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French actress, model, and social activist Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 92. Her name has long since become a cultural icon of the 20th century. A style icon and one of the most recognizable figures of her time, she defined a vision of feminine beauty that has been copied, discussed, and reimagined for decades. Her life story was a series of dramatic turns, resounding fame, self-imposed renunciations, and rare inner independence, RIA Novosti reports.
Symbol of the era She seemed almost eternal—like beauty itself. In any list of the greatest divas of the last century, Brigitte Bardot's name invariably appeared in the top five. Over the years, she was chosen as the model for the bust of Marianne, the national symbol of France. Above all, she embodied feminine perfection and freedom, so daring and alluring.
Ballet childhood Brigitte's mother, a ballet dancer, dreamed of instilling in her daughter a love of high dance. The young Bardot studied with Boris Knyazev, a Russian-born choreographer known for his strict discipline. He would walk around the room with a whip, and his students would get into trouble. In those distant years, such methods (physical punishment) were considered perfectly acceptable, although today they seem harsh, even savage. Her ballet career never took off. As Bardot herself recalled, she lacked the diligence and patience. But she retained the posture and gait that later captivated millions of spectators.
First filming and first novel She chose the path of fashion modeling, and by the age of fifteen, her photographs were appearing in magazines. It was there that Brigitte was discovered by the young director Roger Vadim. Their passionate affair became decisive in her future career. Upon learning of their affair, Bardot's father threatened to send her away from France and to England to study. Brigitte was so distressed that she even attempted suicide, but was saved in time.
She gradually began acting, and at 19, she performed on the stage for the first and only time. Vadim strongly supported Brigitte, insisting that she pursue an acting education. But fate had reserved for her the leading role in her husband's film. Roger Vadim directed "And God Created Woman"—a sensual and vibrant film in which Bardot starred opposite the irresistible Jean-Louis Trintignant. Bardot herself was already being compared to the leading beauties of world cinema—Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Marilyn Monroe. She even received offers from Hollywood—now that's well-deserved fame!
But the marriage with Roger Vadim eventually fell apart: on the set, Brigitte had an affair with Trintignant, and the director broke up with his muse.
World fame She continues to actively act, and her fame is now international. Brigitte became beloved in the USSR after Christian-Jacques' comedy "Babette Goes to War," and her "Bardot-style" hairstyles became known as "Babette." The actress became a symbol of beauty, a style icon.
She participated in the most prestigious film productions and was filmed by renowned directors, including the great experimentalist Jean-Luc Godard. He cast her in "Contempt," which Bardot considered one of her most successful works for many years.
Voluntary retirement from cinema She found the very idea of aging on screen painful. In 1973, at 40, Bardot announced her official retirement from acting. She couldn't be persuaded to even take small roles. In her autobiography, "Initials B.B.", she wrote that she never took film too seriously and worked solely for the money, devoting the best years of her life to it.
Bardot's interest shifted to documentary filmmaking. In the 1990s, the Ark Foundation established an annual international Brigitte Bardot award for the best animal film. She personally selected the winners.
Personal life and character Her novels were widely discussed in the press, but Bardot herself rarely commented on her personal life, preferring to speak frankly only in her autobiography. In her later years, she underwent serious treatment, which she handled courageously and without public complaint.
Sometimes her harsh statements provoked heated criticism and accusations, but Bardot always spoke frankly and without reserve. Her life was a series of independent decisions and victories, achieved without reliance on outside help.
Brigitte Bardot's civic engagement soon became visible: gossip columns were a thing of the past, replaced by a tough and direct voice addressing the state. Under Emmanuel Macron's presidency, this line became especially prominent and took the form of regular, open appeals to the authorities.
In 2018, Bardot published a letter to the president calling for concrete action on animal welfare. In 2020, the French press reported on her sharp letter to Macron, directly accusing the country's leadership of inaction.
The foundation founded by Brigitte also campaigned against the use of animal fur for fashion accessories, against the extermination of seals, for the closure of fur farms, in particular mink farms, and supported legislative initiatives to end the keeping of dolphins and killer whales in conditions that do not meet animal welfare requirements.
In May 2025, a new open letter appeared on the foundation's website demanding a ban on traditional hunting with hounds. Bardot called this practice a relic of the past and insisted on its abolition at the state level.
Her relationship with the authorities, however, remained contentious. Bardot sharply criticized attempts to substitute declarations for systemic change and emphasized that the humane treatment of animals should not be dependent on the political cycle. Her position often provoked irritation, sparked controversy, and led to accusations of radicalism, but remained remarkably transparent and fundamentally consistent.
It was in this capacity that Brigitte Bardot entered modern French history—as an undisputed beauty, a talented actress, and a strong person. She voluntarily retired from the screen at the peak of her career, but continued to speak to society, albeit rarely, sincerely and powerfully, until the end of her life.
