Reclusive French film star Brigitte Bardot has been forced to dispel incorrect rumours that she had died.
The 91-year-old actor, known for her roles in Jean-Luc Godard’s Le Mépris and Louis Malle’s Viva Maria!, has seemingly told her followers on social media that she is “doing well” despite the reports.
A post on her X (Twitter) account said: “I don’t know which imbecile launched this fake news tonight about my [death] but know that I am well and that I have no intention of taking my leave.”
Bardot’s statement comes after French media reported last week that the film star had been receiving hospital treatment for three weeks in Toulon, near her home in Saint-Tropez.
According to the newspaper Var-matin, Bardot underwent surgery in relation to a “serious illness”, but the exact nature of the illness was not confirmed.
In the wake of these reports, a social media celebrity news account called “Aqababe”, run by 27-year-old influencer Aniss Zitouni, apparently posted that Bardot had passed away.
“An icon has passed away, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy and an eternal imprint on the hearts of the French,” the account claimed in a now-deleted post, according to Mail Online.
The Independent has contacted Bardot’s representatives for additional comment.
Bardot was previously treated for respiratory problems in 2023 after struggling to breathe due to the heat.
At the time, her husband Bernard d’Ormale told Var-matin that Bardot had experienced “a moment of respiratory distraction” that could be expected in someone of her age.
“Like all people of a certain age, she can no longer bear the heat,” he explained at the time. “It happens at 88 years old. She must not [over-exert herself].”
Born in Paris, Bardot began her career as an actor in 1952 and gained international recognition four years later for her role in And God Created Woman.
She also performed in musicals and recorded songs, including “La Madrague” and “Je t’aime... moi non plus”, before retiring from the spotlight in 1973.
Bardot is famously outspoken on the subject of animal rights, once threatening to leave France unless the country prevented the euthanasia of two sick circus elephants – a fight that was successful.
She also sparked controversy in 2018 when she criticised the #MeToo movement, which had exposed a number of high-profile Hollywood individuals accused of sexual harassment. Speaking to Paris Match, Bardot claimed that the “vast majority” of women coming forward were being “hypocritical and ridiculous”.
The film star has been married four times. Her fourth husband is the businessman and political adviser d’Ormale, whom she wed in 1992.
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