Audrey Hepburn bio, age and cause of death, height, family, children

Audrey Hepburn's Biography

Audrey Hepburn was a legendary British actress and style icon who perfectly captured timeless femininity with her graceful presence. She's rightfully considered one of Hollywood's most genuine and authentic actresses. After winning the Oscar in 1954 for "Roman Holiday," Audrey later received the award again in 1993 for her humanitarian efforts.

Military Childhood

Audrey Kathleen Ruston was born on May 4, 1929, in Brussels, Belgium, into a cosmopolitan aristocratic family. Her mother, Baroness Ella Van Heemstra, was Dutch, while her father, banker Joseph Hepburn, had English and Austrian heritage. Audrey's maternal lineage included French nobility and English civil servants. Audrey had two half-brothers from her mother's first marriage, Alexander and Jan Van Ufford.

When Audrey was just 6 years old, her parents divorced, and she moved with her mother to London. Determined to give her daughter a proper education, Ella Van Heemstra enrolled Audrey in a private girls' school. They soon relocated to Arnhem in the Netherlands, where Ella's father served as mayor.

In the 1930s, both of Hepburn's parents initially supported Nazi ideology, but after witnessing the occupation of European countries, Ella Van Heemstra completely rejected her previous beliefs and joined the Resistance.

Audrey Hepburn with her father and mother

Audrey adored her kind, gentle father, and his abandonment became the most devastating event of her life, as she later revealed in her memoirs. "My father and mother had almost no time for me. I felt that nobody needed me, and I spent my whole life doubting it could be any different. Chocolate was my only love, and it never let me down."

When the Nazi occupation began, Audrey and her mother were living in the Netherlands. Having an English name made it dangerous to remain in occupied territory, so Audrey had to change her passport name to Edda Van Heemstra. During the brutal "Hunger Winter" of 1944, life became especially harsh for Arnhem's residents. Audrey endured severe malnutrition that damaged her metabolism permanently – effects that would plague her for the rest of her life.

The devastating hunger and trauma Audrey endured during the occupation left her with lifelong health issues: anemia, respiratory problems, and depression. But she never complained: "As long as a child has the bare minimum, they can be completely happy. I remember we still had fun. We didn't just sit around crying for five straight years. Of course, there was always that shadow of fear and oppression, and terrible things did happen..."

During the occupation, books and dance lessons helped Audrey survive the hunger – and it was then she discovered her passion for ballet. In 1945, after moving to Amsterdam, Audrey began taking ballet lessons. In London, she trained under the legendary Marie Rambert, who admired the graceful young dancer's progress but warned that at 5'7", Audrey was too tall to become a prima ballerina.

Financial survival became desperate for Audrey's family – the war had left them completely broke, forcing the aristocratic Ella to work as a nurse in humiliating conditions. That's when Audrey decided to try her luck in acting. Little did she know just how life-changing that decision would prove to be.

Acting Career

Audrey started making her own money by acting in commercials, modeling, and dancing in the corps de ballet. Director Charles van der Linden spotted her during one of the shoots and soon invited the charming and graceful young woman to play a minor role as a stewardess in the film "Dutch in Seven Lessons" (1948). Thus began Audrey Hepburn's acting career.

In 1951, Audrey played minor roles in the films "Laughter in Paradise", "Young Wives' Tale", "The Lavender Hill Mob" and a supporting role in both the English and French versions of the comedy "Monte Carlo Baby". During the filming of the last movie, she had a fateful meeting with Sidonie Colette, who saw in her the perfect heroine for her novel "Gigi" and invited Audrey to star in the Broadway production.

A scene from the movie 'Laughter in Paradise'

The incredibly successful production of "Gigi" on Broadway proved what everyone already knew - that a brilliant acting career in America often starts on the stage. In 1953, Audrey co-starred with Hollywood legend Gregory Peck in the melodrama "Roman Holiday," directed by William Wyler, which endeared her to audiences worldwide.

Audrey Hepburn starred in the melodrama 'Roman Holiday' which made her beloved by the whole world

The role of Princess Ann, who wanted to experience life as an ordinary girl in the Eternal City, seemed tailor-made for Audrey - a charming young woman who was aristocratic by both blood and upbringing, yet completely without pretense or affectation. Hepburn burst onto the Hollywood scene and was immediately embraced - at just 24, the actress won her first Oscar.

