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Brigitte Bardot gave up her career as an actress to become an animal rights activist. For the rest of her life, Bardot was a committed voice when it came to the defense of animals, and she started her organization, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. In December 2025, Bardot died at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy in both the film and animal rights worlds. After starring in dozens of French film projects, Bardot was able to increase her fortune and overall net worth before venturing into animal welfare.
A chunk of Bardot’s earnings was earned from her autobiography, Initiales B.B.: Mémoires (Initials B.B.), for which she was sued by her ex-husband Jacques Charrier and son Nicolas-Jacques Charrier over controversial remarks she made about them.
After the news of Bardot’s death made headlines, French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted a tribute to the late actress’ work, calling the Viva Maria! actress a “legend of the century.”
“Her films, her voice, her dazzling glory, her initials, her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became Marianne, Brigitte Bardot embodied a life of freedom,” Macron tweeted in French, which has been translated to English. “French existence, universal brilliance. She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century.”
Below, find out where Bardot’s net worth stood before she died in 2025.
How Did Brigitte Bardot Become Rich & Famous?
Dubbed a “sex kitten” by the French media and public, Bardot was known as a pop culture icon, sex symbol and movie star.
In the early stages of her acting career, Bardot appeared on the cover of Elle when she was just a teen. From there, she was cast in multiple French movies and quickly became a sex symbol.
Throughout the 1950s, Bardot starred in several flicks that launched her celebrity status: Naughty Girl, Plucking the Daisy, The Bride Is Much Too Beautiful, And God Created Woman and many more. For her early film roles, Bardot’s earnings were reportedly estimated to be around several hundred U.S. dollars per movie in today’s currency. But when she became famous, her paychecks increased, especially when And God Created Woman reportedly grossed $33 million worldwide.
Bardot was reportedly estimated to have earned roughly $4 million for her 1997 memoir.
How Much Was Brigitte Bardot Worth? Her Net Worth
Bardot had a net worth of $65 million by 2025, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How Did Brigitte Bardot Die?
Bardot died at the age of 91 on December 28, 2025. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. However, she had been battling health issues during her final years.
In 2023, Bardot’s husband, Bernard d’Ormale, said he had to seek medical assistance for her when she had trouble breathing during a heat wave in Saint-Tropez, France, per the Los Angeles Times. About two years later, in October 2025, Bardot was hospitalized in Toulon, France, for nearly three weeks after undergoing surgery for a “serious illness,” according to Var-Matin.
When she was released from the hospital, Bardot shut down false death rumors. She took to X to write in French, which has been translated to English, “I don’t know which imbecile launched this fake news tonight about my disappearance, but rest assured that I’m doing well and have no intention of bowing out. To those who have ears.”
