Brigitte Bardot, icon of French cinema, recently underwent major surgery at the private Saint-Jean Hospital in Toulon, not far from her home in La Madrague, Saint-Tropez. According to local newspaper Var Matin, the actress was admitted to the hospital three weeks ago and underwent “surgery there as part of a serious illness”
Though the details were not confirmed officially, the 91-year-old actress is reportedly in a “worrying state,” though there is some optimism for her recovery. She may be discharged from the hospital should her post-surgery continue smoothly.
This is not the first time that Bardot has had to deal with major health problems. In January 2023, she was hospitalized due to respiratory failure that later resolved. Little news has been heard about her since then.
In 1973, Bardot retired from the industry after decades as one of the world’s most desired actresses. She was also a regular presence in the nightlife of her beloved French Riviera.
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After her debut as a model, Bardot made 45 films and recorded 70 songs. She ended her public career to make way for a second life dedicated to environmentalism and the protection of animals, which she carries out through the global charity Fondation Brigitte Bardot.
A symbol of the era’s changing standards of beauty, she also became a stand-in for women’s emancipation. Her peak popularity in the 1960s and 1970s coincided with the feminist awakening that would take streets and screens around the world.
Only a few weeks ago, Bardot released her latest book, Mon BBcédaire, a memoir that recounts her life from A to Z—lining up anecdotes, thoughts, feelings, and struggles.
Originally published in Vanity Fair Italy.