Happy birthday, Audrey Hepburn! Facts from the life and quotes of the iconic actress. Audrey Hepburn - interesting facts

Life of the Stars

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04.05.15 11:09

What does it take to become a Hollywood legend? Surviving a difficult childhood, and studying ballet in his youth. Star in several cult films, and then give your heart to the disadvantaged. It is also desirable (no matter how rude and cynical it may sound) - to die not of old age in your own bed, but while still a human being, full of energy, from an accident (or sudden fatal illness). All this was in the biography of Audrey Hepburn. We remember interesting facts about this unique actress in connection with the star’s next birthday.

Military youth deprived of dreams

The daughter of a Dutch aristocrat and an Irish financier, Audrey Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Ruston was born in the capital of Belgium, Brussels. It happened on May 4, 1929. Later the family moved to their mother’s homeland.

Her parents divorced when Audrey was still a baby: proud Ella did not forgive her husband for his infidelity. For my six-year-old daughter, this was a terrible shock. She did not forget dad and, having become a star, found Joseph in Dublin, already very old and in need, and helped him until the end of his life.

The Hepburn family suffered greatly during World War II. Ella's cousin and uncle were executed by the Nazis for helping the Resistance movement. Audrey herself was starving. But this did not stop her from taking part in concerts to raise money for anti-fascists (even then she was studying ballet).

Choreography classes (after graduating from the conservatory) continued in the British capital. But Marie Rambert, who studied with Audrey, honestly admitted that Hepburn’s physical characteristics (exhaustion during the occupation, tall height) were not suitable for ballet: being “the seventh swan in the third row” is possible, but she is unlikely to be trusted with solo parts. It was then that Audrey decided to become an actress.

Style icon: at the peak of popularity

After several not very noticeable roles (including the ballerina Nora from Secret People), success came - along with the incredible popularity of the film Roman Holiday. Having played the charming heir to the throne, Hepburn woke up as a star. No wonder Gregory Peck, who after filming became good friend actress, insisted that Audrey’s name be typed on the posters in the same font as his first and last name, already known to the public. He saw her as his equal and was right - yesterday’s debutante was awarded an Oscar for her role as Anna.

The acting was greatly helped by the fact that Hepburn was a polyglot. She knew English, Dutch, Italian, French and Spanish perfectly.

Audrey Hepburn was very lucky with her partners on the set. And if the famous Humphrey Bogart did not like the young star, then another actor from film crew"Sabrina" William Holden adored Audrey. Fred Astaire, Harry Cooper, Maurice Chevalier treated Hepburn in a fatherly manner, respected colleague Cary Grant, Rex Harrison, Peter O'Toole and Sean Connery, who starred with Hepburn already at the end of her career.

A huge place in Audrey Hepburn's life was occupied by the role of Holly from the melodrama Breakfast at Tiffany's. Her outfits, designed by fashion master Hubert de Givenchy, made the actress a style icon. Everyone especially admired the “new” little black dress, which, after filming the film, “survived” a rebirth. And Givenchy and the film’s star were now bound by friendly ties. Needless to say, the jewelers from Tiffany & Co profited handsomely after the premiere - people flocked to their stores.

Charming flower girl

Eliza the Flower Girl is another iconic role of Audrey Hepburn. Interesting fact: casting for this film (“My wonderful lady") turned into a real war. After all, another great artist, Julie Andrews, already saw herself as Eliza. She sang excellently and shone in the Broadway production of the musical. Moreover, her longtime partner in the play, Rex Harrison, had already been cast in the role of Higgins. But the producers chose Audrey. She herself begged Warner to change his mind and not offend Julie, but he was adamant: “It’s either you or Taylor.” And then Hepburn agreed.

She prepared for the role of Doolittle with all the fervor of her soul and performed everything vocal numbers herself. But the insidious filmmakers took it and spat in the actress’s soul: it’s not the star who sings in the movies, but Marni Nixon, famous singer. Having learned about this, Audrey already wanted to say goodbye to the project, but professionalism won over emotions. And for good reason: the film won 8 Oscars!

