Brigitte Bardot, 1950s Icon and Later Controversial Figure, Dies at 91

French film star Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 91. She was a major international symbol of beauty and sexual freedom in the 1950s and 1960s. Bardot became a global celebrity through films like "And God Created Woman." Her public image helped change social attitudes in post-war France. Her later life was marked by strong controversy. After retiring from acting in 1973, she became an animal rights activist. However, she was repeatedly convicted for inciting racial hatred. She made many public statements condemned as racist and homophobic. Bardot's complex legacy is now defined by both her iconic early career and her offensive later remarks.