29 December,2025 07:14 AM IST | Paris | A Correspondent
Brigitte Bardot, legendary French actress, female icon of the 1960s and passionate animal rights activist. PIC/AFP
Actor, sex revolutionary, singer, animal activist⦠Brigitte Bardot (1934-2025) was as versatile as they come. News of her passing away has affected people from various spheres. "The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot,a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation," was a statement sent to AFP on Sunday.
Associated Press (AP) was told by Bruno Jacquelin, of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the protection of animals, that Bardot died at her home in southern France but they would not provide a reason for her death and that no arrangements have yet been made for funeral or memorial service. Bardot was reportedly hospitalised last November.
Brigitte Bardotduring the 20th anniversary celebration of her wildlife foundation, on September 28, 2006 in Paris. PIC/AFP
"Bardot [also known as BB] became an international celebrity as a sexualised teen bride in the 1956 movie, And God Created Woman. Directed by her then-husband, Roger Vadim, it triggered a scandal with scenes of the long-legged beauty dancing on tables naked," reported AP.
Brigitte Bardot and Swiss ecologist Franz Weber prepare a campaign against seal-hunting in Paris on March 3, 1977. PIC/AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron was quick to post his tribute on social media: "Her films, hervoice, her dazzling fame, her initials, her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became Marianne-Brigitte Bardot embodied a life of freedom. A French existence, a universal radiance. She moved us. We mourn a legend of the century. Featuring 28 films across two decades, became an accepted symbol of women's sexual liberation. She retired at 39 in 1973 after which she devoted her life to animal welfare.
Brigitte Bardot attends the international feline exhibition in Saint-Tropez, southern France, on June 4, 1977. PIC/AFP
The Guardian newspaper said on Sunday that Bardot sent letters of protest to world leaders over issues such as dog extermination in Romania, dolphin killing in the Faroe Islands, and cat slaughter in Australia. She took acting seriously but once said, "I have not had very much chance to act, mostly I have had to undress."
Brigitte Bardot plays with a dog as she arrives at Cabries kennels (South of France) on January 17, 1989, to promote adoption of abandoned pets. PIC/AFP
Fondation Brigitte Bardot has significantly supported Friendicoes (Friendicoes SECA), located in New Delhi, providing crucial funding for new ambulances in 2019, which greatly helped their animal rescue and helpline services in India, showcasing Bardot's commitment to animal welfare globally through her foundation's donations to local welfare groups
Brigitte Bardot started her foundation in 1986 to champion animal rights and welfare; while she is a French icon, her foundation supports animal welfare organisations worldwide, like Friendicoes in India, through grants and donations
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