Helping hand

But after this resounding success, Audrey's career went downhill. The only successful project can be considered the crime comedy How to Steal a Million, filmed in 1966. But the historical drama based on British folklore, Robin and Marian, shows an already emaciated, aged Hepburn. Apparently the hunger took its toll teenage years– my health began to fail. And the fact that the actress smoked up to three packs of cigarettes a day speaks volumes.

Three marriages and two sons - this was the result of Audrey Hepburn’s personal life, but she was very successful in public good deeds. Remembering that during the war, representatives of the UN (“UNICEF”) gave her a helping hand, the actress made every effort to contribute to this noble endeavor. She became an ambassador for the organization and visited third world countries. Hepburn worked especially actively when the movie didn’t work out.

As an ambassador, the star visited not only African countries, but also traveled, for example, to Vietnam, seeking cooperation between UNICEF and the country's government on issues of immunization of children and the supply of drinking water to some regions.

Another angel

But the visit to Somalia in 1992 was for the ambassador Good will the last one. It was there that Hepburn first suffered terrible pain, but did not cancel the trip.

Upon returning, the doctors made a terrible diagnosis. An operation was performed, but it did not bear fruit. Cancer continued its destructive work, the actress burned out in a couple of months. In January 1993 she passed away. Gregory Peck gave a heartfelt speech over her coffin, and another colleague, Elizabeth Taylor, upon learning of Audrey's death, said: “God has another angel who knows what to do in heaven.”

In 2013, everyone was amazed by one video that was often shown on TV. The modern Galaxy chocolate bar was advertised by young Audrey Hepburn. Everyone was at a loss: what is this? Some very similar relative of the star or her double? It turns out that they helped “resurrect” the beauty for this project Newest technologies. Just a minute, without words or gestures. She just looked at us from the TV screen again and smiled lightly...

Hepburn was one of the most highly paid actresses cinema of its time

The actress had noble birth. Her mother held the title of Dutch Baroness.

Audrey loved my father more than her mother, because she was strict and never made concessions only daughter. Her parents divorced when the girl was still very young, which was a big blow for her. Many years later, Audrey found her father and supported him financially for the rest of her life.

Despite the strict measures of upbringing, the mother still loved Audrey deep down. So that after the war Audrey could study ballet at Olga Tarasova’s school, her baroness mother hired herself as a maid for a rich family.

The childhood of the future actress passed during the period German occupation . The girl had to go hungry, sometimes she ate several potatoes and chicory leaves a day. I even had to eat tulip bulbs. My uncle and cousin were shot brother was in a concentration camp.

Audrey Hepburn's weight did not exceed 48 kg. The prerequisites for this were laid in childhood, when the mother took away sweets from the child and said that a woman should have excess weight indecent.

Audrey's favorite fashion designer was Hubert de Givenchy

Audrey Hepburn knew many languages-French and Dutch were her native languages. She also spoke fluent English and Italian; explained herself in Spanish

The jewelry company TIFFANY & CO owes a lot to the actress. Fame came to this company only after the film " Breakfast at Tiffany's».

Despite her angelic appearance, Audrey had bad habits - I smoked three packs of cigarettes a day.

Audrey Hepburn was married three times and gave birth to two sons.

Holly Golightly, Princess Anne... and many other delightful images were given to us by Audrey Hepburn. She spoke about her unusual fate like this: “My life is like a fairy tale. I had difficult moments, but I always saw the light at the end of the tunnel."

Interesting facts about the life of Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993) - British actress, fashion model and humanitarian.

1. Her real name– Audrey Kathleen Ruston. Later, my father added Hepburn to his surname. At the beginning of her film career, producers suggested that she take a pseudonym so that she would not be confused with the famous Katharine Hepburn, but she flatly refused.

2. Both are Audrey's parents, the British banker and the Dutch baroness were Nazis. And Audrey is a World War II veteran and member of the Resistance group.

