On this day in 1929 Edda van Heemstra Hepburn-Rusto, later famously known as Audrey Hepburn, was born.
Most known for her role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn was an iconic British film star with incredible style and beauty. She unfortunately lost a battle against cancer and died in 1993 at the age of 63 after an incredible career. We take a little brief look back over the key points of her career right here.
Audrey Hepburn – The Journey & History
The daughter of an English banker and a Dutch baroness, Hepburn was attending school in London when World War II erupted in Europe. During the war, the Nazis occupied Holland, where the young Audrey and her mother were staying, and the family suffered many hardships.
Hepburn continued to pursue her ballet studies, and at war’s end, she returned to London, where she modelled and began acting in small parts on stage and screen. In 1951, Hepburn was “discovered” by the French writer Colette while in Monaco shooting a film. Colette insisted Hepburn be cast in the title role of the Broadway version of her novel Gigi, and the young actress made her Broadway debut that same year.
Hepburn’s success in Gigi led directly to her being cast as the lead in the 1953 film Roman Holiday. For her portrayal of a headstrong young princess who falls in love with a journalist (played by Gregory Peck) while on the loose in Rome, Hepburn won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
She won a Tony Award for Best Actress the same year, for her starring turn in Ondine. Over the next decade, Hepburn proved herself more than a match for Hollywood’s top leading men in such hits as Sabrina (1954, with William Holden and Humphrey Bogart), Funny Face (1957, with Fred Astaire) and Love in the Afternoon (1957, with Gary Cooper).
As the inimitable Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Hepburn earned her fourth Oscar nod for Best Actress.
Other Iconic Hollywood Stars
Audrey was in a class of her own. She worked during the Golden ages of Hollywood and towards the end of the studio period. This was a time when the like of Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Fred Astair, and Grace Kelly where all active.
She unfortunately passed away at relatively young age and left behind 2 children who carried on her legacy. Her image has become an iconic piece of memorabilia, with posters, pictures, and canvases still across many households today and sold across many stores.
Much like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn had a defining look and was someone instantly recognisable by people around the world.
Were you an Audrey Hepburn fan? What other stars do you love? Let us know on Facebook, we’d love to hear from you!
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- The Journey information taken from The History Channel Website.
