Brigitte Bardot, Iconic Actress and Animal Rights Advocate, Dies at 91
Iconic French actress Brigitte Bardot has passed away following a recent health concern. She was 91.
“The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with deep sorrow the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a globally recognized actress and singer, who decided to step away from her celebrated career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation,” Bardot’s charity stated in a communication to AFP on Sunday, December 28.
The foundation did not disclose Bardot’s specific time or location of death.
News of Bardot’s death arrives after she was hospitalized for undisclosed health issues. French newspaper Var-Matin reported in October 2025 that she underwent surgery for a “serious ailment” and was in “troubling” condition. According to the outlet, Bardot spent three weeks in a hospital before returning to her residence in Saint-Tropez, France, to recover.
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Bardot’s office subsequently confirmed to Reuters that she was recuperating at home after having a “minor surgical procedure that was successful,” noting that she wished to express her gratitude to the staff and surgeons at the Saint-Jean Private Hospital in Toulon, France.
Shortly after her medical difficulties became public, Bardot refuted an online rumor that she had died.
“I don’t know who initiated this fabricated news about my disappearance last night, but know that I am well and I have no intention of departing,” she wrote in French via X in October 2025. “A word to the wise.”
Bardot experienced a previous health scare in July 2023 when medical professionals were summoned to her home to treat her for breathing difficulties.
“[Her breathing] was stronger than usual but she did not lose consciousness,” her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, told Var-Matin at the time. “Let’s call it a moment of respiratory instability.”
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He added, “Like all individuals of a certain age, she can no longer tolerate the heat. It happens at 88 years old. She must not exert herself unnecessarily.”
Born in Paris, France, in September 1934, Bardot achieved stardom when she appeared in the 1952 film Manina, the Girl in the Bikini at age 17. She gained international recognition for her role in the 1957 movie And God Created Woman, earning the designation of a sex symbol in the process. Other memorable credits included 1960’s The Truth, 1963’s Le Mépris and 1965’s Viva Maria! Bardot also pursued a musical career, releasing her debut album, Brigitte Bardot Sings, in 1963.
Bardot retired from acting in 1973 at age 39, mentioning at the time that she wanted to “exit gracefully.”
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Following her departure from the film industry, Bardot became an animal rights advocate and launched the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986.
Regarding her personal life, Bardot was previously married to Roger Vadim from 1952 to 1957, Jacques Charrier from 1959 to 1962 and Gunter Sachs from 1966 to 1969. She married d’Ormale in August 1992.
Bardot became a mother in January 1960 with the birth of her and Charrier’s son, Nicolas. Bardot and Nicolas had a challenging relationship for many years, but she revealed in 2018 that they had reconciled.
Bardot is survived by her husband, d’Ormale, son Nicolas, granddaughters Anna and Thea and her great-grandchildren.
