Brigitte Bardot: From Iconic Star to Controversial Figure

Brigitte Bardot’s name has long been linked with both glamour and scandal. Early in her career, she found herself at the centre of a cultural shift, not by design but by becoming a symbol of changing attitudes towards sexuality. Her breakout role in the 1956 film And God Created Woman saw her cast as a free-spirited, scantily dressed orphan, a performance that ruffled feathers and was labelled “lascivious, sacrilegious, obscene, indecent, or immoral nature” by a Philadelphia district attorney. Yet, this so-called immorality played a part in pushing for women’s rights and the broader sexual revolution, making Bardot a reluctant trailblazer.

Throughout her early years on screen, Bardot was the face of a new kind of female independence. The British and American press even coined the term “sex kitten” for her, blending confidence with a cheeky, flirtatious style that had previously been frowned upon. While her work inspired many, the constant attention from the media took its toll. Bardot retired from acting at 39, turning her focus to animal welfare and founding The Brigitte Bardot Foundation. Her foundation’s tribute described her as “a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation.”

Controversies and Public Backlash

Bardot’s later years were marked by a string of scandals. Her 2003 memoir, A Cry in the Silence, shocked many with its harsh language. She referred to LGBTQIA people as

“cheap f*ggots or circus freaks”

and criticised the unemployed as

“people who only accept jobs on the black market … and cash in on taxpayers’ money”

. She also described schools as

“dens of depravations filled with drug dealers, young terrorist clubs and condom users”

and took aim at teachers’ appearances. These comments were a far cry from the image of the bold, free-spirited star the public once knew.

Her personal life also drew attention. In a 1996 memoir, Bardot described her only child as a

“cancerous tumour”

and admitted she would have

“preferred to give birth to a little dog”

. This led to a court order for her to pay damages to her ex-husband and son. The contrast between her compassion for animals and her harsh words about people became a talking point. As she once put it,

“I gave my beauty and youth to men. Now I am giving my wisdom and experience – the best of me – to animals.”

Shift to the Far Right

Bardot’s political leanings became more pronounced after marrying Bernard d’Ormale, an adviser to the far-right National Front, in 1992. She openly criticised the left, multiculturalism, and the European Union, and expressed admiration for Jean-Marie Le Pen, calling him

“faithful to his ideas through thick and thin”

. She also praised Marine Le Pen, once calling her

“the Joan of Arc of the 21st century”

. Marine Le Pen, in turn, described Bardot as

“exceptional for her talent, courage, frankness and beauty… She was incredibly French. Free, indomitable, whole. She will be hugely missed.”

Bardot refused to back down from her views, even as lawsuits piled up. Her lawyer once said,

“She has the impression that people want to silence her. She will not be silenced.”

In a 2012 interview, Bardot said,

“I don’t care about looking conservative and awkward. I’m only looking to assuage my soul and protect the animals.”

Her repeated convictions for hate speech stemmed from her belief in free speech, even when it meant spreading divisive opinions.

Racism, Islamophobia, and Rejection of Feminism

Between 1997 and 2008, Bardot faced court five times for inciting racial hatred. She was fined for saying,

“I am fed up with being under the thumb of this population [the Muslim community] which is destroying us, destroying our country and imposing its acts”

. In 2018, she was sued for calling the people of Réunion

“aboriginals who have kept the genes of savages”

. Her criticism of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha, which involves ritual animal slaughter, led her to claim France was being

“invaded by sheep-slaughtering Muslims”

. She also said,

“Islamists have a mania for throat-cutting. I’m not making it up. You just have to look at the television”

and warned,

“[Muslims will] cut our throats one day and it will serve us right.”

These remarks were widely condemned, including by the European Jewish Congress.

Despite her early association with women’s liberation, Bardot later distanced herself from feminism. In a recent interview, she commented on the #MeToo movement, saying,

“People with talent who grab a girl’s bottom are thrown into the bottom of the ditch. We could at least let them carry on living. They can’t live any more.”

She previously told Paris Match that most women coming forward were

“being hypocritical and ridiculous”

. Reflecting on her own experiences, she said,

“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.”

Bardot summed up her stance simply:

“Feminism isn’t my thing. I like guys.”

Her later views stood in stark contrast to the image she once represented, leaving many to question how to reconcile her legacy.