Brigitte Bardot, French film legend and lifelong animal rights activist, has died at 91, leaving behind a bold, complicated legacy.
Brigitte Bardot, one of the most recognizable faces in film history, has died at the age of 91.
Her foundation confirmed that she passed away peacefully at her home in southern France, where she had lived quietly for many years after stepping away from the spotlight.
No official cause of death was shared, though her passing comes months after she underwent surgery for a serious illness.
While Bardot rose to fame as a movie star, her life story became much bigger than cinema. She wasn’t just an actress — she was a cultural moment.
When And God Created Woman hit theaters in 1956, it changed how women were seen on screen. The film shocked audiences, but it also made Bardot an international sensation almost overnight.
With her natural beauty and fearless presence, she became a symbol of freedom and rebellion in a tightly controlled era.
Before movies, Bardot began as a teenage model, landing the cover of Elle at just 15. From there, her career exploded across Europe with films like Plucking the Daisy, Babette Goes to War, and La Parisienne.
Hollywood soon followed, with roles alongside James Stewart in Dear Brigitte and Sean Connery in Shalako.
Behind the fame, though, Bardot struggled deeply. The pressure of constant attention took a toll on her mental health. She later spoke openly about her suicide attempt in 1960 and admitted fame made her feel trapped rather than fulfilled.
At just 39, she made a bold choice — she walked away from acting for good.
That decision marked the start of her second life. Bardot devoted herself fully to animal rights, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and spending decades fighting against animal cruelty. It became her true life’s work.
Married four times and linked to several high-profile romances, Bardot is survived by her husband and her son.
She leaves behind a legacy that is complicated, powerful, and impossible to ignore — a woman who walked away from fame to fight for what she believed in.
Brigitte Bardot was 91.
