In brief
Brigitte Bardot, the iconic French actress known for her influential roles in 1950s cinema and her subsequent dedication to animal welfare, has died at 91. Often referred to as 'BB', she became a symbol of sexual liberation with her breakout role in 'And God Created Woman'. Despite her cinematic success, her later years were marred by controversy surrounding her remarks on various social issues. French President Macron paid tribute, calling her a 'legend of the century'. The world mourns this multifaceted figure whose life embodied both glamour and conflict.
French actress Brigitte Bardot, who revolutionised 1950s French cinema and became a symbol of sexual liberation, has died aged 91.
The cinema icon - BB as she was known in her home country - acted in almost 50 films, including And God Created Woman, but retired in 1973 to devote her life to animal welfare.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the nation was mourning a legend of the century, while the Brigitte Bardot Foundation remembered her as a world-renowned actress.
Later in life, Bardot's reputation was damaged after she made homophobic slurs and was fined multiple times for inciting racial hatred.
The Brigitte Bardot Foundation she established said in a statement that it was announcing her death with immense sadness. It did not specify where or when Bardot died.
Paying tribute, Macron wrote: Her films, her voice, her dazzling glory, her initials, her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became Marianne, Brigitte Bardot embodied a life of freedom.
French existence, universal brilliance. She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century.
Meanwhile, French far-right politician Marine Le Pen said France had lost an exceptional woman, through her talent, her courage, her frankness, her beauty.
Bardot was born in Paris in 1934 to a wealthy family and was discovered in her teens after posing on the cover of Elle magazine. She played iconic roles, most notably in the 1956 film And God Created Woman, directed by her then-husband Roger Vadim, in which she played a sexually liberated woman.
Bardot's work in films such as The Truth and Contempt earned her critical acclaim and cemented her status as a global phenomenon. Her fashion influence, most notably the 'Bardot neckline', also left a lasting mark on style.
However, Bardot's legacy is complex. From the late 1990s, she faced numerous legal troubles for comments deemed racist and homophobic, culminating in multiple fines. Despite her impactful career, her later years were clouded by controversy, further complicating how she's remembered today.
