The worlds of cinema, fashion, and animal welfare are united in grief following the death of Brigitte Bardot, the French actress and singer who defined an era of glamour and later became a formidable activist. She was 91 years old.
A Life of Stardom and Sacrifice
Bardot passed away after a period of illness, according to local media reports from Toulon. Her death was confirmed on Sunday morning by the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, the animal rights charity she founded. The organisation released a poignant statement announcing the loss of its founder and president, noting she had abandoned her prestigious career to dedicate her life to animal welfare.
Born in Paris on 28 September 1934, Bardot trained as a ballet dancer before gracing the cover of Elle magazine at just 15. Her fame skyrocketed after her role in the 1956 film And God Created Woman, directed by her first husband, Roger Vadim. The film, in which she played a free-spirited orphan, shocked audiences and critics but cemented her status as a global sex symbol. Time magazine once dubbed her France's 'most ogled export'.
Over a prolific career, she starred in 47 films and recorded over 70 songs. However, the pressures of fame took a heavy toll, leading to personal struggles and four suicide attempts, the first at age 16.
An Outpouring of Global Tributes
News of her passing triggered an immediate wave of homage from celebrities and world leaders on social media. Stars shared iconic images, celebrating her enduring influence on beauty and culture.
Sofia Vergara posted a striking black-and-white portrait on her Instagram Stories with a single red rose emoji. Christie Brinkley reposted a vintage clip, calling Bardot a 'timeless icon of beauty and strength,' and later shared a quote from the star: 'I am just a woman who has done whatever she feels like doing.'
Lindsay Lohan shared a tribute image from Vogue France marked 'Brigitte Bardot 1934–2025,' accompanied by prayer and dove emojis. A host of other figures, including Kelly Rowland, Alessandra Ambrosio, Zoe Saldaña, Kacey Musgraves, and Amelia Gray, also paid their respects online.
French President Emmanuel Macron led official tributes, writing on X that Bardot was 'a legend who embodied a life of freedom.' He praised her films, voice, and her 'generous passion for animals,' stating France mourned 'a legend of the century.'
From Sex Symbol to Fierce Advocate
Bardot retired from acting in 1973, famously stating, 'I gave my youth and my beauty to men. I am now giving my wisdom and experience, the best of myself, to animals.' True to her word, she founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986, becoming one of the world's most prominent and outspoken animal rights activists.
She sold jewellery and personal possessions to fund sanctuaries and campaigns. Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA, hailed her as 'an angel for animals,' asserting that 'only through protecting animals did she truly bloom.'
Bardot spent her later years living reclusively in Saint-Tropez with her fourth husband, Bernard d'Ormale. Her legacy, however, remains vibrantly public. Her influence on fashion—from the Bardot neckline to her bouffant hairstyle—continues to inspire. Despite controversy in later years over her political views, she is being remembered as a woman who reshaped fame on her own terms and devoted her later life entirely to a cause she believed in fiercely.
