The director Audrey Hepburn always wanted to work with again: “I’d be right back”
There’s a common misconception about major Hollywood stars, who are too often seen as big, larger-than-life characters with bags of confidence. Audrey Hepburn might be one of those names, but she also exuded quiet confidence and grace in her introverted personality.
Her name alone has become one associated with the most mythologised of stories, especially when looking at the disconnect between her image and her characters, and how she actually was as a person. It makes sense why Hepburn’s legacy has become its own beast, but behind the scenes, the actor was considerably reserved, preferring to let her work do the talking instead.
Many current stars have named Hepburn as a major inspiration, and whenever there’s cause for comparison, it’s like catching a shooting star. Take a look at what happened to Natalie Portman when she leaned into her associations with Hepburn’s iconic Holly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Portman’s comparisons to the late star began the moment she started landing major roles, culminating in one perfect moment of address when she adorned the cover of Harper’s Bazaar in 2006.
Wearing similar attire, Portman said she felt “very elegant”, but that anybody thinking she was a match as far as talent goes was surely kidding themselves. “I mean, you can’t possibly measure up to Audrey Hepburn,” she said. “But the elegance that she exuded was transmitted to the dress, you know, the feeling, the emotion of it.”
That elegance is usually what Hepburn saw as extended from her own introverted character. In fact, playing her iconic character in the Blake Edwards classic was one of the biggest challenges she ever encountered, mainly because Holly was so confident. As she once told her agent, Kurt Frings, “Holly is so contrary to me. She frightens me. This part called for an extroverted character. I am an introvert.”
Hepburn always had a sense of uncertainty, or what is more commonly known as imposter syndrome nowadays. It might be hard to believe, but it’s also one of the reasons why she almost didn’t take up the offer to appear in her final film role, Steven Spielberg’s Always. In fact, people had largely thought she was done, making her appearance a welcome surprise among fans and the film community alike.
Her decision turned out to be the right one, especially after realising that she enjoyed herself so much that she wouldn’t think twice about working with Spielberg again. As she reflected, “I loved it, and I wouldn’t mind if he asked me again, like next summer. I’d be right back. I had really one of the best times of my life.”
The feeling was mutual, too. Spielberg also said that getting the chance to work with Hepburn was one of the highlights of his career, likely because he’d also written her a letter to get her on board, not knowing if she’d actually say yes, but having a slight hunch that she wouldn’t. When she did, he couldn’t believe how lucky he was, a feeling that probably intensified over time, when he realised it had been her final acting stint before passing away.
Still, she brought the same enchanting energy to the role that she always had, leaving her mark with the familiar goddamn magnetism she left behind. Although it was a very minor role, she left a lasting impression, carrying the same quiet confidence and elegance that became one of the most defining parts of her career, even if, deep down, all it was was simple uncertainty in her own capabilities.
