Brigitte Bardot, sex symbol then animal activist, dies at 91

Brigitte Bardot, the French actress who set the standard for a generation of female sex symbols in the 1960s and devoted her later life to animal rights, has died. She was 91.

Her death was announced Sunday in a statement by her foundation, saying Bardot had chosen to abandon “her prestigious movie career to dedicate her life and energy” to defend animal welfare. It didn’t provide further details on her death.

The archetype of beauty to millions of men, Bardot spawned an era of curvy...