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 Ixelles, Brussels.
- 1944Survives the Dutch Hunger Winter in and around Arnhem.
- 1951Colette casts her as Gigi on Broadway.
- 1953Academy Award for Roman Holiday. She is twenty-four.
- 1954Sabrina. Givenchy. A Tony for Ondine.
- 1961Breakfast at Tiffany's. The still the world still carries.
- 1964My Fair Lady. The picture is a hit; the singing is largely dubbed.
- 1967Wait Until Dark. She leaves the studio grind.
- 1980Life with Robert Wolders. Home is La Paisible in Tolochenaz.
- 1988UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. The second career begins.
- 1991Gardens of the World for PBS — the work she loved late.
- 1992Last field mission, Somalia.
- 1993Dies at La Paisible, Tolochenaz. She is sixty-three.
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