Brigitte Bardot Dead at 91 After Long Illness

By Michael Jacobs, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT News

PARIS, FR — (December 28, 2025) — Brigitte Bardot, the French film star who became one of the world’s first global sex symbols — and later one of Europe’s most outspoken critics of LGBTQ+ visibility — has died at the age of 91.

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Her foundation confirmed her death Sunday in a statement released to French news agency AFP, reporting that Bardot passed away peacefully at her home in southern France, where she had spent decades devoted to animal-rights activism. No official cause of death has been released, though she had undergone surgery for a serious illness in October.

While Bardot will forever be associated with cinematic glamour and sexual liberation, her later years were marked by repeated attacks on LGBTQ+ people. She once referred to gay men as “fairground freaks” and publicly complained about the growing visibility of transgender people, drawing condemnation from LGBTQ+ rights groups across Europe.

A Movie Star Who Redefined Sexuality on Screen

Bardot exploded onto the global stage in 1956 with the provocative film And God Created Woman, a role that shocked audiences and transformed her into a symbol of post-war sexual freedom. The performance earned her the iconic nickname “B.B.” and cemented her status as one of the most photographed women in the world.

She began her career as a teenage model, landing the cover of Elle magazine at just 15 before transitioning into film. Over the next two decades, Bardot became one of Europe’s most bankable stars, appearing in classics such as Naughty Girl, Plucking the Daisy, Babette Goes to War, and La Parisienne.

Her fame eventually crossed the Atlantic. She starred opposite James Stewart in Dear Brigitte and later appeared alongside Sean Connery in the Western Shalako, solidifying her international appeal.

Fame, Mental Health, and Early Retirement

Despite her success, Bardot struggled deeply with the pressures of fame. In 1960, she attempted suicide and later admitted she came close on several other occasions. At the height of her popularity, she shocked the entertainment world by retiring from acting in 1973 at just 39 years old.

From that point on, Bardot devoted her life almost entirely to animal-rights activism, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and becoming one of Europe’s most prominent advocates for animal welfare — even as her political and social views grew increasingly controversial.

A Complicated Legacy

Bardot was married four times and had high-profile relationships with Hollywood star Warren Beatty and French actor Jean-Louis Trintignant. She is survived by her husband and her son.

Her death closes the chapter on one of the most paradoxical figures in 20th-century pop culture — a woman who helped redefine sexual freedom on screen, yet spent much of her later life condemning LGBTQ+ visibility and modern social change.

Brigitte Bardot was 91.

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