The Brigitte Bardot Foundation has issued an urgent public warning regarding fraudulent merchandise campaigns exploiting the recent passing of the iconic French actress. Following Bardot’s death at age 91 last Sunday, the animal welfare charity she established reported a surge of unauthorized online schemes falsely claiming to benefit their cause.
The organization identified widespread ‘crude fabrications’ circulating across digital platforms, including artificially generated imagery and unauthorized photographs depicting Bardot in fabricated scenarios. These illicit operations allegedly promise proceeds to support animal welfare initiatives but operate without Foundation endorsement or oversight.
‘These vulgar and despicable attempts to exploit her legacy constitute illicit offers and sales,’ the Foundation stated Saturday, threatening legal action against perpetrators. The organization specifically emphasized the disrespect such activities show toward preserving the memory of the deceased cultural icon.
Bardot’s transition from international film sensation to animal rights activism defined her later decades. After revolutionizing 1950s cinema with nearly 50 films including ‘And God Created Woman’ and ‘Contempt,’ she abandoned Hollywood at age 39 to dedicate herself entirely to animal welfare, establishing her foundation in 1986.
Despite her philanthropic work, Bardot’s legacy remains complex due to multiple convictions for inciting racial hatred through controversial statements about Muslims, gay communities, and the #MeToo movement.
French President Emmanuel Macron led national tributes, recognizing Bardot as ‘a legend of the century’ who embodied French cultural identity through her films, style, and eventual representation as Marianne—the national symbol of France.
The Foundation confirmed Bardot will receive a private, ‘no frills’ burial Wednesday in Saint-Tropez, reflecting her straightforward approach to life. The ceremony will occur in a cemetery overlooking her Mediterranean home, where she resided for decades.