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Portrait of Brigitte Bardot

Photo: Willy Pragher · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in France · Nationality French — Cinema / animal welfare advocacy

Brigitte Bardot

Also known as: B.B., Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot

Updated on

Film, television and entertainmentCelebrities, influencers and social media

French actress (1934–2025) and founder of a major animal welfare organization.

Brigitte Bardot became a major film star before focusing on animal protection. She received repeated convictions for comments targeting Muslims and was also convicted over insults against people in Réunion and hunting association leader Willy Schraen. Her political endorsements and comments on #MeToo also prompted public controversy.

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Portrait of Brigitte Bardot

Photo: Willy Pragher · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
10Documented controversies+ 2 background events
13Sources
7 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 3 documented stages

2022: Appeal reduces Réunion case fine to €10,000

Criminal conviction
01

15 December 2022

2022: Appeal reduces Réunion case fine to €10,000

Criminal conviction

The appeal decision upheld the finding of public insults while reducing the fine from €20,000 to €10,000. This is the latest ruling located in the case.

State of the evidence
Appeal amount confirmed by two local news sources.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Racial insults in the 2019 letter.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Imaz Press RéunionInjures publiques : Brigitte Bardot condamnée à 10.000 d’amendes15 December 2022MediaMedium reliability
  2. [2]
    Le Parisien / AFPLes Réunionnais et « leurs gènes sauvages » : Brigitte Bardot condamnée à 20000 euros d’amende pour injures publiques4 November 2021News agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

03

4 November 2021

2021: First-instance conviction in the Réunion case

Criminal conviction

The Saint-Denis court fined Bardot €20,000 for racially aggravated public insults. The judgment was appealed and the penalty changed the following year: this was not a separate second offense.

State of the evidence
First-instance ruling and subsequent appeal documented.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Public insults against Réunion residents.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Le Parisien / AFPLes Réunionnais et « leurs gènes sauvages » : Brigitte Bardot condamnée à 20000 euros d’amende pour injures publiques4 November 2021News agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Imaz Press RéunionInjures publiques : Brigitte Bardot condamnée à 10.000 d’amendes15 December 2022MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

05

March 2019

March 2019: Letter concerning people in Réunion

Criminal conviction

A public letter to Réunion’s prefect, initially about animal abuse, contained insulting language concerning residents and religious practices. It drew complaints and official responses, and led to the court rulings in 2021 and 2022 described below.

State of the evidence
Letter, institutional criticism and complaints are documented.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Insults targeting a population on grounds of origin.

Sources · 3

  1. [1]
    Reuters via La TribuneTollé et plainte après les propos de Bardot sur les Réunionnais20 March 2019News agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Département de La RéunionCommuniqué : réactions après les propos de Brigitte Bardot20 March 2019Official documentHigh reliability
  3. [3]
    Le Parisien / AFPLes Réunionnais et « leurs gènes sauvages » : Brigitte Bardot condamnée à 20000 euros d’amende pour injures publiques4 November 2021News agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

Case · 2 documented stages

2022: Appeal upholds conviction over Willy Schraen insults

Criminal conviction
02

5 April 2022

2022: Appeal upholds conviction over Willy Schraen insults

Criminal conviction

The national hunters’ federation reported in its annual review that the Douai Court of Appeal upheld Bardot’s conviction for public insults directed at Willy Schraen.

State of the evidence
Dated appellate confirmation according to the complaining federation’s report.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Insults against the federation’s president.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Fédération nationale des chasseursRapport d’activité 20221 June 2023Company documentMedium reliability
  2. [2]
    Fédération nationale des chasseursBrigitte Bardot condamnée pour injures publiques envers Willy Schraen29 June 2021Company documentMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

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04

October 2019–June 2021

2019–2021: Insults directed at hunting chief Willy Schraen

Criminal conviction

In a foundation editorial, Bardot verbally attacked hunting and Willy Schraen, head of France’s national hunters’ federation. An Arras court convicted her of public insults in June 2021.

State of the evidence
Ruling reported by the complaining organization, then recorded in its annual report.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Public insults specifically targeting Willy Schraen.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Fédération nationale des chasseursBrigitte Bardot condamnée pour injures publiques envers Willy Schraen29 June 2021Company documentMedium reliability
  2. [2]
    Fédération nationale des chasseursRapport d’activité 20221 June 2023Company documentMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

06

3 June 2008

2008: €15,000 fine after letter on ritual slaughter

Criminal conviction

A Paris criminal court fined Bardot €15,000 for inciting hatred against Muslims in a December 2006 letter to Nicolas Sarkozy, later published by her foundation.

