Brigitte Bardot is a French actress, former fashion model, singer and animal rights activist. After being thrust into the limelight in the 1956 film “And God Created Woman”, Bardot was one of the few European actresses to receive mass media attention in the United States. She and Marilyn Monroe were perhaps the foremost examples of female sexuality in films of the 1950s and 1960s, and whenever she made public appearances in the United States, the media hordes covered her every move. She was also an acknowledged idol to both Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan, and was praised by influential writer Jean Cocteau. In 2007 she was named among Empire's 100 Sexiest Film Stars. Despite appearances in more than fifty motion pictures, and her continued campaigning for animal welfare, Bardot has become infamous in recent years for her controversial and outspoken political views.