Brigitte Bardot facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brigitte Bardot
Bardot in a publicity photo for A Very Private Affair (1962)
Born	Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot (1934-09-28)September 28, 1934 Paris, France
Died	December 28, 2025 (aged 91) Toulon, France
Occupation	Actress singer animal rights activist
Years active	1952–1973 (entertainer) 1973–2025 (activist)
Works	Filmography discography
Political party	National Rally
Spouse(s)	Roger Vadim ​ ​ (m. 1952; div. 1957)​ Jacques Charrier ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1962)​ Gunter Sachs ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1969)​ Bernard d'Ormale ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	1
Relatives	Mijanou Bardot (sister)
Signature

Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot (born September 28, 1934 – died December 28, 2025), often known as B.B., was a famous French actress, singer, model, and animal rights activist. She was a major pop culture icon. Brigitte Bardot starred in 47 films and recorded over 60 songs. She received the Legion of Honour award in 1985 for her contributions.

Born and raised in Paris, Bardot dreamed of becoming a ballerina as a child. She began her acting career in 1952. She became internationally famous in 1957 for her role in the film And God Created Woman. French President Charles de Gaulle once said Bardot was "the French export as important as Renault cars." After leaving the entertainment world in 1973, Bardot dedicated her life to protecting animals. She founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.

Early Life and Childhood

Bardot at 19 in 1954 by Studio Harcourt

Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot was born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, France. Her parents were Louis Bardot and Anne-Marie Mucel. Her father was an engineer and owned factories. Her mother's father was an insurance company director. Brigitte grew up in a traditional family. She had a younger sister named Mijanou Bardot.

Brigitte's childhood was comfortable. She lived in a large apartment in a fancy part of Paris. Her father expected her to follow strict rules. Her mother was careful about who Brigitte could be friends with. Brigitte later felt that these strict rules made her want to be more independent.

During World War II, when Paris was occupied, Brigitte spent more time at home. She loved dancing to music. Her mother saw this interest and thought Brigitte could become a ballet dancer. At age seven, Brigitte started attending a private school. She also took dance lessons at a local studio. In 1949, she was accepted into the Conservatoire de Paris. She studied ballet for three years with a Russian choreographer.

In 1949, Hélène Gordon-Lazareff, a magazine director, hired Brigitte as a young fashion model. In March 1950, 15-year-old Brigitte appeared on the cover of Elle magazine. This led to an acting offer. Her parents were not sure about her becoming an actress. However, her grandfather supported her choice. At the audition, Brigitte met Roger Vadim. They later fell in love. Her parents initially opposed their relationship. They eventually agreed, on the condition that Brigitte would marry Vadim when she turned 18.

Becoming a Star: Acting Career

First Steps in Film: 1952–1955

Bardot in a scene of Concert of Intrigue in 1954

Brigitte Bardot appeared on the cover of Elle again in 1952. This led to a small role in the comedy film Crazy for Love. She was paid 200,000 French francs for this part. She also acted in films like The Long Teeth and His Father's Portrait in 1953. Brigitte had a small role in a Hollywood-funded film, Act of Love, starring Kirk Douglas. She gained media attention when she attended the Cannes Film Festival in April 1953.

In 1954, Bardot played a main role in an Italian drama, Concert of Intrigue. She also starred in a French adventure film, Caroline and the Rebels. She had a good role as a lively student in School for Love (1955). Bardot played her first significant English-speaking role in Doctor at Sea (1955). This film was very popular in Britain that year. She also had roles in The Grand Maneuver (1955) and The Light Across the Street (1956). In the Hollywood film Helen of Troy, she played Helen's handmaiden. For the Italian movie Nero's Weekend (1956), she dyed her hair blonde and liked it so much she kept the color.

Rising to Fame: 1956–1962

Bardot then appeared in four movies that made her a big star. First was the musical Naughty Girl (1956). This film was a great success in France. Next came the comedy Plucking the Daisy (1956). She then starred in The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful (1956). Finally, there was the drama And God Created Woman (1956). This film was directed by Roger Vadim, her husband at the time. It was a huge success not only in France but also worldwide.

And God Created Woman made Bardot an international star. It was the highest-grossing foreign film ever released in the United States at that time. Her glamorous image became widely recognized. Photographers like Sam Lévin and Cornel Lucas helped shape her public image. Bardot followed this success with La Parisienne (1957). She reunited with Vadim for The Night Heaven Fell (1958). She also played a character who charmed Jean Gabin in In Case of Adversity (1958). By 1958, Bardot was the highest-paid actress in France.

