French 50's and 60's icon Brigitte Bardot has died. Her animal rights foundation announced the news in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse. No cause or date of death were given. Bardot was 91 years old.
Bardot was born into a wealthy Parisian family in 1934. She trained as a ballerina before landing the modeling jobs that launched her whirlwind career. She posed for the cover of Elle at 15 and made her acting debut two years later, in the comedy Le Trou Normand. Throughout the ’50s, her appearance in risqué French films - some directed by then-husband Roger Vadim - endeared her to future giants of the nouvelle vague. Among them were Jean-Luc Godard, who cast her in his 1963 film Contempt, and new-wave godfather Louis Malle, whose Viva Maria! starred Bardot alongside Jeanne Moreau.
Check out our selection of free stations streaming Brigitte Bardot music at Live365.com.
Bardot started releasing music in the 1960s. She made her debut with the 1962 song "Sidonie," which appeared in the film Vie Privée. Her hits embodied the French spirit during that time, and included tracks like "La Madrague," "Moi je joue," and "Je t'aime...Moi Non Plus."
She often collaborated with Bob Zagury, Sacha Distel, and, most frequently, Serge Gainsbourg. Late in the 60's, amid a scandalous affair conducted during her third marriage, Bardot and Gainsbourg released the classic duets “Comic Strip” and “Bonnie and Clyde.” A 1968 album, Bonnie and Clyde, compiled her recordings of various Gainsbourg numbers.
In 1973, Bardot announced her retirement from the entertainment industry, after which she became a prominent animal rights activist. In 1986, she founded the Fondation Brigitte Bardot to support global animal welfare.
However, Bardot did not live without controversy. She faced criticism for expressing anti-immigrant attitudes when she denounced Islamic rituals involving the slaughter of animals. Her 1992 marriage to Bernard d’Ormale, an associate of far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, cemented the idea that she was out of touch with a modern and diverse France. She was convicted for inciting racial hatred multiple times, including by insulting the Muslim community, according to Reuters news agency. By 2021, she had been fined six times for inciting racial hatred.
Despite her complicated past, many fans have expressed sadness over the former model’s passing and the iconic aesthetic she left behind. One of those fans is Midwest Princess Chappell Roan. In an Instagram Story post on Sunday (Dec. 28) - the same day Bardot’s foundation announced her passing - the pop star shared a glamorous photo of the late legend.
“Rest in peace Ms. Bardot," she wrote. "She was my inspiration for 'Red Wine Supernova.'"
Bardot is survived by her husband, as well as her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, two granddaughters, and three great-grandchildren.
Listen to some of Bardot's most popular songs below.
Check out our selection of free stations streaming Brigitte Bardot music at Live365.com.
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Article Image: Close-up of Brigitte Bardot holding a guitar in the film "A Very Private Affair" (1962). (Tisourcier [Available through Public Domain] via Wikimedia Commons.)
