This weekend, French actress Brigitte Bardot died at the age of 91.
In pop culture, she’s probably best known for playing sexually liberated women in movies like …And God Created Woman and Contempt. But her off-screen legacy is not so hot.
Bardot was found guilty of “inciting racial hatred” multiple times in France for her comments about Islam, and in 1992, she married Bernard d’Ormale, a former advisor to the far-right Front National (now known as National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen). She also ranted against the LGBT community in her 2003 book A Cry in the Silence, and called the #MeToo movement “hypocritical” and “ridiculous.”
So when Chappell Roan posted an Instagram story in remembrance of Bardot, a lot of fans were taken aback.
In the story, Chappell wrote, “She was my inspiration for red wine supernova. Rest in peace Ms. Bardot.”
It’s not exactly a secret that Chappell wrote “Red Wine Supernova” with Bardot in mind, given that she name-drops the actress in the literal first line of the song:
But as Chappell’s post memorializing Bardot spread online, a lot of fans were not happy about it.
It hits especially hard with LGBT fans who are disappointed to see someone who was so hateful to the community being celebrated.
One person tweeted, “the concept of a queer pop anthem being inspired by an openly homophobic person.”
But others are pointing out that Bardot’s name has been in the song for years without garnering this kind of backlash.
And others think it’s likely that Chappell just didn’t know.
We’ll keep you posted if we get any updates!
Update: Chappell has posted an Instagram story clarifying that she was unaware of Bardot’s politics. She wrote, “Holy shit i did not know all that insane shit Ms. Bardot stood for obvs I do not condone this. very disappointing to learn.”