Bardot in 1961

The Female (1959) was popular. Babette Goes to War (1959), a comedy set during World War II, was a massive hit. Come Dance with Me (1959) was also widely seen. Bardot's next film was the courtroom drama The Truth (1960). This film was a big commercial success in France. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. Bardot won a David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actress for her role.

Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli during the filming of Contempt in Italy in 1963

International Films and Music: 1962–1968

Bardot visiting Brazil in 1964

Bardot made a comedy with Vadim called Please, Not Now! (1961). She also appeared in the all-star film Famous Love Affairs (1962). Bardot starred with Marcello Mastroianni in A Very Private Affair (1962). Her role in Love on a Pillow (1962) was also very popular. In the mid-1960s, Bardot made films for a global audience. She starred in Jean-Luc Godard's film Le Mépris (1963). The next year, she co-starred with Anthony Perkins in Une ravissante idiote (1964).

Dear Brigitte (1965) was Bardot's first Hollywood film. It was a comedy starring James Stewart. More successful was the Western comedy Viva Maria! (1965). She appeared opposite Jeanne Moreau in this film. It was a big hit in France and around the world. After a small role in Godard's Masculin Féminin (1966), she starred in Two Weeks in September (1968). She also had a small part in Spirits of the Dead (1968) with Alain Delon. Her next Hollywood film was Shalako (1968), a Western with Sean Connery.

Bardot also had a successful singing career. She recorded many popular songs in the 1960s and 1970s. She often worked with Serge Gainsbourg, Bob Zagury, and Sacha Distel. Some of her famous songs include "Harley Davidson," "La Madrague," and "Contact." She recorded "Je t'aime... moi non plus" with Serge Gainsbourg. However, she asked him not to release their version. He later re-recorded it with Jane Birkin, and it became a huge hit. Bardot's version was released in 1986 and became popular online in 2006.

Final Acting Roles: 1969–1973

Bardot in Rome in 1969

From 1969 to 1972, Brigitte Bardot was the official face of Marianne. Marianne is a symbol representing the liberty of France.

Bardot's film Les Femmes (1969) was not very successful. However, the comedy The Bear and the Doll (1970) did better. Her last few films were mostly comedies. These included Les Novices (1970) and Boulevard du Rhum (1971). The Legend of Frenchie King (1971) was more popular. In this film, Bardot co-starred with Claudia Cardinale. Bardot made one more movie with Roger Vadim, Don Juan, or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973). She played the main role in this film.

During the filming of Don Juan, Bardot said it would be one of her last movies. She kept her word and made only one more film, The Edifying and Joyous Story of Colinot (1973). In 1973, Bardot announced she was retiring from acting. She wanted to leave her acting career gracefully.

Protecting Animals: Activism

Bardot in 2002

After her acting career, Brigitte Bardot used her fame to champion animal rights. In 1977, she met Paul Watson, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. She joined him in an effort to stop seal hunting. Bardot visited the ice floe and posed with seal pups. These photos were seen all over the world. Bardot and Watson remained friends.

In 1986, she created the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. This foundation works for the welfare and protection of animals. She became a vegetarian and raised a lot of money for her foundation. She did this by selling her jewelry and personal items.

Bardot was a strong advocate for animals. She spoke out against eating horse meat. She wrote letters to government officials asking them to ban its sale. In 1999, Bardot wrote to Chinese President Jiang Zemin. She criticized the treatment of animals in China. In 2001, she donated over $140,000 for a program to help stray dogs in Bucharest.

In 2010, Bardot wrote to Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. She asked the Queen to stop the killing of dolphins in the Faroe Islands. Bardot called this activity a "macabre spectacle" and a "shame for Denmark." In 2011, she protested when bullfighting was included in France's cultural heritage. On May 25, 2011, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society renamed one of its ships MV Brigitte Bardot. This was to thank her for her support.

Since 2013, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation has worked with a trust in India. They run an annual veterinary care camp. Bardot was dedicated to animal welfare in Bodhgaya for many years. In 2015, she spoke out against a plan to remove 2 million cats in Australia. In 2024, at age 90, Bardot asked French President Emmanuel Macron to grant Paul Watson political asylum. Watson had been detained in Greenland. Bardot also organized a demonstration in Paris to support Watson.

