for everything you have accomplished,” it says.

20. Activism followed Bardot’s early retirement from filmpublished at 10:36 GMT

    Image source, Getty Images

    After nearly 50 films, Bardot turned heads when she announced that she would be stepping away from the big screen aged just 39 in 1973.

    Instead, she announced that she would be dedicating her life to animal welfare.

    “I gave my youth and beauty to men, I give my wisdom and experience to animals,” Bardot famously said.

    In 1986, Bardot launched her own animal rights charity – the Brigitte Bardot Foundation – which works to protect wild and domestic animals.

    The actress later became vegetarian, and in 2013 even threatened to apply for Russian citizenship in protest against plans to kill two sick elephants in a French zoo.

    Her activism had international scope and was wide ranging: in 2001, Bardot celebrated success after signing a deal with the mayor of Bucharest to save about 100,000 stray dogs from death.

    According to its website, Bardot’s foundation now has “more than 70,000 donors worldwide, nearly 300 employees and more than 500 volunteer investigators and delegates”.

    Image source, Getty Images