Brigitte Bardot's Cesar Awards Tribute Met with Audience Boos and Whistles
A video tribute honouring the late actress Brigitte Bardot at the Cesar Film Awards on Thursday was met with a notably tepid and hostile reception, as audible boos and whistles echoed through the audience during the ceremony in Paris. The actress, who passed away in December at the age of 91, was being recognised for her iconic contributions to cinema, but the moment was overshadowed by vocal disapproval from attendees.
Audience Reaction Sparks Outrage on Social Media
Following the broadcast of the tribute, numerous viewers in France took to social media platform X to express their dismay, reporting that alongside scattered applause, loud boos and whistles could be heard. Some claimed an attendee shouted the word "racist" during the segment. Posts originally shared in French included strong reactions such as: "Bardot booed after her tribute someone screaming RACIST... and they say the Cesars are boring," and "During the tribute paid to the great Brigitte Bardot at the #CeremonieDesCesars, she was loudly booed, and the word 'racist' was chanted throughout the hall."
Other comments defended Bardot, with one user stating: "To all those scumbags who dared to boo the tribute to Brigitte Bardot at the #cesar2026 ceremony. She will remain a legend, while you will stay mediocre nobodies." The divisive response highlighted the complex legacy of the actress, known as the original 'Sex Kitten' for her role in the 1956 film And God Created Woman, directed by her first husband Roger Vadim.
Controversial Activism and Criminal Convictions
Despite her film success, Bardot's life was marked by significant controversy due to her far-right activism and multiple criminal convictions. She faced five convictions for inciting racial hatred, primarily related to comments against Muslims over halal slaughter and Jews regarding kosher food preparation. In her book A Scream in the Silence, she described gay people as "fairground freaks," leading to substantial fines and forced apologies in French courts.
In 2021, Bardot was fined 20,000 euros (approximately £17,000) by a court on France's Indian Ocean island of La Reunion for a 2019 diatribe where she referred to its inhabitants as "savages." Didier Robert, former president of the Réunion region, condemned her remarks as "irresponsible, outrageous and contemptuous," noting they contained deeply racist terms that were "absolutely unacceptable." Bardot was also a vocal supporter of far-right leader Marine Le Pen and publicly opposed Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 French elections, criticising his "coldness" and "steel eyes."
Impact on Tributes and Public Perception
The backlash extended beyond the Cesar Awards, affecting other tributes to Bardot. Singer Chappell Roan, who had initially honoured the star following her death, later retracted her tribute after learning of Bardot's controversial statements. Roan stated: "Holy s**t i did not know all that insane s**t Ms. Bardot stood for obvs I do not condone this. Very disappointing to learn." Fans had urged her to remove the post, citing Bardot's reputation as a "well-known bigot."
Despite these controversies, Bardot dedicated her later years to animal activism, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986 after retiring from acting in 1973. However, the mixed reception at the Cesar Awards underscores how her divisive political views and legal issues continue to shape public memory, contrasting sharply with her cinematic legacy as a 1960s sex symbol and film icon.
