Audrey Hepburn’s most appalling co-star: “He was mean about her, not to her”
Audrey Hepburn possessed such grace and elegance that she soon transcended her place in the industry as a talented star and became an icon, symbolic of kindness and humanitarianism. She was a gentle soul, it seemed, and her leading roles were simply unforgettable. Everyone knows Breakfast at Tiffany’s, with her black dress, updo, jewellery, and huge sunglasses, when Hepburn produced a defining fashion moment in cinema history.
Alongside the successful Blake Edwards film, which saw the actor sing a gorgeous rendition of ‘Moon River’ for the soundtrack, she also appeared in the likes of Roman Holiday, Sabrina, and Charade, all of which have endured as romantic classics. She was a fan of musical performances, too, lending herself to titles like Sabrina and My Fair Lady, which received acclaim. Yet, during the filming of the latter, the well-mannered and kind-hearted actor was brought face-to-face with someone who certainly didn’t match her own nature.
Believe it or not, it was her My Fair Lady co-star Rex Harrison that caused her grief. The actor was known for being quite the handful, with countless co-stars of his calling him a difficult man to be around. He was described as rude and selfish on many occasions, and it seemed like he had no issues with insulting people or letting his own negative opinions be known.
So, when it came to working with Hepburn, who couldn’t have been more different to him, a natural clash occurred. Not only did he find it hard to get on with Hepburn, but he also found it incredibly difficult to get on with Julie Andrews, who played the leading lady in the stage version of the story, which Harrison starred in. It appeared that he was annoyed by the fact that he wasn’t seen as the true star of either production. His ego was evidently too large.
According to Andre Previn, who worked on the film’s score, Harrison was not someone you wanted to get on the bad side of – or good side, for that matter. It seemed he was probably best just left alone. “He felt whatever fuss was made about Audrey or Julie was pointless, because nobody was interested in the girl. They were only interested in him,” he once said.
“Rex Harrison, who gave one of the most transcendental performances ever, was – and I don’t say this lightly – the most appalling human being I ever worked with. He was charming and funny and a great raconteur, but, Jesus Christ, what he did to people. Rex didn’t like Audrey very much. He was mean about her, not to her. That was very much more his style,” Previn added, highlighting just how callous Harrison could be.
The actor earned a ‘Best Actor’ Oscar for his performance in My Fair Lady; it seemed as though he was able to put his disdain for working with Hepburn aside to play the part to an award-winning standard. He was a complex man, evidently a horrible person to be around, but one who was also able to channel some incredible performances out of himself.
