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A tribute to the late Brigitte Bardot received a tepid reception at the Cesar Film Awards on Thursday, with boos heard throughout the audience as it aired during the ceremony.
The actress, who was branded one of the most iconic sex symbols of the 1960s, died in December at the age of 91, with her contributions to the film industry honoured at the awards in Paris.
However, once the video tribute had been shown, many viewers watching in shared on X that members of the audience could be heard booing and whistling.
Known as the original 'Sex Kitten', Bardot shot to international notoriety with her role in the 1956 film And God Created Woman, which was directed by her first husband Roger Vadim.
But Brigitte also courted backlash throughout her life for her far-right activism, and she also had five criminal convictions for inciting racial hatred.
This also led singer to backtrack on her own tribute to the star following her death, saying at the time she was unaware of all the 'insane s**t' she had spoken about.
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A tribute to the late Brigitte Bardot received a tepid reception at the Cesar Film Awards on Thursday, with boos heard throughout the audience as it aired during the ceremony
The actress, who died in December, courted backlash throughout her life for her far-right activism, and she also had five criminal convictions for inciting racial hatred
The tribute featured a montage of Brigitte's most iconic roles before she retired from acting in 1973.
Many viewers shared their upset on X that while there was a smuttering of applause, boos and whistles could be heard in the audience, with some claiming they heard one attendee shout the word 'racist.'
The posts, originally shared in French, read: 'Bardot booed after her tribute someone screaming RACIST... and they say the Cesars are boring;'
'During the tribute paid to the great Brigitte Bardot at the #CeremonieDesCesars, she was loudly booed, and the word ''racist'' was chanted throughout the hall. You are pathetic, you make me sick;'
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'To all those scumbags who dared to boo the tribute to Brigitte Bardot at the #cesar2026 ceremony. She will remain a legend, while you will stay mediocre nobodies;'
#CESAR I can't believe that, well hidden in the room, a few proud cowards thought it worthy to boo Brigitte, without knowing anything about her life, her career, without ever having done anything beautiful in particular nor for animals in general;'
Can we get a Cesar to those who booed Brigitte Bargot please thank you;'
Those in the room who booed the tribute to Brigitte Bardot should be ashamed, and between us, they're far from ever having a career like the beautiful Brigitte Bardot's one day;'
Despite her film success, Brigitte remains a controversial figure, having made racist and homophobic remarks during her life. She described gay people as 'fairground freaks' in her book A Scream in the Silence.
Bardot has received substantial fines and been forced to apologize for her bigotry during court appearances in France. Her convictions were mainly against Muslims for halal slaughter, and Jews for their preparation of kosher food.
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In 2021, she was fined 20,000 euros (£17,000) by a court on France's Indian Ocean island of La Reunion over a 2019 diatribe where she described its inhabitants as 'savages'.
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Many viewers shared their upset on X that while there was a smuttering of applause, boos and whistles could be heard in the audience
Bardot launched a rambling attack against the inhabitants of La Réunion, one of France's overseas territories spread across the Indo-Pacific and the Caribbean, in response to what she saw as their mistreatment of animals.
Didier Robert, former president of the Réunion region, previously described Bardot as 'irresponsible, outrageous and contemptuous'.
He said her letter contained deeply racist terms that were 'absolutely unacceptable'.
She was a keen supporter of the far-right Marine Le Pen. At the 2017 French elections, she told people not to vote for Emmanuel Macron because he had a 'coldness' in his 'steel eyes'.
It was these views that led Chappell to withdraw her tribute to Brigitte, despite describing the singer as the 'inspiration' behind her 2023 song Red Wine Supernova.
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Fans flooded her comments section, urging her to take down the post due to Bardot's reputation as a 'well-known bigot.'
In a statement, Chappell added: ''Holy s**t i did not know all that insane s**t Ms. Bardot stood for obvs I do not condone this,' she wrote. 'Very disappointing to learn.'
After retiring from acting, Brigitte also dedicated her life to animal activism, setting up the Brigitte Bardot Foundation in 1986.
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