The Real Reason Brigitte Bardot Quit Acting At 39 Reemerges After Her Death

French movie star Brigitte Bardot quit acting more than half a century ago, and the reason behind her move has resurfaced following news of her death at 91.

The actress left the film industry at the age of 39, stating that it was "a way to get out elegantly."

Brigitte Bardot later explained that she had grown tired of fame and wished to focus her life on caring for abandoned animals, a mission she saw through to the very end.

Despite being one of the most famous women in European cinema in the 1970s, Brigitte Bardot walked away from the spotlight at the age of 39, a decision that shocked many of her fans.

In the same year she retired, the late actress explained that her decision to leave the industry was "a way to get out elegantly," a phrase that quickly made headlines in newspapers at the time.

While the remark appeared to reflect a desire to avoid becoming a "has-been" actress, Bardot later offered an unexpected clarification.

She revealed that her retirement stemmed from being "sick of being beautiful every day" and expressed a growing desire to pursue what truly mattered to her: caring for abandoned animals.

Interestingly, this was not the only revealing insight into her decision. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune that same year, Bardot made remarks about her growing disillusionment with humanity.

"I have become allergic to it. I see no one. I do not go out. I have created a world of my own, like it was in my childhood," she told the outlet in 1973, per SheKnows.

In the years that followed, Bardot repeatedly made statements indicating that she had no regrets about the decision she had made.

Back in 1990, she said "only live[d] in the world of animal protection," during an interview with the International Herald Tribune. In that same conversation, she reflected on her experience as an actress, saying that the fame was suffocating and that she knew "what it feels like to be hunted."

Another statement on her decision came over two decades later when she sat down with Vogue Hommes for a rare interview.

"I quit the films when I was 38 because I'd had it up to here," the actress said at the time, per SheKnows, referencing the same reason she had shared in the past.

True to her word, Bardot spent the remainder of her life championing animal welfare through her eponymous foundation, which she established in 1986.

Her commitment was further exemplified in her memoir, Tears of Battle, in which she wrote that she "did not want to be part of the human species" for as long as animals continued to be treated as expendable.

On Sunday, December 28, reports emerged online confirming that Bardot had died at the age of 91.

The announcement, released by her foundation, paid tribute to her distinguished acting career and her enduring commitment to animal welfare.

"The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the death of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation," the foundation said.

While the cause of her death was not disclosed, it is known that the late actress spent some time in the hospital in October for a minor procedure.

In the years leading up to her death, she had also battled various health issues, including respiratory problems and difficulties with walking.

"I can hardly walk anymore, I'm dependent on crutches, and dancing is very difficult for me," Bardot told La Parisienne in 2023.

In the wake of her death, Bardot has received tributes from different corners of the world, with fans taking to social media to share words of kindness about the late actress.

One of the most high-profile tributes came from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, who called her "a legend of the century."

"Her films, her voice, her dazzling glory … her sorrows, her generous passion for animals, her face that became Marianne, Brigitte Bardot embodied a life of freedom," Macron stated.

Bardot was also mourned by Jordan Bardella, the president of Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party (RN), which Bardot was affiliated with when she was alive.

"Brigitte Bardot was a woman of heart, conviction, and character. An ardent patriot, devoted to animals that she protected throughout her life, she embodied a whole French era, but also above all a certain idea of courage and freedom," he wrote.

"A timeless star, but above all a woman who was free, nonconformist, protagonist of courageous battles in defence of our traditions. A prayer for her," said Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.