Brigitte Bardot Walked Away From Acting in 1973 — Let's Look at Her Net Worth

It's safe to say that Brigitte Bardot knew how to get attention. Following her death in December 2025, there has been renewed interest in her work and controversial views. In February 2012, Brigitte was profiled in Vanity Fair, where she spoke openly about her days as a sex symbol and her apathy for that time of her life.

Brigitte left the entertainment world in 1973 at the height of her fame. By then, she had already been a passionate animal rights activist for over a decade. It would be another 20 years before she started a trend of getting fined in French courts for inciting racial hatred. When she died, Brigitte was reportedly a multi-millionaire. Let's take a look at her net worth.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Brigitte was worth $65 million at the time of her death. Before she stepped away from acting and modeling, Brigitte had been in 47 films, several musicals, and had recorded over 60 songs. Her career began in 1952, when she appeared on the cover of Elle magazine. This led to a small part in the French comedy Crazy for Love, for which Brigitte was paid a little over $7,000 in 2025.

A few films and years later, Brigitte starred in the movie that would make her an international name. In 1956, the then-22-year-old was in And God Created Woman, which went on to become the highest-grossing foreign film in the United States at the time. It earned more than $47 million in today's money. The films Brigitte made after led to the coining of the phrase "Sex Kitten," per The Guardian.

The last film Brigitte made was The Edifying and Joyous Story of Colinot in 1973. She told an interviewer that she was retiring at age 39 because it was a "way to get out elegantly," reported UPI. When asked what she wanted to do next, Brigitte said, "Life!" Brigitte ended up getting heavily involved in animal rights activism.

Four years after she retired, Brigitte met Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Paul invited her to Canada to see the seal pups who were being massacred for their skins. This is where Brigitte was snapped in a now iconic photo, lying down next to seal pups.

Less than a decade later, Brigitte started the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. The organization was and is committed to protecting domestic and wild animals. The foundation operates in 70 countries and has more than 70,000 donors worldwide. Outside of her activism, Brigitte has authored several books, including a deeply personal one released in April 2019 titled Tears of Battle: An Animal Rights Memoir.