Bardot had a long-standing interest in standing up for the rights of animals, and when she gave up acting, she threw herself into that role full time. She's campaigned nationally and internationally for animal rights, having written open letters to heads of state on numerous occasions, gaining press attention for her causes while doing so. Even now, in her mid-80s, she's as passionate about the issue as she ever has been.
Not all of Bardot's post-movie activities have been well received. Her current husband, whom she married in 1992, is a former adviser to a French far-right political organization. Bardot began speaking on political issues shortly after her marriage and has now been convicted four times in the French courts for inciting racial hatred with her comments. Although she apologized in 2004, claiming she didn't realize her words were offensive, she found herself in the dock yet again in 2008 facing the same charge for the same reason.