Personal Life and Family

Brigitte Bardot was married four times. Her last marriage lasted for many years.

Roger Vadim

On December 20, 1952, at age 18, Bardot married director Roger Vadim. They separated in 1956 and divorced the next year. They remained friends and worked together on projects later.

Jacques Charrier

Bardot married actor Jacques Charrier on June 18, 1959. They divorced in 1962.

Pregnancy and Son

Bardot had one son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, born on January 11, 1960. After her divorce from Jacques Charrier, he gained custody of Nicolas. Brigitte Bardot later reconnected with her son. In 2018, she shared that she and Nicolas were on good terms. They spoke regularly and visited each other once a year. Bardot became a grandmother when Nicolas had two daughters.

Gunter Sachs

Bardot's third marriage was to German millionaire Gunter Sachs. They were married from 1966 to 1969.

Bernard d'Ormale

Bardot's fourth husband was Bernard d'Ormale. They were married from 1992 until her passing.

Other Relationships

Bardot with French singer Sacha Distel in 1958

Bardot had a public relationship with musician Sacha Distel from 1958 to 1959. She also collaborated musically with Serge Gainsbourg. From 1980 to 1985, Bardot lived with French TV producer Allain Bougrain-Dubourg [fr].

Wealth

Brigitte Bardot had a significant net worth. She earned about $4 million from her 1997 memoir, Initials B.B.. After her separation from Vadim, Bardot bought a historic property called Le Castelet in Cannes. It was a large villa with many rooms and gardens. In 1958, she bought another property called La Madrague in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer. She lived there until her death in 2025.

Health

In 1984, Bardot was diagnosed with breast cancer. She chose to have radiation therapy instead of chemotherapy. She recovered in 1986. In October 2025, Bardot had surgery for a serious illness. She was recovering at her home in Saint-Tropez before her passing.

Death and Tributes

Bardot died in Toulon on December 28, 2025, at the age of 91. Her death followed an illness and surgery two months earlier. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced her passing.

French President Emmanuel Macron honored her on social media. He called Bardot a "legend of the century." The Société Protectrice des Animaux, France's oldest animal protection group, also paid tribute. They described her as an "iconic and passionate figure for the animal cause."

Legacy and Influence

Bardot in Spoleto, Italy, 1961

The Guardian newspaper called Bardot "one of the most iconic faces, models, and actors of the 1950s and 1960s." French philosopher Simone de Beauvoir called Bardot "a locomotive of women's history."

Isabella Biedenharn of Elle magazine wrote that Bardot "has inspired thousands of women." Many have tried her hairstyles or winged eyeliner. A famous pose, known as the "Bardot Pose," shows her dressed in black pantyhose. This pose has been copied by many models and celebrities.

Bardot is credited with making the city of St. Tropez famous. She also popularized the town of Armação dos Búzios in Brazil. She visited Búzios in 1964. Today, the town has a statue of Bardot by Christina Motta.

Brigitte Bardot statue in Búzios, Brazil

Brigitte Bardot was admired by young musicians like John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They even planned to make a film with The Beatles and Bardot. Musician Bob Dylan dedicated his first song to Bardot. He also mentioned her in his song "I Shall Be Free." An exhibition about Bardot's influence opened in France in 2009.

Bardot was the subject of eight Andy Warhol paintings in 1974. The Australian pop group Bardot was named after her.

Laetitia Casta played Bardot in the 2010 film Gainsbourg: A Heroic Life.

A portrait of Bardot by Warhol was sold at Sotheby's in 2012. In 2015, Bardot was ranked number six in "The Top Ten Most Beautiful Women of All Time." The American rock band Brigitte Calls Me Baby was named after her. In 2020, Vogue named Bardot number one of "The most beautiful French actresses of all time." She was also listed among "the most accomplished, talented and beautiful actresses of all time" by Glamour.

The French TV series Bardot was broadcast in 2023. It tells the story of her early career. Bardot was also mentioned in songs by Olivia Rodrigo and Chappell Roan in 2023. In May 2025, Bardot gave a television interview. She discussed her acting, music, love of nature, and commitment to animal rights. She also mentioned that she did not use a mobile phone or computer.

