A childhood marked by a very severe and strict bourgeois upbringing laid the foundation for Brigitte Bardot's later rebellious spirit. Breaking free from this family cage allowed her to fully embrace her life in cinema, though it led to what she describes as a somewhat flighty and dissolved lifestyle. She explains that her numerous marriages and romantic adventures were all part of a relentless pursuit of an absolute, integral love. Despite the glamour, she expresses a profound and terrifying distrust of human beings, rooted in a life that was both extraordinary and appalling.
Contrary to her global reputation as a sex symbol, Brigitte Bardot clarifies that she was never sexually obsessed and always preferred tenderness over physical exertion. She believes physical love is only bearable when it is backed by true love, otherwise, it lacks interest. The labels placed on her by others never matched her internal self-perception, where she remained modest and even prudish. For her, certain things must remain mysterious and hidden rather than being displayed in broad daylight.
A self-described "dependent woman," Brigitte Bardot admits she cannot live alone and constantly seeks the affection and protection of a partner. She compares herself to an eternal child who needs guidance and a virtual parental figure to feel secure. This deep-seated need for support made her experience with motherhood particularly difficult, as she felt she wasn't mature enough to give what she herself was still seeking. Her current relationship provides the essential strength she needs to navigate aging and continue her advocacy work.
Life in her refuge, La Madrague, is defined by simplicity and a total rejection of luxury and the ostentatious wealth of billionaires. She has stripped away the unnecessary attachments of her past to focus on the essentials, such as sharing with those in need and fighting for animal rights. This transition from a world-famous star to a dedicated activist was a conscious choice to dedicate her life to the suffering of animals. Despite being mocked and criticized for preferring animals over humans, she remains steadfast in her commitment to this cause.
Approaching her 72nd birthday, Brigitte Bardot reflects on aging as a natural process that must be accepted with courage. She explicitly rejects the trend of cosmetic lifting, laughing that there is only one Brigitte Bardot and she chooses to face life with her wrinkles. While she acknowledges the inevitable physical changes, she finds that her animal companions do not care about her age, providing a source of unconditional comfort. She views his life as a balance where great fame is eventually paid for by the difficulties of the present.
While Brigitte Bardot symbolised the joy of living to the world, she reveals a hidden, dramatic side of her soul that has faced deep despair and several suicide attempts. She describes suicide as the impossible struggle to live through the next five minutes, an overwhelming accumulation of hopelessness. To exorcise this internal darkness, she intentionally embraces humor, singing, and dancing to find a positive path. Ultimately, she chooses to confront the difficulties of life with the courage to conquer the despair that has haunted her since youth.