The life and career of the 1950s screen icon in pictures

French actress Brigitte Bardot, who has died aged 91, arguably redefined cinematic attract, fascinating the world as a Nineteen Fifties display icon.

From her breakout look in And God Created Lady to her provocative roles in The Fact, Contempt, and Viva Maria! she pioneered a contemporary picture of feminine sexuality and liberation on display, earlier than dedicating her life to animal rights.

Bardot’s life was one among glamour, controversy, and conviction.

Born in Paris in 1934, Bardot skilled as a ballerina earlier than her putting magnificence caught the attention of filmmakers.

At 18, she married director Roger Vadim, who solid her in And God Created Lady, a provocative movie that launched her to worldwide stardom.

Bardot’s sensual, carefree persona on this French New Wave traditional redefined femininity and made her a Cannes sensation.

By means of the late Nineteen Fifties and Sixties, Bardot grew to become a worldwide phenomenon with roles in The Fact, incomes essential popularity of her dramatic depth, and Contempt, a Jean-Luc Godard masterpiece, and Viva Maria!, showcasing her comedic aptitude alongside Jeanne Moreau.

Her tousled hair and daring eyeliner set trend tendencies worldwide, whereas her performances cemented Bardot as a cinematic trailblazer.

Past her most iconic roles, Bardot showcased her versatility in movies like Love on a Pillow, the place she portrayed a fancy, emotionally-torn character, and Two Weeks in September, a romantic drama that highlighted her means to convey vulnerability.

In The Bear and the Doll , she introduced playful allure to a comedic function, proving her vary throughout genres.

These movies, although much less celebrated, underscored her means to captivate audiences in numerous narratives.

In 1973, on the top of her fame, Bardot retired from performing at 39 to champion animal rights.

Founding the Brigitte Bardot Basis, she campaigned in opposition to seal looking and animal testing, channelling her ardour into advocacy.

Her daring shift from display siren to activist shocked many however mirrored her dedication to residing authentically.

Settling in Saint-Tropez, Bardot embraced a quieter life, removed from the highlight.

She remained a logo of Sixties glamour and a pioneer for animal rights.

Bardot’s status was broken in her later years, when she made homophobic slurs and was fined a number of instances for inciting racial hatred.

It was a scar on the reminiscence of an icon, who – in her prime – put the bikini, feminine want, and French cinema on the map.