Interviewee: Audrey Hepburn
Interviewer: Barbara Walters
Date: March 1989

Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. Her father was a rich English banker while her mother was a Dutch baroness. After the divorce of her parents, her father left their family. She then went to London where she attended a private boarding school for girls from 1935 to 1938.

In 1939, they moved back to the Netherlands where she attended the Arnhem Conservatory until 1945. Hepburn took ballet dancing lessons in Amsterdam and later on, in London. She eventually pursued a career in acting where she played a part in the European film Nederlands in 7 Lessen in 1948. She then appeared in Young Wives’ Tale in 1951, and in some films where she landed minor roles. Also in the same year, Hepburn landed a lead role in the Broadway play, Gigi.

Her big break finally came when she starred in the motion picture Roman Holiday in 1953, which earned her an Oscar award for Best Actress in 1954, and a Golden Globe Award for the same role.

Audrey Hepburn appeared in many films including Funny Face, Sabrina, Love in the Afternoon, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Nun’s Story, Charade, and My Fair Lady. Hepburn is one of the few celebrities who has won a Grammy, an Emmy, a Tony, and an Oscar Award.

She won her Tony Award as Best Actress for Ondine in 1954, while she got her Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children in 1993, and her Emmy Award in 1993 for Outstanding Individual Achievement – Informational Programming.

In 1990, she was chosen as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People Magazine. When Audrey Hepburn, was interviewed by Barbara Walters, she was very modest about her beauty. She told Barbara Walters “”My look is attainable. Women can look like Audrey Hepburn by flipping out their hair, buying the large glasses and the little sleeveless dresses.”

Audrey Hepburn also served as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF and traveled to a number of countries. She married American actor Mel Ferrer and their marriage lasted for 14 years. She then married Andrea Dotti and their marriage lasted for 13 years. She ultimately got involved with Robert Wolders, and they lived together until the time of her death in 1993 due to abdominal cancer.