The French actress and singer Brigitte Bardot died this Sunday (28) at the age of 91.
The information was confirmed by the foundation that bears her name, dedicated to animal welfare. The cause of death, as well as the place and time of her passing, were not disclosed.
A global cinema icon in the 1950s and 1960s, Bardot left her mark with free-spirited characters and strong on-screen magnetism. Among her most emblematic works are And God Created Woman, which propelled her to international fame, and Contempt, by Jean-Luc Godard. Alongside acting, she released albums as a singer, establishing herself as a central figure of postwar European pop culture.
In recent months, Bardot had been hospitalized in October and November in Toulon, in southern France, for medical procedures. At the time, she reassured fans by saying she was recovering well.
From stardom to activism
At 39, in 1973, Bardot definitively ended her film career and began living reclusively in Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera. From then on, she devoted her life to the defense of animal rights. In 1986, she created the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, an organization active in rescue operations, protection, and sterilization campaigns.
A committed vegetarian, Bardot made significant donations to international causes, including more than £90,000 to help stray dogs in Bucharest, and even threatened to leave France after treatment was denied to two sick elephants at a zoo in the country.
Personal life
The actress was married four times: to Roger Vadim (1952–1957), Jacques Charrier (1959–1962), Gunter Sachs (1966–1969), and Bernard d’Ormale, to whom she had been married since 1992. With Charrier, she had her only child, Nicolas-Jacques, born in 1960, a relationship described over the years as troubled.
Controversies
Despite recognition for her humanitarian work, Bardot’s public image again became the target of controversy. In 2004, she was convicted of incitement to racial hatred in a book. Her support for the French far right, especially politician Marine Le Pen, also reignited debates about her legacy.
Photos: Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
