Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot, often referred to by her initials B.B., is a French animal rights activist and former actress, singer, and model. Famous for portraying sexually emancipated characters, often with hedonistic lifestyles, she was one of the best known sex symbols of the 1950s–1970s. Although she withdrew from the entertainment industry in 1973, she remains a major popular culture icon, and a noted figure in ushering in the sexual revolution.