Net Worth Of Brigitte Bardot 2024
Brigitte Bardot is a French former actress and singer who was one of the most prominent sex symbols of the 1950s and 1960s. Though she retired from acting in the early 1970s, she remains a prominent public figure and animal rights activist. Here we take a look at her storied career and examine Brigitte Bardot’s net worth.
What was Brigitte Bardot’s net worth at the peak of her career?
Bardot was an incredibly successful actress and musical performer at the height of her fame in the 1950s and 1960s. Though exact figures from that time are hard to come by, estimates place her net worth in the range of $12-15 million or more in today’s dollars when adjusting for inflation.
Some highlights contributing to her substantial net worth at this peak include:
- Appearing in 48 films, many of which did tremendous box office numbers internationally
- Releasing multiple platinum music albums, including 1959’s “Brigitte Bardot Sings”
- Earning up to $300,000 per film role
- Amassing a sizable portfolio of luxury real estate and apartments across Paris and the French Riviera
With no signs of slowing down in the mid-1960s, Bardot was one of the wealthiest entertainers of her era when she stepped back from the public eye.
What is Brigitte Bardot’s current net worth?
While the exact figure fluctuates with changes to her asset portfolio, Bardot’s current net worth is estimated to be around $65 million.
There are a few primary contributing factors helping her maintain multi-millionaire status today:
- Income earned from films & music at the peak of her career that likely had lasting residuals
- Savvy real estate investments across France that have grown over time
- The sale of luxury properties at substantial profits
- Appearance fees and royalties from licensing her name/image for commercial use
She has also been awarded substantial damages in various lawsuits over the years surrounding unauthorized use which contribute to her continued wealth.
While she lives comfortably off the wealth earned decades ago, she has been very private about specific details concerning her assets and net worth. But there are no signs Bardot has any financial troubles given the longevity of her substantial fortune.
Career Stage | Estimated Net Worth Range |
---|---|
Peak Career Wealth (1950s & 60s) | $12-15 million |
Wealth Leading Up to “Retirement” (Late 1960s) | $8-10 million |
Current Net Worth (2023) | $65 million |
What were Brigitte Bardot’s biggest source of wealth?
Bardot earned substantial sums through various entertainment roles at the peak of her career. But perhaps her greatest source of lasting wealth was her real estate investment portfolio across France and other assets acquired at the height of her fame.
Some of her most lucrative assets and income sources have included:
Film Career
She earned up to $300,000 per film role through much of her career in the 1950s and 1960s. Starring in over 45 films during this span contributed tens of millions in income, much of which was invested into lasting assets that grew over time.
Music Career
As a major musical star worldwide, she released multiple platinum albums leading to an estimated $5-10 million in income from record sales during that era without accounting for royalties.
Luxury Real Estate
Bardot invested lavishly into premium Paris apartments and sprawling vacation properties on the French Riviera. Selling a number of these over the years has generated tens of millions in profits. She still maintains ownership stakes in luxury properties currently valued at over $25 million.
Legal Damages and Royalties
Winning major lawsuits against entities illegally using her name or image have resulted in millions paid in damages that protected and even grew her wealth over the long run. Continued royalties and licensing deals remain a revenue stream as well, though less substantial than real estate and the peak entertainment income.
So while much of Bardot’s lasting financial comfort stems from the immense fame and success she found in the 1950s through 1960s, her business savvy and investments during this stretch provided the foundation for the estimated $65 million net worth she enjoys today.
How does Brigitte Bardot spend her fortune and give back?
While Bardot has stepped firmly out of the public spotlight for decades, she lives a very comfortable lifestyle focused on philanthropy and activism.
She maintains multiple luxury residences across France while also owning and renting out various properties that make up part of her investment portfolio. Some of her spending and giving highlights:
Residential Properties – She rotates across a sprawling $4 million Saint-Tropez vacation home, a luxury Paris penthouse, and a family estate outside the city acquired for over $3 million decades ago.
Animal Rights Activism – Her foundation, La Fondation Brigitte Bardot, operates a $4+ million sanctuary for mistreated animals across France. This has been her primary philanthropic focus in retirement.
