Brigitte Bardot, French cinema icon and activist, dies at 91

Brigitte Bardot, the iconic French actress and cultural symbol of the 20th century, has passed away in Saint-Tropez, France, at the age of 91. Born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, she rose to international stardom in the 1950s and 1960s.

Her breakthrough came with the 1956 film ‘And God Created Woman’, directed by Roger Vadim, which established her as a global sex symbol and a figure of liberation. Throughout her career, she appeared in notable films such as ‘Contempt’ and ‘Viva Maria!’, and collaborated musically with Serge Gainsbourg.

In 1973, Bardot retired from the film industry to dedicate her life to animal welfare. She founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986, actively campaigning against animal cruelty and seal hunting. While her later years were marked by political controversy, she remains a definitive figure in cinema and pop culture history.