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Paris, December 28, 2025 – Brigitte Bardot, the legendary French actress who redefined cinematic sensuality in the 1950s and 1960s before devoting her later life to animal welfare, has died at the age of 91. Her death was announced on Sunday by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which she founded in 1986.
In a statement sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the foundation said: “The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation.” The statement did not specify the cause, time, or exact location of her death, though a foundation spokesperson confirmed to the Associated Press that she passed away at her home in southern France.
Born Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot on September 28, 1934, in Paris, she rose from a ballet-trained teenager to an international sex symbol, often dubbed "B.B." Her breakthrough came in 1956 with And God Created Woman (Et Dieu... créa la femme), directed by her first husband, Roger Vadim. The film, shot in Saint-Tropez, showcased her uninhibited performance and helped propel the fishing village into a global tourist destination. Bardot's pouty lips, tousled blonde hair, and free-spirited persona symbolized the emerging sexual liberation of post-war Europe, influencing fashion, music, and culture worldwide.
Over two decades, Bardot starred in more than 45 films, collaborating with directors like Jean-Luc Godard in Contempt (1963) and Louis Malle in Viva Maria! (1965), for which she earned a BAFTA nomination. She also recorded several albums, including duets with Serge Gainsbourg. Intellectuals like Simone de Beauvoir analyzed her impact in the 1959 essay "Brigitte Bardot and the Lolita Syndrome," portraying her as a modern archetype of feminine independence.
At the peak of her fame in 1973, aged 39, Bardot abruptly retired from acting after her final film, The Edifying and Joyous Story of Colinot. "I gave my beauty and my youth to men. I am going to give my wisdom and experience to animals," she famously declared. This marked a profound shift: Bardot auctioned personal jewelry and memorabilia to fund her new passion, establishing the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals. The organization, now with over 70,000 donors worldwide, has campaigned against seal hunting, animal testing, horse meat consumption, and other forms of cruelty. Her activism took her to Canada to protest seal culls and led to international appeals, including letters to world leaders.
Bardot's later years were marked by controversy. She faced multiple convictions in France for inciting racial hatred through public statements criticizing immigration and Islamic practices, resulting in fines. She also expressed support for far-right figures, including the Le Pen family, and married Bernard d’Ormale, a former adviser to Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 1992. Despite these polarizing views, her cultural legacy endured—Andy Warhol painted her portrait, Bob Dylan reportedly wrote an early song about her, and her hairstyle and style continue to inspire revivals.
Recent health issues preceded her death. In October 2025, Bardot underwent surgery for a serious illness, spending weeks in hospital before recovering at home. She publicly dismissed online death rumors at the time, posting on X: “I don’t know which imbecile launched this fake news regarding my disappearance, but know that I’m fine and have no intention of bowing out.” A subsequent hospitalization in November was described as serious by French media.
Tributes poured in swiftly. French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X: “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. A French existence, universal brilliance.” The town of Saint-Tropez, forever linked to her, called her its “most dazzling ambassador,” expressing profound sadness. Animal rights groups, including PETA and France's Société Protectrice des Animaux (SPA), hailed her as a pioneering advocate who advanced global protections.
Bardot's life bridged glamour and grit, fame and reclusion. Living quietly in her Saint-Tropez villa, La Madrague, surrounded by animals, she remained a symbol of rebellion and conviction. Her foundation vowed to continue her work “now more than ever.” No funeral arrangements have been announced.
Bardot is survived by her husband Bernard d’Ormale and her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, from her marriage to actor Jacques Charrier.