State of the evidence
The judgment, amount and context were reported in the press.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Public letter statements found to incite hatred against a religious group.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Le ParisienBrigitte Bardot condamnée à 15 000 € d’amende4 June 2008MediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Le Dauphiné LibéréDisparition. Bardot et la justice, une longue histoire d’injures et de haine raciale28 December 2025MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

07

10 June 2004

2004: Conviction over the book Un cri dans le silence

Criminal conviction

A Paris criminal court imposed a €5,000 fine for passages of her 2003 book found to incite racial hatred. The MRAP and the Human Rights League were among the civil parties.

State of the evidence
The 10 June 2004 ruling and civil parties are documented.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Book passages judged to incite hatred.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Le MondeBrigitte Bardot condamnée pour des écrits jugés racistes10 June 2004MediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Le Dauphiné LibéréDisparition. Bardot et la justice, une longue histoire d’injures et de haine raciale28 December 2025MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

08

15 June 2000

2000: Conviction for a text reproduced in Le Carré de Pluton

Criminal conviction

A text reproduced in her book Le Carré de Pluton led a Paris criminal court to fine Bardot 30,000 francs for inciting racial hatred or violence. It reused material that had already resulted in proceedings, a possible overlap to consider when counting separate cases.

State of the evidence
Le Monde reported the conviction and explained that the text had previously appeared elsewhere.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Republication of anti-immigration and anti-Muslim statements.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Le MondeJUSTICE : Brigitte Bardot a été condamnée pour provocation à la haine ou à la violence raciale.17 June 2000MediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Le MondeRACISME : Brigitte Bardot a été une nouvelle fois condamnée pour « provocation à la haine et à la discrimination raciale ».22 January 1998MediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

09

20 January 1998

1998: Further conviction over statements about Eid al-Adha

Criminal conviction

A Paris criminal court fined Bardot 20,000 francs for incitement to racial hatred and discrimination following April 1997 remarks about Eid al-Adha practices.

State of the evidence
Dated ruling and fine reported by Le Monde; proceedings concerned separate statements.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Statements about Muslims and Eid found unlawful.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Le MondeRACISME : Brigitte Bardot a été une nouvelle fois condamnée pour « provocation à la haine et à la discrimination raciale ».22 January 1998MediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Le Dauphiné LibéréDisparition. Bardot et la justice, une longue histoire d’injures et de haine raciale28 December 2025MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

10

9 October 1997

1997: Racial incitement fine upheld on appeal

Criminal conviction

The Paris Court of Appeal imposed a 10,000-franc fine over a text published in Le Figaro. This case is distinct from the rulings issued in 1998 and 2000 concerning other publications.

State of the evidence
The 9 October 1997 appeal ruling was reported by established media.
Legal status — source text
A criminal conviction remains on record.
Attribution
Statements judicially found to amount to racial incitement.

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Le MondeRACISME : Brigitte Bardot a été une nouvelle fois condamnée pour « provocation à la haine et à la discrimination raciale ».22 January 1998MediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Le Dauphiné LibéréDisparition. Bardot et la justice, une longue histoire d’injures et de haine raciale28 December 2025MediaMedium reliability

Last verified: 11 November 2026

Add to this entryAny news?

II. Documented background

Documented biographical or institutional milestones (elections, appointments, foundings, acquisitions…). These are not controversies and are not counted as such.

  1. 28 December 2025

    28 December 2025: Death of Brigitte Bardot

    Brigitte Bardot died aged 91. Her death does not retroactively reverse criminal convictions imposed during her lifetime.

    Sources · 1
    1. Associated Press — Brigitte Bardot, 1960s French sex symbol turned militant animal rights activist, dies at 91
  2. 1973–1986

    1973–1986: Retirement from cinema and creation of foundation

    Bardot retired from acting in 1973 and turned to animal welfare campaigning. In 1986 she established the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.

    Sources · 2
    1. Le Monde — Brigitte Bardot : « L’espèce humaine est arrogante et sanguinaire »
    2. Associated Press — Brigitte Bardot, 1960s French sex symbol turned militant animal rights activist, dies at 91

III. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)
  1. Nicolas Sarkozy1 documented reference

IV. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

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Controversia profile, updated 11 November 2026. Latest version: https://controversia.info/en/fiche/brigitte-bardot

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