Parisians remember BB's iconic beauty as Brigitte Bardot dies at 91

Parisians remembered Brigitte Bardot fondly on Sunday (December 28) when it was announced that the French cinema icon had died aged 91. 

Speaking in Paris' 15th arrondissement where Bardot was born they recalled her beauty and her early films, especially those that had provoked strong reactions amongst the French audiences.

Bardot shot to international fame dancing the mambo barefoot in "And God Created Woman", her tousled hair and fierce energy radiating a sexual magnetism rarely before seen in mainstream cinema.

At just 21, she scandalised censors and captivated audiences. Her free-spirited performance in the 1956 film, shot by her first husband Roger Vadim, marked a decisive break from the demure heroines of the previous era.

Brigitte Bardot, often referred to in France simply as "B.B." and whose later years were marked by animal rights campaigns and far-right political sympathies, died at the age of 91, her foundation said on Sunday. The cause was not immediately known.

Production: Noemie Olive, Yvonne Bell/Reuters