60 Photos of Brigitte Bardot Like You've Never Seen Her Before

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Who was Brigitte Bardot?

Brigitte Ann-Marie Bardot has been so many things in her lifetime. A sex symbol, a fashion icon, and eventually an animal rights activist. The French actress, singer, and model often referred to by her initials, B.B., shocked the world when she walked away from her career at just 39-years old.

This early retirement may have been prompted by her exhaustion and a desire to focus on animal rights but it also immortalized her former image. Her onscreen presence is now encased in amber, a separate lifetime from the one in which she exists now.

source: getty images

Brigitte Ann-Marie Bardot, love interest extraordinaire of the '50s and '60s, gained her reputation from appearing in racy European films and leading a defiantly liberated lifestyle. Bardot at the height of her powers was the French siren no man could resist. The public image of Bardot, those photos and posters that have been printed endlessly, represent a role she played to perfection, but there's more to her story. In addition to being a model, movie star, and fashion icon, she's also a successful author and an animal rights activist.