Audrey Hepburn was one of the most successful actresses of her generation. She was born in Belgium in 1929, and moved to England with her family when she was young. She started her career as a model and dancer, before making her way into films.
She starred in a number of successful films during her career, including Roman Holiday, Sabrina, The Nun’s Story, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and My Fair Lady. She won an Academy Award for her role in Roman Holiday, and was also nominated for Oscars for her roles in The Nun’s Story and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Hepburn was also known for her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and she spent much of her time and energy working to improve the lives of children in developing countries. She died in 1993, at the age of 63.
Table of Contents:
1. Early Life
2. Career
3. Awards and Accolades
4. UNICEF Work
5. later Years and Death
6. Legacy
7. Top Audrey Hepburn Quotes
Early Life:
Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929, in Ixelles, Belgium. Her father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, was a British banker, and her mother, Ella van Heemstra, was a Dutch baroness.
Hepburn had a difficult childhood; her parents divorced when she was six, and she was sent to live with her grandparents in England. When her mother remarried, Hepburn was sent to a boarding school in England, where she was often bullied.
Despite the challenges of her early life, Hepburn developed a love of the arts. She studied ballet and acting, and appeared in a number of school productions.
Career:
Hepburn’s professional career began in 1948, when she was signed by a Dutch film director to star in his film Nederlands in 7 Lessen. The film was never completed, but Hepburn’s performance caught the attention of British agent Evelyn Stokes.
Stokes helped Hepburn get a contract with the British film studio Rank, and she made her film debut in the 1949 film One Wild Oat. She followed this with a number of small roles in British films, before being cast in the lead role of the 1951 film Young Wives’ Tale.
Hepburn’s big break came in 1953, when she was cast as Princess Anne in the film Roman Holiday. The film was a huge success, and Hepburn won an Academy Award for her performance.
Hepburn went on to star in a number of successful films during her career, including Sabrina (1954), The Nun’s Story (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), and My Fair Lady (1964). She won critical acclaim for her performances in all of these films, and was nominated for a total of five Academy Awards.
In addition to her work in films, Hepburn also appeared on stage and television. She made her Broadway debut in 1953, in the play Ondine. She also starred in the 1967 television special Funny Girl to a Friend.
Hepburn’s last film appearance was in the 1976 film Robin and Marian. She retired from acting after this film, and only made a few public appearances in the years that followed.
Awards and Accolades:
Hepburn was one of the most successful actresses of her generation, and was recognized with a number of awards and accolades during her career.
In addition to her Academy Award for Roman Holiday, Hepburn also won a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and a David di Donatello Award for her performance in the film.
She was also nominated for Oscars for her roles in The Nun’s Story and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. In addition, she won a Tony Award for her performance in the play Ondine.
Hepburn was also the recipient of a number of honorary awards. She was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992, and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1993.
UNICEF Work:
In addition to her work as an actress, Hepburn was also known for her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She first became involved with the organization in 1988, when she visited Thailand and Sudan to see the work that UNICEF was doing in those countries.
Hepburn was deeply moved by what she saw, and she dedicated the remainder of her life to working with UNICEF. She made numerous trips to developing countries, where she worked to raise awareness of the plight of children living in poverty.
Hepburn’s work with UNICEF came to an end in 1992, when she was diagnosed with cancer. She continued to work with the organization until her death in 1993.
Later Years and Death:
Hepburn was diagnosed with cancer in 1992, and she died from the disease on January 20, 1993, at her home in Switzerland. She was 63 years old.
At the time of her death, Hepburn was survived by her son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, and her daughter, Luca Dotti.
Legacy:
Hepburn was one of the most successful actresses of her generation, and her work both on and off the screen has left a lasting legacy.
She was known for her natural beauty, and for her ability to play both comedic and dramatic roles. In addition, her work with UNICEF helped to improve the lives of countless children around the world.
Hepburn’s legacy continues to be celebrated today. In 2006, she was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. In addition, a number of books and films about her life have been released in recent years.
