Brigitte Bardot Biography

French actress Brigitte Bardot appeared in Roger Vadim‘s 1956 movie And God Created Woman and became a star as a blonde and wild — but innocent — “sex kitten” of the screen.

Bardot went from a child-woman teen model to an international sex symbol under Vadim’s guidance during their marriage (1952-57). The image is easier to recall than most of her films, with some exceptions, including The Truth (1960) and Jean-Luc Godard‘s Contempt (1963).

Brigitte Bardot retired from films in 1974, but still made headlines on occasion — not as a sex symbol, but as a zealous champion for animals and (later) a harsh and controversial critic of Muslim immigrants. Bardot was convicted in 2008 of violating France’s anti-racism laws for publicly condemning Muslims who slaughter sheep for the celebratory feast of Aid el-Kebir (Eid al-Adha). She was fined several times after for hate speech and inciting racial hatred.

Still, at her death in 2025 she was celebrated in France as a memorable film star and, for a time, a symbol of French womanhood.