Brigitte Bardot – Actress, Singer, Animal Rights Activist BIOGRAPHY
What Marilyn Monroe was to Americans, the famous Brigitte was to Europeans. Brigitte Bardot is one of the few actresses who left a major mark in the history of world cinema. This French actress was declared a sex symbol of the 1950s and was considered one of the most beautiful and successful actresses of the 20th century. Where is this famous Spanish beauty now and what is she doing? Read on in the biography below.
Brigitte Bardot’s Birth, Education, and Early Beginnings…
The real name of this legendary beauty is Camille Javal, but she is publicly known under the pseudonym Brigitte Bardot. She was born on September 28, 1934, in Paris. Her mother was Anne-Marie Mucel, a housewife, and her father was Louis Pilou Bardot, an industrialist.
Her family was very religious, so she was raised in a strict Catholic environment from an early age. However, neither the conservative upbringing nor her parents’ opposition to her career could stop her from entering the world of art. In 1947, she enrolled at the National Conservatory of Dance. Her talent, beauty, and grace quickly stood out, and she met all the criteria to become one of the few students trained by Russian choreographer Boris Knyazev.
Over time, in addition to ballet, she began modeling, and her striking beauty attracted photographers. At seventeen, she even landed on the cover of the magazine “Elle,” where Roger Vadim and Marc Allégret noticed her, primarily because of her unusual beauty, and decided to cast her in their debut film.
She debuted under the stage name Brigitte Bardot in the 1952 project “Crazy for Love.” It took four years for her to land a leading role, which came in the French film “La Lumière d’en Face” in 1956. From then on, she started getting bigger roles in higher-quality productions. Ultimately, the film “And God Created Woman” brought her worldwide fame, established her as a sex symbol, and placed her among the top actresses of all time. Thanks to roles that showcased her sensuality, even Hollywood producers began showing interest in her.
The Most Popular Films of the European Marilyn Monroe
The attractive Frenchwoman, dubbed the European Marilyn Monroe by journalists, experienced skyrocketing success in film. She became the first French actress outside the Anglo-Saxon world to bring acclaim to French cinema. Here are some of her most notable films:
“Crazy for Love” (1952) as Lemonida,
“Girls in Bikinis” (1952) as Namina,
“His Father's Portrait” (1953) as Domina,
“School for Love” (1955) as Sotia,
“The Grand Maneuver” (1955) as Lucy,
“The Naughty Girl” (1956) as Brigitte,
“A Night in Paradise” (1958) as Ursula,
“Love is My Past” (1958) as Margaret,
“Come Dance with Me” (1959) as Virginia,
“The Truth” (1960) as Dominique,
“Viva Maria” (1965) as Maria,
“Two Weeks in September” (1967) as Cécile,
“The Women” (1969) as Clara,
“The Novices” (1970) as Agnes,
“Don Juan” (1973) as Jeanne.
Four Suicide Attempts and Four Husbands
Roger Vadim was captivated by her beauty when he first saw her on the cover of “Elle.” After working together on a film, the two began a romance and quickly decided to marry. Brigitte was only seventeen at the time, and despite her parents’ opposition, she insisted on the marriage. After her parents refused to give their blessing, she attempted suicide. Faced with no other choice, her parents finally allowed the wedding. Their marriage lasted five years before ending in divorce due to numerous affairs on both sides. Interestingly, they remained close friends and continued working together after the divorce.
Two years later, Bardot married actor Jacques Charrier. A year after the wedding, they had a son, Nicolas. However, Bardot claimed she had the child only because her husband demanded it and never felt particularly attached to him. She even stated publicly that she wasn’t ready for motherhood and viewed the pregnancy as one of the worst things to happen to her.
Eight months after giving birth, the French actress attempted suicide for the second time—on her 26th birthday—citing marital issues as the reason. She divorced Jacques in 1962. The suicide attempt and divorce brought her massive public attention, resulting in many fans expressing their love and concern for her.
Brigitte never sought fame, so she avoided the public eye as much as possible. In 1974, she retired from acting and drastically changed her lifestyle. Still, the press remained interested in her, and in 1983 a trilogy about her life and work was released. Just days later, unable to handle the pressure, she attempted suicide for a third time.
She was briefly married to German millionaire Gunter Sachs, with whom she remained on friendly terms after their divorce. Her fourth and current marriage is with Bernard d'Ormale, whom she married in 1992 and is still with today.
Popular Quotes by Brigitte
“I’ve always done what I wanted. I know I have more guts than most men. They could learn from me. I’ve always stood by what I’ve done and said.”
“When you enter a room, walk with your head high and look like you want to sleep with everyone. You’re the most beautiful woman in the world—enjoy it, it won’t last.”
“You can be barefoot and still be happy. I’ve often been on the verge of suicide. I had everything, yet I was miserable. It’s a miracle I’m still alive.”
“My experiences with men: some hesitate too long, never find the beginning, and never reach the end. Others want to start with the end.”
“It’s better to be unfaithful than to be faithful without the desire to be.”
“They may call me the biggest sinner, but I’m at peace with myself.”
“If there’s a woman in the world who never sought fame but got too much of it, it’s me.”
“I gave my beauty and youth to men, but my wisdom and experience I’ll give to animals.”
“I’ve realized that the most important things in life are kindness and tenderness. I can’t live without them.”
Did You Know That…
…the famous writer Jeanette Vincendeau wrote a biography titled “Brigitte Bardot: Life, Legend, Film,” in which she claims Bardot had over 100 lovers of both genders?
…Brigitte is a great humanitarian, especially for animal rights. In 1986, she founded an animal protection foundation, which she funded by selling her jewelry?
…she despises all things artificial, especially plastic surgery, and has accepted aging as a natural process—stating she’s one of the few actresses aging naturally and gracefully?
…this legendary beauty is 169 cm tall and weighs 57 kg?
…in 1969, her likeness was chosen as the model for the French national symbol, Marianne?
…her co-stars included iconic actors such as Alain Delon, Jean Gabin, Sean Connery, Claudia Cardinale, Marcello Mastroianni, Jane Birkin, and Jeanne Moreau?
