Audrey Audrey HepburnHepburn

Mikhail NokhovMikhail Nokhov

Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She Brussels, Belgium. She really was blue-blood from really was blue-blood from the beginning with her the beginning with her father, a wealthy English father, a wealthy English banker, and her mother, a banker, and her mother, a Dutch baroness. After her Dutch baroness. After her parents divorced, Audrey parents divorced, Audrey went to London with her went to London with her mother where she went to mother where she went to a private girls school. a private girls school. Later, when her mother Later, when her mother moved back to the moved back to the Netherlands, she attended Netherlands, she attended private schools as well. private schools as well. While vacationing with her While vacationing with her mother in Arnhem, mother in Arnhem, Holland, Hitler's army took Holland, Hitler's army took over the town.over the town.

It was here that she fell It was here that she fell on hard times during the on hard times during the Nazi occupation. Audrey Nazi occupation. Audrey suffered from depression suffered from depression and malnutrition. After and malnutrition. After the liberation, Audrey the liberation, Audrey went to a ballet school in went to a ballet school in London on a scholarship London on a scholarship and later began a and later began a modeling career. As a modeling career. As a model, she was graceful model, she was graceful and, it seemed, she had and, it seemed, she had found her niche in life - found her niche in life - until the film producers until the film producers came calling. After being came calling. After being spotted modeling by a spotted modeling by a producer, she was signed producer, she was signed to a bit part in the to a bit part in the European film European film Nederland’s in 7 lessen Nederland’s in 7 lessen (1948) in 1948. (1948) in 1948.

Later, she had a Later, she had a speaking role in the speaking role in the 1951 film, Young Wives' 1951 film, Young Wives' Tale (1951) as Eve Tale (1951) as Eve Lester. The part still Lester. The part still wasn't much, so she wasn't much, so she headed to America to try headed to America to try her luck there. Audrey her luck there. Audrey gained immediate gained immediate prominence in the US prominence in the US with her role in Roman with her role in Roman Holiday (1953) in 1953. Holiday (1953) in 1953. This film turned out to This film turned out to be a smashing success be a smashing success as she won an Oscar as as she won an Oscar as Best Actress. This gained Best Actress. This gained her enormous popularity her enormous popularity and more plum roles. and more plum roles.

One of the reasons for One of the reasons for her popularity was the her popularity was the fact that she was so elf-fact that she was so elf-like and had class, unlike like and had class, unlike the sex-goddesses of the the sex-goddesses of the time. Roman Holiday time. Roman Holiday (1953) was followed by (1953) was followed by another similarly another similarly wonderful performance wonderful performance in the 1957 classic Funny in the 1957 classic Funny Face (1957). Sabrina Face (1957). Sabrina (1954), in 1954, for which (1954), in 1954, for which she received another she received another Academy nomination, and Academy nomination, and Love in the Afternoon Love in the Afternoon (1957), in 1957, also (1957), in 1957, also garnered rave reviews.garnered rave reviews.

In 1959, she received In 1959, she received yet another nomination yet another nomination for her role in The for her role in The Nun's Story (1959). Nun's Story (1959). Audrey reached the Audrey reached the pinnacle of her career pinnacle of her career when she played Holly when she played Holly Golightly in the Golightly in the delightful film delightful film Breakfast at Tiffany's Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) in 1961. For this (1961) in 1961. For this she received another she received another nomination. She scored nomination. She scored commercial success commercial success again in the espionage again in the espionage caper Charade (1963). caper Charade (1963).

One of Audrey's most One of Audrey's most radiant roles was in the radiant roles was in the fine production of My fine production of My Fair Lady (1964) in Fair Lady (1964) in 1964. Her co-star, Rex 1964. Her co-star, Rex Harrison, once was Harrison, once was asked to identify his asked to identify his favorite leading lady. favorite leading lady. Without hesitation, he Without hesitation, he replied, "Audrey replied, "Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady.'" After a couple of Lady.'" After a couple of other movies, most other movies, most notably Two for the notably Two for the Road (1967), she hit pay Road (1967), she hit pay dirt and another dirt and another nomination in 1967's nomination in 1967's Wait Until Dark (1967). Wait Until Dark (1967).

By the end of the sixties, By the end of the sixties, after her divorce from after her divorce from actor Mel Ferrer, Audrey actor Mel Ferrer, Audrey decided to retire while decided to retire while she was on top. Later she was on top. Later she married Dr. Andrea she married Dr. Andrea Dotti. From time to time, Dotti. From time to time, she would appear on the she would appear on the silver screen. One film of silver screen. One film of note was Robin and note was Robin and Marian (1976), with Marian (1976), with Sean Connery in 1976. Sean Connery in 1976. In 1988, Audrey became In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador to a special ambassador to the United Nations the United Nations UNICEF fund helping UNICEF fund helping children in Latin children in Latin America and Africa, a America and Africa, a position she retained position she retained until 1993. until 1993.

She was named to She was named to People's magazine as People's magazine as one of the 50 most one of the 50 most beautiful people in the beautiful people in the world. Her last film was world. Her last film was Always (1989) in 1989. Always (1989) in 1989. Audrey Hepburn died on Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993 in January 20, 1993 in Tolochnaz, Switzerland, Tolochnaz, Switzerland, from colon cancer. She from colon cancer. She had made a total of 31 had made a total of 31 high quality movies. Her high quality movies. Her elegance and style will elegance and style will always be remembered always be remembered in film history as in film history as evidenced by her being evidenced by her being named in Empire named in Empire magazine's "The Top magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All 100 Movie Stars of All Time."Time."