Mijanou Bardot
Mijanou Bardot | |
|---|---|
 Mijanou Bardot in 1958 | |
| Born | Marie-Jeanne Bardot 5 May 1938 Paris, France |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, writer |
| Years active | 1956–1968 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Brigitte Bardot (sister) |
Marie-Jeanne Bardot (French pronunciation: [maʁi ʒan baʁdo]; born 5 May 1938), known professionally as Mijanou Bardot,[1] is a French writer, businesswoman, and retired actress.[2] She is the younger sister of Brigitte Bardot.
Early life
Marie-Jeanne Bardot was born on 5 May 1938.[3][2] Known from childhood as Mijanou, she was raised in a luxurious seven-bedroom apartment in the 16th arrondissement of Paris alongside her older sister, Brigitte, four years her senior.[4][5] The sisters' parents, Louis and Anne-Marie, raised the girls in a strictly Catholic household and were strict on proper behavior, etiquette, clothing, and who they played with. If they broke rules, the punishments were harsh.[4]
Career
After Brigitte became a successful actress, Bardot wanted to do the same.[5] Her first role, at age 18, was in Women's Club (1956).[6][7]
Unlike her sister, Bardot shied away from sexually charged roles. While filming Ramuntcho (1959), when she was supposed to do a nude scene, she refused. "I don't expose myself," she told director Pierre Schoendoerffer. "Ask Brigitte to double me for this scene. She loves taking off her bra and will do it with pleasure. But I'm not BB."[5] She starred in the 1960 film Sex Kittens Go to College with Mamie van Doren and Tuesday Weld.[8]
Her final film was After the Flood (1968). She retired from acting two years later.[7] Speaking to Soir Magazine in 2009, she said, "I've always been shy in front of the cameras and I decided quite quickly to stop filmmaking because I felt bad on set: I felt like I hadn't done anything with my days." In a book by Dominique Cholant, she added, "I believed for a short while that everyone felt the same way, so I forced myself... Then when I realized that this wasn't the case for others, I quickly stopped."[5]
After retiring, she moved to the United States, where she founded loft bed design company Espace Loggia in 1979.[6][9] After enjoying success in the 1980s, the brand was sold to Philippe Malignac in 1992.
Personal life
Bardot has been married to Belgian actor Patrick Bauchau since 1962. They costarred in the film La Collectionneuse (1967). They have one daughter, Camille, and reside in Los Angeles.[10][9]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Original title | English title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Club de femmes | Women's Club | Micheline (as Mijanou) | |
| 1957 | Jusqu'au dernier | Until the Last One | Josiane | |
| 1958 | C'est la faute d'Adam | It's All Adam's Fault | ||
| Il pirata dello sparviero nero | The Pirate of the Black Hawk | Elena di Monteforte | ||
| Pecados Pagos com Sangue | Sins Paid with Blood | |||
| Une balle dans le canon | A Bullet in the Gun Barrel | Brigitte Geoffrian | ||
| 1959 | Ramuntcho | — | Gracieuse | |
| 1960 | Sex Kittens Go to College | — | Suzanne | |
| 1967 | La Collectionneuse | The Collector | Carole(as Mijanou) | |
| 1968 | Después del diluvio | After the Flood | Patrcia | Also writer |
Television
| Year | Original title | English title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Cinépanorama | Cinepanorama | Self | Episode date: 3 July 1958 |
References
- ^ Mijanou Bardot on Internet Movie Database
- ^ a b "Mijanou Bardot, the silent sister of Brig Bardot - TIME". KOHA. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ "Rare Photos of Mijanou Bardot in the 1950s and '60s". Vintage Everyday. 4 January 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ a b Leach, Maddison (2 October 2020). "Why Brigitte Bardot went to extremes to escape her strict parents' control". Honey.Nine.com. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ a b c d Cardinal, Léa (5 May 2024). "DANS LA FAMILLE DE... Brigitte Bardot : zoom sur Mijanou, sa discrète soeur". Gala (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ a b Jalmes, Léna Saint (5 May 2025). "Brigitte Bardot : sa soeur Mijanou aurait pu devenir une grande actrice… avant de s'exiler aux États-Unis !". Gala (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ a b Siahpoush-Royoux, Nina (5 May 2022). "Brigitte Bardot : quelles sont ses relations avec sa sœur Mijanou ?". Gala (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ Mijanou Bardot CenterBlog (French)
- ^ a b "Mijanou Bardot : Biographie et actualités". Gala (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2025.
- ^ Mijanou Bardot and Patrick Bauchau interview (French)
External links
