With great beauty comes great controversy, and that was certainly the case when it came to Brigitte Bardot, the gorgeous French darling. The feminist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir referred to Brigitte Bardot as “the locomotive of women’s history” in her 1959 essay “The Lolita Syndrome.” But Bardot’s success “interrupted” the traditional notions of a French postwar starlet. She is remembered as the first “liberated” woman in pop culture in France after World War II.
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As a singer, actress, dancer, and model, Bardot was more than just a triple threat. She was the European sex symbol from the 1950s to 1970s. At 86 years old, Bardot continues to make headlines, pay court fines, and make shocking comments about the state of France. She is also extremely involved in animal rights.
From an estranged son to her political opinions, here are some intriguing facts about the absolutely stunning Brigitte Bardot.