Legendary Actress Known For Conservative Views Passes Away

Brigitte Bardot spent her final days devoted to animals, but her life and legacy were also defined by unapologetic conservatism and decades of outspoken support for France’s nationalist right.

The French screen icon and animal-rights activist died at age 91, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals confirmed Sunday in a statement shared with Agence France-Presse. The announcement came a day after the foundation posted what became Bardot’s final message, a plea to help rehome a disabled rescue dog.

In the video, posted Saturday, Bardot is seen gently petting a young Doberman named Urphé, who suffered from severe generalized arthritis. The foundation urged the public to act.

“He is a very sweet dog, very people-oriented, very affectionate, and very playful,” the caption read. “He needs to experience life because he has only known the kennel. We are sending out an SOS today for Urphé.”

Days earlier, the foundation shared a Christmas message featuring Bardot with another rescue dog, thanking supporters for standing by animals.

“All the teams at the Brigitte Bardot Foundation wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,” the post read. “Thank you for your support! Take care of yourselves, your loved ones, and your pets.”

Once the face of French cinema and a global sex symbol after her breakout role in 1956’s “And God Created Woman,” Bardot famously walked away from Hollywood at the height of her fame. She redirected her wealth and notoriety toward animal welfare, founding her namesake organization in 1986.

But Bardot was equally known for her conservative worldview and fierce political positions. For more than 30 years, she openly backed France’s nationalist right, supporting Jean-Marie Le Pen and later his daughter, Marine Le Pen. Bardot endorsed Marine Le Pen’s presidential campaigns in 2012 and 2017, describing her as a modern Joan of Arc and repeatedly praising her hardline stance on immigration, national identity and French traditions.

Bardot made no secret of her views, embracing what she called the political right as the only answer to France’s decline. She supported Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party up until her death and expressed satisfaction at its growing strength ahead of the 2027 presidential race. Her convictions led to five court convictions for inciting racial hatred over comments on immigration and Islam, controversies that became a lasting part of her public image.

In her final book, published weeks before her death, Bardot wrote that the right was the “only urgent remedy to the agony of France,” which she described as weakened and submissive. She praised National Rally leader Jordan Bardella as “very good,” a sentiment he returned by calling her an “ardent patriot” after her death.

Despite her polarizing politics, Bardot focused most of her energy on animal advocacy, meeting French presidents from Charles de Gaulle to Emmanuel Macron and pressing issues ranging from seal hunting to elephant protection. PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk remembered her as relentless.

“From her rescued pigeons in Saint-Tropez to her beloved dogs, PETA will miss Brigitte, an angel for animals who went to bat and to court to protect them all,” Newkirk said.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Bardot as a symbol of freedom, calling her a “legend of the century.”

Bardot is survived by her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier.

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