3. Despite strict educational measures, Mother still loved Audrey deep down. So that her daughter could practice ballet, she, a noblewoman by birth, got a job as a maid for a rich family.

4. Audrey's weight for the rest of her life with a height of 170 cm did not exceed 46 kg. This is due to impaired metabolism. During World War II, Audrey was starving and tried to survive by eating tulip bulbs and grass bread.

5. Remembered for life horrors of war, Hepburn began collaborating with UNICEF back in the 1950s and subsequently became their goodwill ambassador.

6. In the presence of Audrey no one ever used foul language. Men wrote that she was not a prude, but when she appeared it was impossible to use obscene language.

7. Actually Audrey studied to be a dental assistant before her meteoric film career.

8. Her first leading role became the image of the princess in “Roman Holiday” in 1953, for which she received an Oscar for Best Actress.

9. In 1961, already being a star, Audrey flared up even brighter, giving cinema and the world a classic of the genre - “Breakfast at Tiffany's”, where she played the incomparable Holly Golightly - a beauty who dreamed of a beautiful and prosperous life, and admired expensive jewelry in a jewelry store in the morning. The image created by Audrey became a kind of cult and an integral symbol of that time: the little black dress from Givenchy, which the actress wore, became incredibly fashionable.

10. Audrey was Givenchy's Muse. He created exclusive perfumes, clothes, and jewelry for her. And in 1957 he released new scent L’INTERDIT, which translates from French as “forbidden.”

11. Audrey Hepburn knew many languages ​​- English, French, Spanish, Italian and Dutch.

12. Died of cancer. During a trip to Somalia related to her charity work, she experienced severe stomach pain. But she didn’t tell anyone, because she was afraid that the program would be cancelled. Upon her return, she had surgery to remove a tumor from her colon, but it did not help.

13. On the day of her death Elizabeth Taylor said her famous phrase: “God has another angel.” Tens of thousands of children in the most different countries the world owe their health and life to her asceticism. For her work with UNICEF, Audrey Hepburn received one of highest awards USA - Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“I can be sexy just picking apples from a tree or standing in the rain!”

Her name sounds like an exquisite variety of rose, or maybe the name of a tart French wine, or maybe special kind coffee beans, always with the taste of raspberry truffles.

Audrey Hepburn - the standard of sophistication, grace, feminine charm, style, taste, charm... I can endlessly list the epithets.

Perhaps this is my favorite actress, since the days of the “My Fair Lady” salon on Nikitsky Boulevard, where I went to get a manicure when I was very young. In this salon they constantly played the films “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Roman Holiday”, and I dreamed of growing up and becoming like her.

1. With a height of 170 cm, she had amazing parameters: 34A breasts, a waist of only 51 cm and hips of 86.5 cm. Yes, now we know that the reason for her thinness was famine during the Second World War, but she stuck to a diet all her life. True, like all women, she had her weaknesses.;) Raspberry truffles. She bought a whole box of chocolates and stretched out this melt-in-the-mouth pleasure for two hours.

2. Her real name is Audrey Kathleen Ruston. Later, my father added Hepburn to his surname. At the beginning of her film career, producers asked her to take a pseudonym so as not to be confused with the famous Katharine Hepburn, but she flatly refused.

3. Few people may believe it, but as a child Audrey was very plump. But when her father left the family, her strict mother threw out a thoughtless phrase that he left them because she was fat. After that, Hepburn did not go near the refrigerator, and after a few months she was unrecognizable. From a pink-cheeked chick she turned into a reed.

4. Hepburn is also associated with the surname Funny case. Meeting Audrey and Hubert de Gevanchy. He was told that Hepburn would be coming to a fitting for the new film Sabrina. He was full of anticipation, trepidation and delight from meeting such a great actress. And the little-known Audrey arrived... Afterwards, of course, they were bound by a warm and strong friendship, until the end of their lives, until Audrey’s death.

