Audrey Hepburn was one of the most iconic stars in movie history. Every role she had, she stole the show. Whether it was her smile or accent, Audrey Hepburn was the standard for beauty in the Golden Age of Hollywood. Her acting was incredible too. With roles like Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany's, Charade and many more, Hepburn established herself as one of the most iconic actresses in movie history. We continue our new series on The Movie Nerds with a look into the life of Audrey Hepburn and how she became the most iconic actress of our time.
Audrey Hepburn was born May 4th, 1929 in Ixelles, Belguim. Before beginning her career as an actress, she was a ballet dancer. During World War II, her family was uprooted to many locations in Europe. This affected Hepburn profoundly and she used her experiences from that time in her acting.
Hepburn's big break didn't come until 1953 when she starred in Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck. The film was directed by William Wyler. This is arguably Hepburn's best role as she plays a princess looking to escape her royal duties for one day. Hepburn became a megastar after the film's release and won an Academy Award for Best Actress. Hepburn showed her acting skills in the film and she also showed her beauty. Her next film was Sabrina starring her and Humphrey Bogart. This began a long list of Hepburn romantic films with men much older than her. Hepburn made several films with men much older than her but the films still work because of Hepburn and her personality on screen.
Hepburn was perfect for romantic films because she was so believable. In every one of those roles, you knew why the guy fell in love with her. She was like the girl next door in most of her films. I remember watching her for the first time in Roman Holiday. I have always heard of the film as being one of the best romantic films of all time. Once the film was over, I agreed with the statement of this film being one of the best romantic films of all time and I had a new crush in Audrey Hepburn.
As time went on, Hepburn's iconic status only got bigger. Whether it's her fashion or her roles, Hepburn became one of the most famous people on the planet. Her star reached its peak in 1961 when Breakfast at Tiffany's was released. Breakfast at Tiffany's cemented Hepburn as a film legend. She played a different character than the ones she usually did. In this film, she was a rich snob with fancy clothing. Hepburn's acting range was shown in this film and her singing voice was also on display. This film has remained relevant in pop culture which speaks to Hepburn and the film itself.
Another film Hepburn shines in is Charade starring her and Cary Grant. I talked about this film in my article about Cary Grant but now I will talk about it from Hepburn's point of view. Hepburn in the film has never been funnier. Her banter with Cary Grant in the beginning of the film is great. As the film goes on, Grant breaks down her barriers and turns Hepburn's character to the girl next door type of characters we've seen in her past films. This is Hepburn's best film with a male costar much older than her because it didn't feel like Hepburn was interacting with a much older man. The love story was real and the suspense and mystery made this film "the best film Hitchcock never made."
After Hepburn's career was over, she remained active doing charity work with UNICEF. In her role with UNICEF, Hepburn would take trips all over the world to help people in need. Her charity work with UNICEF was her most important role. Not only was Hepburn a fashion icon and great actress, she was a great person too. This only increases her iconic status and the legacy she left on the world.
Audrey Hepburn will go down as one of the most iconic figures in movie history. Not only was she beautiful, she was one of the best actresses of her time. She made every film she was in better. Whether that was a love story, musical, or drama, Hepburn owned every role she played. She influenced many actresses today with her fashion and acting ability. Hepburn will always be remembered for the contributions to the film industry.
What do you think of Audrey Hepburn's legacy? Leave it in the comments below.
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