Jewelry and Art Collection – Bardot was famously photographed and filmed with expensive jewelry she acquired at the height of her celebrity. While not widely publicized, she maintains a valuable collection of pieces as well as European artwork.
Vintage Car Collection – She possesses several vintage luxury vehicles from her film days and apparent has an affinity for vintage Aston Martins, showcasing a multi-million dollar collection that may be one her more lavish purchases of late.
While surely living a comfortable, even opulent retirement by any measure, she has shown a distinct preference to use much of her resources and public image to further her passionate support for animal rights.
Brigitte Bardot’s Lasting Net Worth
Brigitte Bardot amassed and maintained an incredible fortune across her life and career. Here are 5 top takeaways:
- She was one of the wealthiest entertainers worldwide during her acting peak, with an estimated net worth of over $10 million by the 1960s.
- Savvy real estate investments and sales served as her largest source of lasting wealth, with luxury properties still valued around $25+ million today.
- Legal damages from lawsuits over unauthorized usage and licensing deals still generate income decades later.
- Her current net worth sits at approximately $65 million by most estimates.
- While living lavishly across France, supporting animal rights work has been her primary philanthropic passion during a very private retirement.
So while her fame and legacy will always center around her legendary film roles, much of Brigitte Bardot’s $65 million current net worth stems from prudent broader investments and business decisions at the height of her celebrity in the 1950s and 60s.
Conclusion
Brigitte Bardot rightly earned fame and fortune for her groundbreaking acting and musical talents that made her one of the first international symbols of beauty and celebrity in the 1950s through 60s. While she stepped firmly out of the limelight decades ago, prudent investments and business decisions have maintained her extravagant, if eccentric, lifestyle to this day with a net worth still estimated at $65 million.
For all her public renown across over 50 films, perhaps her greatest financial legacy is the real estate portfolio amassed at the height of her early career success. As both an actress and businesswomen, the youthful Bardot built lasting wealth across luxury apartments in Paris and mansions dotting the French Riviera. Combined with new income streams from licensing deals and legal damages won over unauthorized usage, these assets fund her comfortable retirement despite dropping fully out of public life by 40.
While much of her wealth stems from her meteoric early rise to unparalleled celebrity, she’s leveraged this position to great impact as an animal rights activist across the latter decades of her life. Her namesake foundation provides care for over 4,000 mistreated animals each year, serving as the legacy priority for her and her endured fortune in her later years out of the public eye.
So while the glamorous film star may always define the public image of Bardot at her peak, her financial, investment and philanthropic accomplishments over a full life reveal far greater dimension still impacting French culture and beyond today. With an estimated current net worth of $65 million and counting, Brigitte Bardot remains a national symbol, using her unique place in history to advocate for her last great passion
Frequently Asked Questions
How much was Brigitte Bardot worth at her peak?
Estimates placed her peak net worth between $12-15 million at the height of her acting and music career in the late 1950s through mid 1960s. Given typical earnings up to $300,000 per film role and platinum record sales, she rapidly built wealth despite still being very young.
What cars does Brigitte Bardot own?
While sealed details on her full assets, Bardot boasts an impressive collection of vintage cars, with a particular affinity for 1960s era Aston Martins worth well into the millions today as collectibles. She also publicized auctions of a Ferrari and other vehicles donated for charity fundraising.
Does Brigitte Bardot still act?
No, Bardot ended her acting career in 1973 after starring in 48 films throughout the prior decades. She has remained almost entirely out of the public eye beyond activism for animal rights across the past 50 years.
Is Brigitte Bardot still alive?
Yes, Brigitte Bardot is still alive as of 2023. At 88 years old and having just marked her 60th anniversary since the breakthrough film “And God Created Women” put her on the map in 1956, she continues to play an active role as lead steward of her animal rights foundation.
Where does Brigitte Bardot live today?
Bardot primarily lives between luxurious homes on the French Riviera and in Paris, including a lavish St. Tropez vacation compound and high-end penthouse in the capital. She also owns a 70+ acre family estate just outside Paris that she has retained for decades. All her homes and properties are strictly private today given her highly reclusive nature outside some public activism roles.