Filmography

Discography

Studio albums

Books

Bardot wrote five books:

• Noonoah: Le petit phoque blanc (Grasset, 1978)
• Initiales B.B. (autobiography, Grasset & Fasquelle, 1996)
• Le Carré de Pluton (Grasset & Fasquelle, 1999)
• Un Cri Dans Le Silence (Editions Du Rocher, 2003)
• Pourquoi? (Editions Du Rocher, 2006)

Awards and Honors

Awards and nominations

• 12th Victoires du cinéma français (French cinema victories) (1957): Best Actress, win, as Juliette Hardy in And God Created Woman.
• 11th Bambi Awards (1958): Best Actress, nomination, as Juliette Hardy in And God Created Woman.
• 14th Victoires du cinéma français (1959): Best Actress, win, as Yvette Maudet in In Case of Adversity.
• Brussels European Awards (1960): Best Actress, win, as Dominique Marceau in The Truth.
• 5th David di Donatello Awards (1961): Best Foreign Actress, win, as Dominique Marceau in The Truth.
• 12th Étoiles de cristal (Crystal stars) by the French Cinema Academy (1966): Best Actress, win, as Marie Fitzgerald O'Malley in Viva Maria!.
• 18th Bambi Awards (1967): Bambi Award of Popularity, win.
• 20th BAFTA Awards (1967): BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actress, nomination, as Marie Fitzgerald O'Malley in Viva Maria!.

Honours

• 1980: Medal of the City of Trieste.
• 1985: Legion of Honour. Medal of the City of Lille.
• 1989: Peace Prize in humanitarian merit.
• 1992: Induction into the United Nations Environment Programme's Global 500 Roll of Honour. Creation in Hollywood of the Brigitte Bardot International Award as part of the Genesis Awards.
• 1994: Medal of the City of Paris.
• 1995: Medal of the City of Saint-Tropez.
• 1996: Medal of the City of La Baule.
• 1997: Greece's UNESCO Ecology Award. Medal of the City of Athens.
• 1999: Asteroid 17062 Bardot was named after her.
• 2001: PETA Humanitarian Award.
• 2008: Spanish Altarriba foundation Award.
• 2017: A statue of 700 kilograms (1,500 lb) and 2.5 metres (8.2 ft) high was erected in her honour in central Saint-Tropez.
• 2019: GAIA Lifetime Achievement Award from the Belgian association for the defence of animal rights.
• 2021: Her effigy in Saint-Tropez was dressed in 1400 gold leaves of 23.75 carats each.

Brigitte Bardot Quotes

• "Every age can be enchanting, provided you live within it."
• "I have been very happy, very rich, very beautiful, much adulated, very famous and very unhappy."
• "Women get more unhappy the more they try to liberate themselves."
• "Only idiots refuse to change their minds."
• "If I could do anything about the way people behave towards each other, I would, but since I can't, I'll stick to animals."

Interesting facts about Brigitte Bardot

• In 2011, Los Angeles Times Magazine ranked her number two on its list of "50 Most Beautiful Women in Film."
• Her silhouette was used as a model for the bust of Marianne, a powerful symbol of the French Republic, in the late 1960s.
• She brought into fashion the "choucroute" hairstyle (similar to the beehive) and gingham clothes, famously wearing a pink checkered dress at her wedding.
• Many famous women, including Claudia Schiffer, Kylie Minogue, and Scarlett Johansson, have been inspired by her iconic look and style.
• A wide-open neckline that exposes both shoulders is named after her because she popularized this stylish look.
• She was a muse for famous fashion designers like Dior, Balmain, and Pierre Cardin.
• In 1986, she established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals. To fund her foundation, she bravely auctioned off her jewelry and personal belongings, raising a significant amount of money.
• She became a vegetarian, showing her commitment to animal welfare through her lifestyle choices.
• Brigitte Bardot became a major opponent of consuming horse meat and actively campaigned against it. She also wrote letters to world leaders, like Chinese President Jiang Zemin, to condemn the torture of bears and the killing of endangered animals.
• In 2010, she appealed to Queen Margrethe II of Denmark to stop the killing of dolphins in the Faroe Islands, calling it a "macabre spectacle" and an "outmoded tradition."
• In recognition of her support, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society renamed one of its vessels the MV Brigitte Bardot in 2011.
• Asteroid 17062 Bardot was named in her honor in 1999.

Images for kids

• 

  Alain Delon was one of the greatest French actors and a true icon. He was among Brigitte Bardot’s closest friends.

See also

In Spanish: Brigitte Bardot para niños

• Brigitte Bardot
• List of animal rights advocates