Top Audrey Hepburn Quotes:
“Nothing is impossible; the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”– Audrey Hepburn
“There are certain shades of limelight that can wreck a girl’s complexion.”– Audrey Hepburn
“The greatest victory has been to be able to live with myself, to accept my shortcomings… I’m a long way from the human being I’d like to be. But I’ve decided I’m not so bad after all.”– Audrey Hepburn
“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to me without my ever seeking it.”– Audrey Hepburn
“My own life has been much more than a fairy tale. I’ve had my share of difficult moments, but whatever difficulties I’ve gone through, I’ve always gotten the prize at the end.”– Audrey Hepburn
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Your heart just breaks, that’s all. But you can’t judge or point fingers. You just have to be lucky enough to find someone who appreciates you.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Giving is living. If you stop wanting to give, there’s nothing more to live for.”– Audrey Hepburn
“You can always tell what kind of a person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you.”–Audrey Hepburn
“Whatever a man might do, whatever misery or heartache your children might give you – and they give you a lot – however much your parents irritate you – it doesn’t matter because you love them.”– Audrey Hepburn
“There must be something wrong with those people who think Audrey Hepburn doesn’t perspire, hiccup, or sneeze, because they know that’s not true. In fact, I hiccup more than most.’– Audrey Hepburn
“Look, whenever I hear or read I’m beautiful, I simply don’t understand it … I’m certainly not beautiful in any conventional way. I didn’t make my career on beauty.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it.”– Audrey Hepburn
“You can always tell what kind of a person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you.”–Audrey Hepburn
“It’s that wonderful old-fashioned idea that others come first and you come second. This was the whole ethic by which I was brought up. Others matter more than you do, so don’t fuss, dear; get on with it.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles.”– Audrey Hepburn
“The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries or the way she combs her hair.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Let’s face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I never think of myself as an icon. What is in other people’s minds is not in my mind. I just do my thing.”–Audrey Hepburn
“I was born with something that appealed to an audience at that particular time…I acted instinctively. I’ve had one of the greatest schools of all – a whole row of great, great directors.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering – because you can’t take it in all at once.”– Audrey Hepburn
“If my world were to cave in tomorrow, I would look back on all the pleasures, excitements and worthwhilenesses I have been lucky enough to have had. Not the sadness, not my miscarriages or my father leaving home, but the joy of everything else. It will have been enough.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I heard a definition once: Happiness is health and a short memory! I wish I’d invented it, because it is very true. The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.”–Audrey Hepburn
“Why change? Everyone has his own style. When you have found it, you should stick to it.”– Audrey Hepburn
“If we are meant to “love thy neighbor as theyself,” then surely we should love the world’s children as our own.”– Audrey Hepburn
“A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labor exploitation and disease, and given them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential.”– Audrey Hepburn
“We all want to be loved, don’t we? Everyone looks for a way of finding love. It’s a constant search for affection in every walk of life.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Not to live for the day, that would be materialistic — but to treasure the day. I realize that most of us live on the skin, on the surface, without appreciating just how wonderful it is simply to be alive at all.”– Audrey Hepburn
“You have to look at yourself objectively. Analyze yourself like an instrument. You have to be absolutely frank with yourself. Face your handicaps, don’t try to hide them. Instead, develop something else.”– Audrey Hepburn
“When the chips are down, you are alone, and loneliness can be terrifying. Fortunately, I’ve always had a chum I could call. And I love to be alone. It doesn’t bother me one bit. I’m my own company.”–Audrey Hepburn
“I tried always to do better: saw always a little further. I tried to stretch myself.”– Audrey Hepburn
“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a Woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she knows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Pick the day. Enjoy it – to the hilt. The day as it comes. People as they come… The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present, and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick. I believe in pink. I believe happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day, and… I believe in miracles.”– Audrey Hepburn
“The past, I think, has helped me appreciate the present – and I don’t want to spoil any of it by fretting about the future.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I have learnt how to live… how to be in the world and of the world, and not just to stand aside and watch.”– Audrey Hepburn
“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you’re exactly the same.”– Audrey Hepburn
” If I get married, I want to be very married.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I have to be alone very often. I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That’s how I refuel.”– Audrey Hepburn
“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it’s the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It’s probably the most important thing in a person.”– Audrey Hepburn
“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”– Audrey Hepburn
“Make-up can only make you look pretty on the outside but it doesn’t help if you’re ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the make-up.”– Audrey Hepburn
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