Brigitte Bardot, French Cinema Icon and Animal Advocate, Dies at 91

Overview

• Brigitte Bardot’s foundation confirmed her death at 91 and did not disclose the cause or precise timing.
• Reports note she was hospitalized and underwent surgery in Toulon in recent months for a serious, undisclosed illness.
• She rose to global fame with 1956’s And God Created Woman and became a defining figure of postwar screen culture and style.
• Bardot retired from acting in 1973 and founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986, leading high-profile animal-welfare campaigns.
• Her later years were marked by legal convictions over incendiary remarks and reclusive life in Saint‑Tropez, as tributes including from President Emmanuel Macron noted her enduring cultural impact.