
Brigitte Bardot—who was born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, France, as Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot—is known for her work as a model, actress, singer, author, and activist. She was at her peak during the 1950s & 1960s, when more than 40 movies were made. Bardot is now 87 years old, and has retired from her career as an entertainer. Continue reading to find out where the former starlet is today.
Brigitte Barrot left the entertainment industry in 1973
When Bardot was a child, she would model for her mother’s friends, who designed hats, and the photos started getting some attention.
In 1950, at the age of 15, she was the cover girl for French Elle. She married Roger Vadim two years later. This led to many roles in movies. In 1956, she was in … And God Created Woman. While it did not do well in France, its popularity in the United States cemented Bardot’s status as a sex symbol.

Her romantic relationships made headlines, too. Between 1952 and 1957 she was married to Roger Vadim, actor Jacques Charrier (with which she shares son NicolasJacques), between 1959 and 1963, as well as millionaire Gunter Sachs, between 1966 and 1969. She reportedly had affairs with her co-star Jean-Louis Trintignant and musician Gilbert Bécaud. She was also linked to Bob Zagury, John Gilmore, Serge Gainsbourg, singer, Miroslav Brozek and Allain Bougrain Dubourg, a television producer, and actors Patrick Gilles and Warren Beatty. And in 1992, she tied the knot with businessman Bernard d’Ormale.
Despite her success, however she left the entertainment industry1973. “I was really sick of it,” she told Vanity Fair. “Good thing I stopped, because what happened to Marilyn Monroe and Romy Schneider would have happened to me.”
Bardot was interviewed by Vanity Fair in 2012 at her home, La Madrague. This is a private property in St. Tropez that she purchased in 1958. She lives there with her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, and she also owns another house nearby, La Garrigue, with a chapel and animals like horses, donkeys, cows, and pigs. She revealed that she uses an arthritis cane and enjoys crossword puzzles, Radio Classique and writers like Bernard Clavel, Milan Kundera, and Konrad Lorenz.
When she spoke to The GuardianIn 2019, she spoke her life as a celebrity started to make her feel “suffocated.”
She now devotes her life to animal welfare
Bardot spends much of her time now advocating animal rights with the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of AnimalsShe started it in 1986.
She would often pick up stray animals while making movies. Over the years, she became more and more involved with animal rights—working to stop the killing of baby seals, oppose the slaughter of horses, and more. She has even sold her personal clothing and jewelry to show her support. “It’s what I dreamed of,” Bardot told Vanity Fair. “It’s what I always wanted.” She also told The Guardian, “Humans have hurt me. Deeply. And it is only with animals, with nature, that I found peace.”
She’s Still As Controversial As Ever
Despite all of Bardot’s humanitarian work, she has had several controversial moments throughout her career. For example, she was a harsh critic to the #MeToo movement as well as victim-blamed actresses for coming forward about being sexually harassed by the entertainment industry. “The vast majority are being hypocritical and ridiculous. Many actresses attempt to play the tease for producers in order to get a part. And then, so we will talk about them, they say they were harassed,” she told Paris Match (via France 24). “I was never the victim of sexual harassment. And I found it charming when men told me that I was beautiful or I had a nice little backside.”
She has a history with racism. She will be turning 70 in November 2021. received her sixth fine from the French government for “inciting racial hatred” after referring to native Indian Ocean islanders as “savages.” She has also gone on trial for her racism against Muslim communities.
Despite having to pay thousands of Euros in fines, Bardot continues to justify her racist remarks by saying that all her causes are “motivated by the defense of animals.” However, she did tell Vanity Fair: “If I upset some notions and went against established rules, that wasn’t part of what I wanted to do. It wasn’t my goal.”