Truman Capote originally wanted Marilyn Monroe for ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’
The image of Audrey Hepburn wearing a floor-length black dress, her neck adorned with a mountain of pearls, and her black-gloved hands clasping a croissant has been immortalised in Hollywood iconography. This is how we meet Holly Golightly, stepping out of a yellow taxi to peer into the windows of Tiffany and Co. during the opening scene of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Released in 1961, Blake Edward’s romantic comedy gave Hepburn her career-defining role, which earned the actor an Academy Award nomination. Although the character of Holly Golightly has become synonymous with Hepburn, compared to Truman Capote’s 1958 novella, her casting couldn’t be less accurate. The actor, born to a Dutch noblewoman, and trained in ballet, symbolised elegance and grace. In contrast, Capote’s characterisation of Holly in his novella is worlds apart.
Of course, the industry often requires actors to play roles that are entirely different to themselves. However, the symbol of Hepburn, an icon of subdued glamour and chic, transferred itself onto the character of Holly when the actor brought her to life in the film adaptation. Because of Hepburn’s on-screen presence, Edward’s adaptation of the story has become infinitely more loved than Capote’s novella. As Holly, she is at her most desirable to watch – embodying both glamourousness and effortlessness, such as when we see her wake up and throw on an oversized men’s shirt.
Yet, in Capote’s story, Holly is described as having experienced much strife before moving to New York, even labelled a “hillbilly”. In Texas, after escaping cruel foster parents, she was taken in by Doc Golightly, who married the child when she was 14. Born Lulamae, the young girl changed her name to Holly and moved away, sustaining herself by dating rich men, although just how she acquires money is never explicitly stated. Her story parallels that of Marilyn Monroe in many ways, which is why Capote, a close friend of the star, wanted her to play Holly, not Hepburn.
Monroe, like Holly, was born with a much less glamorous name – Norma Jeane. The pair were both orphans who grew up in Depression-era America, exploited and dependent on older men. Both were sexually abused as children, and when counting how many lovers she’s had, Holly says, “Anything that happened before I was 13, because, after all, that just doesn’t count”. Furthermore, Holly is described as having “strands of albino-blonde and yellow hair”, “large eyes, a little blue, a little green,” and an upturned nose – almost precisely like Monroe.
Despite Capote’s insistence on casting the Hollywood icon, with screenwriter George Axelrod hired to “tailor the screenplay for Monroe,” the actor turned down the role. She took the advice of her acting coach Paula Strasberg, who suggested that Monroe shouldn’t play a “lady of the evening” as this could damage her reputation. This is fascinating, as, despite allusions to Holly being a prostitute, her character retains an air of innocence and is devoid of overt sexuality. If Monroe, who was consistently hyper-sexualised by Hollywood, had been cast, the characterisation of Holly would be completely different.
Capote was unhappy with the casting decision and was quoted saying: “Paramount double-crossed me in every way and cast Audrey.” Nevertheless, it is hard to imagine anyone other than Hepburn in the role of Holly Golightly, who became best known for her portrayal of the character. Still, it is interesting to imagine a version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Monroe taking the lead.
