Today, Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot, better known as Brigitte Bardot, celebrates her 77th anniversaire.
Bardot is the epitome of French femininity and beauty. With her tousled blonde tresses, pouty lips and come-hither, doe eyes, the Parisian model, actress and singer is considered of the most beautiful women of all time.
She became a legend at just 21 years old, when she starred in “Et Dieu… créa la femme” (1956). She would remain one of the best-known sex symbols, not only in France but around the world, during the 50’s and 60’s.
Bardot starred in close to 50 films but retired from the entertainment industry in 1973 to become an avid animal rights activist. Since then, she is entirely devoted to her foundation– Brigitte Bardot Foundation for the Welfare and Protection of Animals.
Bardot has often admitted that her beauty opened doors for her early in her career but has always made it a point to remind people that physical beauty is ephemeral, and that there are other characteristics that are truly meaningful. I love that about her. Here is one of my favorite quotes from her. I absolutely agree:
La beauté, c’est quelque chose qui peut être séduisant un temps, çapeut être un moment de séduction. Mais l’intelligence, la profondeur, le talent, la tendresse, c’est bien plus important et ça dure beaucoup plus longtemps…
Or, in my translation to English:
Beauty is something that can seduce for some time, during what can perhaps be called a moment of seduction. But it is certainly intelligence, depth, talent and tenderness that are much more important and that can last for a much longer time…
And so I accompany the French today in saying: Bon anniversaire, Brigitte!