Brigitte Bardot, French Actress and Animal Rights Backer, Dies at 91

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 at the age of 91, the Boston Globe reported.

Bardot appeared in more than a dozen films before her husband, Vadim, cast her in his directorial debut, And God Created Woman, in 1956. (Photo: Studio Harcourt Wikimedia Commons)

News of her death was announced “with immense sadness” by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which called the star “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,” Kevin E.G. Perry reported for The Independent.

Bardot’s death came just one month after the foundation said reports of her ill health were “false.”

She had undergone a “minor” surgical procedure in October.

The Parisian star drew acclaim for her work with pioneering French New Wave directors such as Roger Vadim and Jean-Luc Godard.

She also recorded several albums, notably collaborating with Serge Gainsbourg, and devoted herself to animal rights activism beginning in 1973.

Bardot was born on Sept. 28, 1934, in Paris’ 15th arrondissement. Her father, Louis, was an engineer, and her mother, Anne-Marie, was the daughter of an insurance company director.

Raised in a strict Catholic household, Bardot later attributed her rebelliousness to a childhood incident in which she and her sister were whipped by their father after breaking a vase.

She appeared in more than a dozen films before her husband, Vadim, cast her in his directorial debut, And God Created Woman, in 1956.

The film became an international sensation, prompting critics to coin the phrase “sex kitten” to describe her screen presence. Bardot never moved to Hollywood, instead remaining largely a star of European cinema.

She earned widespread praise for her performance in Godard’s Contempt in 1963.

After appearing in 47 films, Bardot announced her retirement from acting in 1973 at the age of 39, saying she wanted “a way to get out elegantly.”