Marie ▁B ard ot ▁( ▁, ▁; ▁born ▁ 2 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 4 ), ▁often ▁referred ▁to ▁by ▁the ▁initial s ▁B . B ., ▁is ▁a ▁French ▁former ▁actress ▁and ▁singer , ▁and ▁animal ▁rights ▁activ ist . ▁Fam ous ▁for ▁port ray ing ▁sex ually ▁em an cip ated ▁person ae ▁with ▁h ed on istic ▁l ifest yles , ▁she ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁known ▁sex ▁symbols ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 0 s . ▁Although ▁she ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁entertain ment ▁industry ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁she ▁remains ▁a ▁major ▁popular ▁culture ▁icon . ▁ ▁Born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Paris , ▁B ard ot ▁was ▁an ▁asp iring ▁ball er ina ▁in ▁her ▁early ▁life . ▁She ▁started ▁her ▁acting ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁She ▁achieved ▁international ▁recognition ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁for ▁her ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁And ▁God ▁Cre ated ▁Woman , ▁and ▁also ▁caught ▁the ▁attention ▁of ▁French ▁intellect uals . ▁She ▁was ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁Sim one ▁de ▁Beau voir ' s ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁ess ay ▁The ▁L ol ita ▁Sy nd rome , ▁which ▁described ▁her ▁as ▁a ▁" lo comot ive ▁of ▁women ' s ▁history " ▁and ▁built ▁upon ▁exist ential ist ▁them es ▁to ▁declare ▁her ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁most ▁liber ated ▁woman ▁of ▁post - war ▁France . ▁B ard ot ▁later