Legendary French Actress Brigitte Bardot Passes Away at 91: A Tribute to Her Iconic Legacy

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Brigitte Bardot, the French 1960s sex symbol who became one of the greatest screen sirens of the 20th century and later a militant animal rights activist and far-right supporter, has died. She was 91.

Bardot died on Sunday at her home in southern France, according to Bruno Jacquelin, of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the protection of animals.

Speaking to The Associated Press, he gave no cause of death and said that no arrangements had been made for funeral or memorial services. She had been hospitalised last month.

Bardot became an international celebrity as a sexualised teen bride in the 1956 movie And God Created Woman. Directed by then husband Roger Vadim, it triggered a scandal with scenes of the long-legged beauty dancing on tables naked.

During a vibrant film career that included over twenty films and three marriages, Brigitte Bardot became a symbol of France’s departure from conventional norms. With her iconic blond hair, alluring figure, and rebellious demeanor, she emerged as one of the most recognizable French celebrities, notwithstanding her personal battles with depression.

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Bardot’s impressive cinematic journey comprised more than twenty films, cementing her status as a cultural icon. Source: Getty / Franco Origlia

A white woman with blonde hair and a white man with brown hair

Her appeal was so profound that in 1969, her image was selected to represent Marianne, the emblematic figure of France. Bardot’s likeness graced statues, postage stamps, and coins, further enshrining her place in French culture.

On her 73rd birthday in 2007, Bardot shared her critical view of humanity, stating to The Associated Press, “Man is an insatiable predator.”

She said she had never had been a victim of sexual harassment and found it “charming to be told that I was beautiful or that I had a nice little ass.”

Among Bardot’s films were A Parisian (1957); In Case of Misfortune, in which she starred in 1958 with screen legend Jean Gabin; The Truth (1960); Private Life (1962); A Ravishing Idiot (1964); Shalako (1968); Women (1969); The Bear And The Doll (1970); Rum Boulevard (1971); and Don Juan (1973).

But, while a popular star, her girlish pout, tiny waist and generous bust were often more appreciated than her talent.

“It’s an embarrassment to have acted so badly,” Bardot said of her early films.

With the exception of 1963’s critically acclaimed Contempt, Bardot’s films were rarely complicated by plots. Often, they were vehicles to display Bardot in scanty dresses or frolicking nude in the sun.

“It was never a great passion of mine,” she said of filmmaking.

“And it can be deadly sometimes. Marilyn (Monroe) perished because of it.”

Bardot retired to her Riviera villa in St Tropez at the age of 39 in 1973 after The Woman Grabber. As fans brought flowers to her home Sunday, the local St Tropez administration called for “respect for the privacy of her family and the serenity of the places where she lived”.

— Reporting by Associated Press via Australian Associated Press