Brigitte Bardot, legendary French actress and animal rights activist, died at age 91.
Bardot starred in several French blockbusters in the 1950s and 1960s, and became a symbol of sexual liberation.
She appeared in about 50 movies before retiring from acting at age 39 in 1973. She later became an animal rights activist.
Brigitte Bardot, French Film Icon And Animal Rights Activist, Passes Away At 91
French actress and animal rights defender, Brigitte Bardot, died at the age of 91.
Summary
French actress and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot (real name Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot) passed away at the age of 91 on Sunday (December 28, 2025). The death was confirmed in a statement released by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation to CNN.
“The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a world-renowned actor and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation,” read the statement.
Tributes pour in for Brigitte Bardot
French President Emmanuel Macron, paying tribute to Bardot on X (formerly Twitter), said she “embodied a life of freedom.”
“Her films, her voice, her dazzling glory, her initials, her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became Marianne (the symbol of the French republic), Brigitte Bardot embodied a life of freedom,” he wrote.
“We mourn a legend of the century,” he added.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) also mourned her loss of the legendary star.
“Bardot became known as a symbol of sexual liberation in film and starred in numerous French cinema hits in the 1950s and '60s,” the organisation wrote.
Bardot received a BAFTA nomination for her role in Viva Maria in 1967.
Brigitte Bardot's early life
Born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, Bardot aspired to become a ballerina during her childhood. Her mother got her enrolled in ballet classes at the age of seven. At age 15, she was offered to pose for the cover of Elle magazine, which helped her land a small part in the comedy film Crazy for Love.
Brigitte Bardot's film career
Bardot starred in several French hits in the 1950s and 1960s, and became popular as a symbol of sexual liberation. And God Created Woman (1956) made her a global star. In her career, she appeared in about 50 movies before retiring from acting at age 39 in 1973. The Truth, Contempt, Viva Maria, Love on a Pillow, Two Weeks in September, and The Bear and the Doll, among others, are some of Brigitte Bardot's iconic films.
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After retiring from movies, Bardot dedicated her life to being an animal rights activist.
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