Audrey Hepburn
“A gamine elegance that redefined screen beauty, then a conscience that turned stardom toward service.”
Plucked from minor roles, Hepburn starred as a runaway princess in 'Roman Holiday' (1953) and won the Best Actress Oscar for her very first major Hollywood film. Her gamine elegance instantly redefined screen beauty. The role launched one of cinema's most beloved careers.
Early Life
Born in Brussels in 1929 to an aristocratic Dutch mother, Hepburn endured wartime hardship in occupied Holland. She trained as a ballet dancer before turning to acting.
Rise to Stardom
Colette personally chose her for Broadway's 'Gigi,' and 'Roman Holiday' (1953) won her an Oscar. Her slim elegance and Givenchy wardrobe made her a global style icon.
Legacy
From 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' to 'My Fair Lady,' she remained a beloved leading lady. In later life she devoted herself to UNICEF humanitarian work until her death in 1993.
Career Timeline
- 1929Born Audrey Kathleen Ruston in Brussels, Belgium
- 1944Endures Dutch famine under Nazi occupation
- 1951Cast as the lead in Broadway's 'Gigi'
- 1953Wins Best Actress Oscar for 'Roman Holiday'
- 1954Stars in 'Sabrina'; begins Givenchy collaboration
- 1961Defines style as Holly Golightly in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'
- 1964Plays Eliza Doolittle in 'My Fair Lady'
- 1988Becomes a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
- 1993Dies of cancer at 63 in Switzerland
Biggest Hits
- As a teenager in Nazi-occupied Holland she suffered severe malnutrition, an experience that later drew her to UNICEF.
- She is one of few performers to win the EGOT components: an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
The Moment You Remember
She steps from a taxi at dawn on Fifth Avenue, coffee and pastry in hand, gazing into the window of Tiffany's in a black dress and pearls. In that single opening image from Breakfast at Tiffany's, an entire idea of modern glamour was born.
Portrait: Bud Fraker (Paramount Pictures) · Public Domain · via Wikimedia Commons