5. Audrey was Givenchy's Muse. He created exclusive perfumes, clothes, and jewelry for her. And in 1957 he released a new fragrance, L "INTERDIT," which translates from French as "forbidden."

6. Audrey loved to knit and admitted that it calmed her down. Evidence of this are numerous photographs taken between takes.

7. Audrey was very complex about her height (after all, it was because of it and her poor health that she did not become a prima, although she really dreamed of becoming the second Anna Pavlova!) and... size 41 feet. Therefore, at her first meeting with Salvatore Ferragamo, the great shoemaker of Hollywood actresses, Audrey asked the master to make such elegant shoes that would turn her size 41 into graceful ballerina legs. Then Ferragamo first created thin-soled shoes with a rounded toe like pointe shoes, which he called ballerinas.

8. Audrey loved jazz and even during tours this passion did not leave her. She took records with her all over the world.

9. Audrey understood that it was impossible to rely on Hollywood; there was no stability in the acting profession. Moreover, having experienced fear, hunger and the loss of loved ones during the occupation, she wanted to play it safe. In the absence of acting success, she could work according to her first education: dentist.

10. Now we admire the thinness and grace of Audrey Hepburn. But few people know that due to such a physique, lack of fat and inability to gain weight, Audrey could not bear a child, and she had 4 miscarriages. But she really wanted to become a mother, and for this she even left her for a while. acting profession. The result of which was her two wonderful son.

11. Audrey’s face is familiar even to small children, because it was she who became the model for Disney’s Aurora.

12. Audrey smoked a terrifying amount of cigarettes - three packs a day! But, according to her, even this was sometimes not enough for her.

13. Audrey Hepburn was never a prude, but the actors with whom she worked said that it was impossible to use foul language in front of her.

14. The secret of charming makeup from Audrey Hepburn:

Black eyeliner, thickly colored eyelashes – and the cat-like look that so attracts men is guaranteed.

Do not overdo it with cosmetics - draw trust and femininity on your face, evoke a desire to protect and protect.

Do not pluck your eyebrows, just lightly, adding a little neatness. String eyebrows are a demonstration of bad taste. “Sable” eyebrows have always been in fashion; they add uniqueness and sophistication to the face.

Gather your hair into a bun, thereby exposing the long hair beautiful neck.

A silk scarf is an accessory that should be in every woman's wardrobe! A drop of perfume on the collarbone, a delicate scarf tied around the neck - and men will turn around in the wake of such a romantic young lady.

And, of course, small black dress- this is the most the best option for any party or gala evening.

15. And finally, the hottest fact for those who want to have the same chiseled figure as Audrey:

FOR BREAKFAST: two boiled eggs, one piece of wholemeal toast and a couple of cups of coffee with hot milk.

FOR LUNCH: cottage cheese and fruit salad or yogurt with raw vegetables.

FOR DINNER: preferably only meat and boiled vegetables.

Sincerely yours,

Veronica T.

P. S. If you liked the article and would really like the next 15 interesting and hot facts about your favorite actress (and maybe actor;), leave your comments with their names below. And maybe in the next post you will see your favorite actor 😉

Add your own joke!

On May 4, 1929, British and American actress, fashion model and the brightest cinema star of the twentieth century, Audrey Hepburn. The owner of a refined taste, she was not only beautiful woman, a great actress and fashion model, but also a humanitarian, for which she was awarded the Jean Hersholt Prize for helping humanity.
In honor of her 85th birthday, we invite you to read facts about the life and fate of the actress.

Audrey was born in 1929 in Brussels. Six years later, her parents, Joseph and Ella, divorced due to her husband's infidelity. Both of them, however, were on the same side of the barricades in their political affiliations - they supported the Nazis. Their fates turned out differently. Ella renounced her views after the Nazi occupation and helped the Dutch Resistance. Joseph was arrested in London in 1940, remained in prison until April 1945, and spent the rest of his life in Dublin.

