Brigitte Bardot, the French actress and singer whose 1956 film And God Created Woman made her a worldwide icon, has reportedly died at 91.

French media say Bardot had recently been unwell and receiving treatment in Toulon. Her animal welfare organisation, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, announced her death on Sunday, praising the star for stepping away from fame to devote her life to protecting animals.

Bardot rose from teen model to international celebrity, becoming one of France’s most recognisable faces and a defining figure of 20th-century cinema. While critics were divided on her breakthrough film, audiences were captivated—and her image quickly crossed borders.

Tributes followed swiftly. President Emmanuel Macron described her as a symbol of freedom and a French legend with global reach. Leaders and public figures across the political spectrum also shared condolences, while her adopted hometown of Saint-Tropez remembered her as its “radiant ambassador.”

After retiring from acting in 1973, Bardot focused on activism, launching her foundation in 1986 and campaigning for animal rights for decades. In later years, she lived largely out of the spotlight, remaining a powerful—and at times controversial—public voice.

Her legacy endures in both cinema history and modern animal welfare.