Brigitte Bardot, the French actress who became an international icon in the 1950s and 1960s before dedicating her later life to animal rights activism, died at age 91 on December 28, 2025, at her home La Madrague in Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera.
The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced her death. The cause of death was not made public. Bardot had been hospitalized in October.
French President Emmanuel Macron said France was mourning a legend.
Born in 1934 in Paris, Bardot appeared on the cover of Elle magazine in 1950 at age 15 while working as a model. She married director Roger Vadim in 1952 at age 18, launching a film career that would make her one of cinema’s most recognizable faces.
Bardot’s breakthrough came in 1956 when she starred in “And God Created Woman,” directed by Vadim. The film catapulted her to international stardom and established her as a cultural phenomenon. She went on to appear in nearly 50 films during her career, including the acclaimed “Contempt” directed by Jean-Luc Godard.
In 1969, Bardot was chosen as the model for Marianne, the symbol of the French republic, cementing her status as a national icon. Her influence extended beyond cinema into music, where she collaborated with composer Serge Gainsbourg.
At the height of her fame, Bardot made a dramatic decision. She retired from acting in the early 1970s at age 39, walking away from her prestigious career in 1973. Her final film marked the end of an era in French cinema.
Following her retirement, Bardot devoted herself entirely to animal welfare. She established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986, channeling her celebrity and resources into protecting animals worldwide. The foundation became her primary focus for the remainder of her life.
Bardot’s later years were marked by controversy. She was fined six times between 1997 and 2008 for inciting racial hatred after making comments targeting Muslims. In 2008, she was convicted for inciting racial hatred and fined 15,000 euros.
Her political positions aligned with far-right movements in France. Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, prominent figures in French far-right politics, publicly supported Bardot and praised her activism. Italian politician Matteo Salvini also paid tribute to her legacy.
Bardot had one son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier.
The actress’s impact on cinema and French culture remained undeniable despite the controversies that defined her later years. Her early films captured a moment of cultural transformation in post-war Europe, and her image became synonymous with a particular vision of French femininity and liberation.
From her teenage modeling days to her final years as an animal rights campaigner, Bardot lived a life that defied conventional boundaries. Her decision to abandon Hollywood at the peak of her career demonstrated a willingness to prioritize personal conviction over fame and fortune.
The town of Saint-Tropez, where Bardot filmed “And God Created Woman” and later made her home, became inseparable from her legacy. The coastal resort town’s international reputation owed much to Bardot’s presence and the glamour she brought to the French Riviera.
Bardot’s transformation from sex symbol to animal rights activist represented one of the most dramatic reinventions in celebrity history. She traded the spotlight of cinema for the advocacy work that she believed gave greater meaning to her life.
Her death marks the end of a chapter in French cultural history. Bardot represented an era when European cinema challenged social conventions and pushed boundaries in ways that influenced generations of filmmakers and performers who followed.
The complexities of Bardot’s legacy reflect the contradictions of her life—celebrated for embodying freedom and liberation while later embracing positions that alienated many of her former admirers. Her story encompasses both the glamour of golden-age cinema and the contentious politics of contemporary Europe.
As tributes poured in from across France and beyond, the nation grappled with remembering a figure whose contributions to cinema were undeniable but whose later activism and political statements divided public opinion. Bardot’s life story remains a testament to the power of celebrity and the responsibilities that come with influence and fame.