And Audrey Hepburn was a World War II veteran. These are the facts. As a teenager, the girl survived the occupation of the city of Arnhem, where they then lived. Dreaming of becoming a ballerina, Audrey entered the conservatory. She, along with other children, gave private concerts that secretly raised money and information for Resistance groups - for which her uncle and cousin Ella, and my brother went through a German concentration camp. The rest of the time, Audrey lay in bed and read so as not to be bothered by hunger. From time to time it was possible to bake cakes and cookies, the flour for which was obtained from the ground bulbs of beautiful Dutch tulips.

After the end of the war, in 1948, Audrey Hepburn continued her education in London. Her teacher was Marie Rambert herself, whose student at one time was great dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. Soon Marie talked to Audrey and explained to her that she was a wonderful student and would become an outstanding ballerina, but a prima dancer because she was too tall and chronic malnutrition during the years of occupation - never. Her mother could hardly feed her family, and Audrey understood that she would have to earn money herself. It was very natural under these conditions to pursue a career as an actress.

Her first big role - in the film "Secret People" (1951) - was also naturally connected with ballet: she played a ballerina. Critics praised her youth and talent. Only three years passed - and a supernova broke out on the cinematic horizon, after “Roman Holiday” with Gregory Peck in the leading male role. It was Peck who ensured that Hepburn's name was printed as large as his own on the film posters - he declared that Audrey would win an Oscar. And so it happened!




Audrey Hepburn became the true face of Hollywood: audiences were most willing to watch films with her participation. Her partners were Fred Astaire (“Funny Face”), Maurice Chevalier and Harry Cooper (“Love in the Afternoon”), Cary Grant (“Charade”), Rex Harrison (“My Fair Lady”), Peter O'Toole (“How to steal a million"), Sean Connery ("Robin and Marian"). Many of them later became Audrey's friends. And the already mentioned Gregory Peck - true friend for life.




In 1961, Hepburn's supernova exploded even brighter, giving cinema and the world a classic of the genre - Breakfast at Tiffany's. The role of Holly Golightly has become a cult, an integral symbol of the 1960s. Audrey, among other things, became a trendsetter, giving a second life to the “little black dress” invented by Coco Chanel and making it a hit. This role gave her strong friendship with Hubert de Givenchy, fashion designer Jacqueline Kennedy. It is worth adding that the jewelry company Tiffany & Co literally woke up famous after the premiere of “Tomorrow at Tiffany’s” - thanks to Audrey Hepburn.

After 1967, the actress acted in films periodically, with varying degrees of success. Something clearly didn't fit the role for her. She refused something herself, and then regretted it. For a long time, my personal life did not improve. The last major role was in the stylish and bright film “They All Laughed” (1981). And the most recent is a cameo as an angel in the remake of “Always” (1989) and work with Steven Spielberg’s Master.


Audrey Hepburn never forgot that in early youth The newly formed UN Children's Fund UNICEF saved her from starvation. Returning the debt, she from the very beginning of her stellar career actively collaborated with him. At first she appeared on radio broadcasts, and after finishing her film career, she insisted that she be appointed a special ambassador for the organization. Tens of thousands of children in different countries of the world owe their health and lives to her asceticism. For her work within UNICEF, Audrey Hepburn received one of the highest awards in the United States - the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Audrey devoted all her strength to this work, but they were in no hurry to return. In September 1992, during a trip to Somalia, Hepburn began to experience serious problems with health. The operation seemed to be successful, but the disease progressed rapidly. Audrey Hepburn literally burned out in a month and a half, and left this world forever on January 20, 1993. Upon learning of her death, the great Elizabeth Taylor could not hold back her tears. She said, “The Lord God has another beautiful angel who knows what to do in heaven.”


In 2013, the hearts of millions of fans of 20th century cinema trembled. The advertising for Galaxy chocolate featured their conqueror, who just had to look at the screen and not say anything. Unique Computer techologies They resurrected, even if only for one minute of a commercial, Audrey Hepburn.