Audrey Hepburn, more than “a funny face”.
Although she is known as one of the most iconic actresses in the history of Hollywood her origins are far from being American. “I was born May 4th in 1929 and I died three weeks later” (Feldman & Winter, 1993.) that is how she said a book of her life should begin. Born in Brussels (Belgium) Audrey suffered of whooping cough when she was only three weeks, she was so sick that her heart stopped beating but her mother kept shaking her until she breathed again not willing to give her up so soon. His father was British and worked for an english insurance company, this is the reason why she learnt how to speak in English. She also obtained the British citizenship through his father. Her mother was related to the Netherland’s aristocracy. During her early years she lived between Belgium, Netherlands and England.
She lived the Second World War and his father’s implication with the Nazi party would mark her life forever. In 1939, after her father abandoned the family, she went to live to Netherlands with her mother in the hopeful thought that the War wouldn’t affect them. But it did. Audrey continued her studies and learnt how to speak perfect English, French, Dutch and Italian. She also started to form herself as a ballet dancer.
In the 1940s she started to dance more professionally and the money she earned was donated to the Dutch resistance. By the end of the Second World War she was force to give up her ballet carrier due to physical conditions. This is the reason why she started acting.
After this brief explanation of how Audrey Hepburn became an actress I will now proceed to talk about her career in the film industry. Her big screen Hollywood debut came in 1953 with Roman Holiday where she co-stared with already well-known Gregory Peck. Thanks to this William Wyler film she won her only Academy Award as an actress. Gregory Peck, who had personally suggested that his name and Audrey’s should share the same importance in the film, predicted that Audrey would win the Oscar for best actress and that she would become a star.
Audrey’s charm, beauty and elegance soon made her one of the most beloved actress in Hollywood. But she was not just “A funny face” as she proved in the performance of the entertaining musical under the same name that was premiered in 1957. Audrey Hepburn greeted the world with outstanding and unforgettable performances.
Of course her most iconic performance is Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). In this film, based on Truman Capote’s novel, she makes her character Holly a truly loved one, one that once you watch the film you will never forget.
Together with Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s probably her third most iconic performance is My Fair Lady (1964). It is very curious that the three best known performances weren’t intended to be played by her in the first place. Elisabeth Taylor, who was already part of Hollywood’s elite, was the one William Wyler thought for Roman Holiday. The beloved Holly Golightly was meant to be Marilyn Monroe and Julie Andrews was going to be Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady.
But, apart from these three films, Audrey Hepburn also starred in Sabrina (1954) a brilliant comedy where she shared screen with Humphrey Bogart. In my opinion amongst her best performances are The Nun’s Story (1959) and Wait until dark (1967). We can’t also forget Charade or one of her last appearances in the big screen as an old lady Marian in Robin and Marian (1976). She left the film industry playing an angel in Always (1989) to retire and dedicate her life to humanitarian causes.
It is of extreme importance when talking about Audrey Hepburn not to forget her humanitarian actions. She dedicated the last years of her life to collaborate as Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF. She centred her help on children that suffered from malnutrition and AIDs. She always said that it is very important to feel loved but that it is more important to give love that to receive it back. Just one year before she died she received in 1992 the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, her second and last Academy Award, prizing her humanitarian work.
Audrey Hepburn died from Cancer in Switzerland in 1993. She will always be remembered as one of the best and most iconic Hollywood stars of all time.
W., 2016. Audrey Hepburn. Wikipedia. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/audrey_hepburn [Accessed February 14, 2016].
W., 2015. List of awards and honours received by Audrey Hepburn. Wikipedia. Available from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_awards_and_honours_received_by_audrey_hepburn [Accessed February 14, 2016].
G.F. & S.W., 1993. Audrey Hepburn remembered, Wombat Productions., 2015. Documental: Audrey Hepburn biografÃa (Audrey Hepburn Biography). YouTube. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcwmhfrc6la [Accessed February 14, 2016].
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