Screen siren Brigitte Bardot turns 80

French actress Brigitte Bardot on Dec 17, 1965 in New York.

1950s sex symbol has long abandoned the limelight in favour of animal rights activism.

Carefree sensuality oozed from every pore as Brigitte Bardot, who turned 80 on Sept 28, mamboed her way to fame, leaving men weak at the knees and drawing a generation of liberated young women in her wake.