Brigitte Macron's Dark Side: A Decade of Scrutiny

0:00On April 27, Brigitte McCall, the 73-year-old former drama teacher, just opened up about her nearly 10 years as France's first lady. She says it's shown her the real darkness out there, stupidity, wickedness, all that mess, leaving her sadder, more cynical, and sometimes blind to the blue sky. These years ramped up the scrutiny on her life with husband Emanuel Macron starting back in 2017. Her rumors hit hard, like claims she's transgender, pushed by U.S. podcaster Candice Owens and some French bloggers. Owens went all in, staking her rep on it in her podcast series, but the Macron's fought back with a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. this year. Their unconventional start, he crushing on her as her student in the 90s, fueled endless gossip too. Then came that viral playing cliff from Vietnam in May, where Brigitte shoves Emanuel's face as they land. His team called it just a playful squabble, a moment of decompression before the trip.

1:00Looking back, she admits the early romance was tough on her kids and their tight community, but she wouldn't trade it. Now, after a decade in the spotlight, Brigitte's carrying that weight, eyes wide open to the world's rough edges.