The 1960s film star and “sex symbol” gained worldwide fame as one of the most recognizable faces of post-war cinema, but later retired from show business to devote her life to causes such as animal rights.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the star, known for her tousled blonde hair and bold eyeliner, and described her as “a legend of the century”.

Known as BB because of her initials, pronounced bebe, the French word for baby, Bardot starred in dozens of films, with Et Dieu Créa La Femme (And God Created Woman) often considered the film that launched her to international stardom.

Bardot was also known for her campaigning efforts and joined forces with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) to oppose the annual slaughter of seals in Canada as well as the sale of foie gras in Fortnum And Mason department stores.

Ingrid Newkirk, president of Peta, said in a statement: “From her rescued pigeons in Saint-Tropez to her beloved dogs, Peta will miss Brigitte, an angel for animals who went to bat and court to protect them all.

“A vegetarian for years, a spokesperson for all species, she recounted in the chapter she dictated for my book, One Can Make A Difference, how she sold her jewelry and other possessions to create a sanctuary and advocate for animals.

“She once said that it was only by protecting animals that she was able to truly thrive – and we are calling on the public to honor her memory by doing something kind for animals today, so that the seeds she planted continue to flourish.”

A statement on Peta’s website read: “Peta is grateful to Brigitte Bardot for being such an advocate for animals, and we know that her foundation – and all of us who have been inspired by her commitment – ​​will continue to advocate for them with her heart and her voice.” »

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation, dedicated to the protection of animals, announced that she died at her home in the south of France.

In a press release consulted by Press Association, the foundation declared: “The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to devote her life and energy to the defense of animals and her foundation. »

He adds: “The foundation will continue, more than ever, to defend the work of Brigitte Bardot. »

On

Far-right French politician Marine Le Pen said in a social media post that Bardot was “incredibly French: free, indomitable, whole” and added: “We will miss her very much.”

Bardot was a supporter of Le Pen and reportedly once called her the “Joan of Arc of the 21st century.”

Wildlife presenter and animal expert Anneka Svenska also paid tribute and said “animals were safer because she existed” in a message to X on Sunday.

Separately, the British Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (Bafta) said Bardot was known as “a symbol of sexual liberation in cinema” and added that the film star received a nomination for Viva Maria in 1967.

Born in 1934, the star was an aspiring ballerina before winning an international audience as an actress in the late 1950s.

Bardot’s spirited performances took place at a time when Europe was emerging from the horrors of war and adopting a more liberated way of life.

Directed by her husband at the time, Roger Vadim, And God Created Woman – released in 1956 – pushed the boundaries of sexual representation in cinema.

As an actress, one of her most notable collaborations was with an acclaimed figure in French New Wave cinema – French-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard – who directed her in the films Mépris (1963) and Masculin Féminin (1966).

After achieving success as a movie star, she stopped acting in the 1970s to devote her life to animal rights advocacy.

In her later years, she emerged as a controversial figure and was criticized for her support of the French far-right Front National party.

She was fined several times for inciting racial hatred and her son sued her for invasion of privacy and emotional harm, which also damaged her reputation.

In 2018, she made headlines again, saying actresses who spoke out against sexual harassment amid the #MeToo movement were “hypocrites.”

She told French magazine Paris Match: “There are a lot of actresses who flirt with producers to get a role. Then, to get people talking, they say they were harassed. In reality, rather than benefiting them, it hurts them.”

Bardot was married four times, first to director Vadim in 1952, then to actor Jacques Charrier, with whom she shares a son, in 1959.

She later married millionaire Gunter Sachs, in 1966, and her last marriage was to Le Pen advisor Bernard d’Ormale, to whom she had been married since 1992.