The role that terrified Audrey Hepburn to death: “I am an introvert”
It’s mad to think that some actors ever doubted roles that would become one of their most defining, but not every character reads on paper how they are eventually played. Audrey Hepburn was terrified of the part that cemented her icon status, initially finding herself “frightened”.
Hepburn’s career began in the late 1940s, but it was 1953’s Roman Holiday that allowed her to be internationally adored. Her performance well and truly kicked off her career – the actor’s charm sitting perfectly alongside Gregory Peck, who ensured that Hepburn’s name was billed equally with his, even though he was a much bigger star.
He was simply blown away by Hepburn’s performance and didn’t think she deserved anything less, and his gesture demonstrated just how goddamn captivating she was. Anyone could see she was destined for stardom, but the extent of that fame was something nobody could have imagined at that time.
Roman Holiday was followed by other popular roles in films like Sabrina and Funny Face, but her leading part in Breakfast at Tiffany’s was what really sealed the deal. The image of Hepburn in her black dress, big sunglasses, pearls and jewels adorning her neck, and gloves covering her hands holding a croissant has become era-defining.
Even if you’ve never seen the film, you’ll have seen pictures of Hepburn as Holly Golightly countless times; it’s an iconic pop cultural symbol, just as common as Andy Warhol’s Monroe prints. Images of Hepburn as her character, using a cigarette holder, are literally some of the most commonly found prints you can find in homeware shops and student houses – trust me, I’ve seen my fair share.
This defining role, featuring Hepburn’s delightful rendition of ‘Moon River’, might be her greatest, but she really wasn’t sure she was right for the part. The issue was, Hepburn initially couldn’t identify with the character of Holly Golightly, who was conjured up by Truman Capote in his 1958 novella of the same name.
In fact, she wasn’t the first choice at all; Capote wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the part. While the screen icon was known for being a sex symbol, Hepburn represented a much more gamine sensibility that contrasted with Monroe, and it was Monroe who Capote thought represented Holly much better. Yet, she wasn’t interested in the role, so the script eventually landed in the hands of Hepburn, which Capote didn’t like one fucking bit.
The pressure was on; Holly was nothing like Hepburn, and she didn’t think she had the chops to pull off such a strikingly different character. Talking to her agent Kurt Frings, she once said (via Audrey Hepburn by Barry Parris), “Holly is so contrary to me. She frightens me. This part called for an extroverted character. I am an introvert.”
Frings reportedly said, “When Audrey saw the finished print, she made no bones about being proud of herself. She said to me, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever done, because it was the hardest.’”
Breakfast at Tiffany’s was obviously a fucking triumph, and despite the fact that Hepburn had to try to embody a character that was way more confident and loud than she, the star managed to pull it off. She was a fantastic actor, after all.