The studio planned to feature Peck's name in large letters on the movie poster, with Hepburn's name modestly placed beneath it. But Peck himself insisted on equal billing, having already foreseen Audrey's global success with this role.

Audrey Hepburn Wins Best Actress: 1954 Oscars

Here's another fascinating detail: Audrey's screen tests for the role of Princess Ann have become legendary. The filmmakers actually fell in love with the actress after "Cut!" was called - she relaxed, became herself, and then charmed everyone with her natural charisma.

Audrey Hepburn charmed everyone with her charisma

The actress's next role was in the melodrama "Sabrina" (1954), where Audrey starred alongside Humphrey Bogart and once again received an Oscar nomination. Later, Audrey starred in the play "Ondine", where she met her future husband Mel Ferrer. That same year, Hepburn won the Tony Award for her stage performance, cementing her reputation as a brilliant film and theater actress.

Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart on the set of 'Sabrina'

She followed up with major successes including "War and Peace" (1956), where Hepburn played Natasha Rostova, "Love in the Afternoon" (1957) directed by Billy Wilder, and "The Nun's Story" (1959).

The role of Natasha Rostova earned Audrey the highest paycheck of her career up to that point. Beyond the $350,000 base salary, she received 1/12 of that amount for each week of overtime, plus $500 daily for personal expenses and a round-the-clock personal driver. When Audrey's agent broke the news about these incredible numbers, she reportedly said: "But that's impossible, I'm not worth that much!"

In 1960, she starred in John Huston's Western drama "The Unforgiven," about frontier conflicts with Native Americans. Her next iconic role came as the enchanting Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'

Her portrayal of a cunning yet vulnerable young woman chasing dreams in New York captivated audiences worldwide. The film's final scene became absolutely unforgettable. Once again, Audrey cemented her status as a style icon – her little black Givenchy dress, wide-brimmed hat, and cigarette holder became timeless symbols of elegance and sophistication. Hepburn called it both the most vibrant and most challenging role of her career, requiring the naturally introverted actress to channel pure extroversion.

Audrey Hepburn became a style icon for millions of women

1964 brought another cinematic triumph with the musical "My Fair Lady," directed by George Cukor and based on Bernard Shaw's play, followed in 1966 by the crime caper "How to Steal a Million" directed by William Wyler – both instant classics. Hepburn ventured into new territory with the psychological thriller "Wait Until Dark" (1967), playing a blind woman in peril.

'How to Steal a Million': Audrey Hepburn and Peter O'Toole

At the height of her stardom in 1967, Audrey Hepburn stepped away from Hollywood, returning a decade later for a handful of final films. Her last work was a collaboration with Steven Spielberg in the film "Always" (1989).

Personal Life of Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn met actor William Holden on the set of "Sabrina" and they soon began dating, despite his marriage. When Hepburn discovered that Holden couldn't have children due to a vasectomy, she made the difficult decision to end their relationship—motherhood was too important to her.

While working on the play "Ondine", Audrey met actor Mel Ferrer and soon married him. The couple's wedding took place in Switzerland, where Audrey was receiving treatment for asthma.

"Audrey is a creature of nature in an artificial world. She's honest and completely without cunning. No amount of fame will ever change her. That's why I fell in love with her," said Mel Ferrer.

In 1960, the young actress gave birth to a son, Sean. She was overjoyed—her fragile health had made pregnancy difficult before. Audrey continued working with her husband in films, but he couldn't handle her overwhelming success, and after 15 years, they divorced.

The divorce from Ferrer hit her so hard that she sought psychiatric help. That's when she stepped away from acting. Her doctor, Italian Andrea Dotti, soon became her second husband, and in 1970 Audrey gave birth to another son, Luca.

The wedding of Audrey Hepburn and Andrea Dotti

She bought a small villa in the Swiss village of Tolochenaz, which they named La Paisible (The Tranquil). Audrey did most of the housework herself, especially the cooking—following her mother's example, a baroness who wasn't afraid of hard work during tough times. She later moved to Italy with Sean, but always considered Tolochenaz her true home.

She nearly quit acting altogether, finding happiness in time spent with her sons and husband. Quiet family evenings watching TV brought her more joy than glamorous parties and camera flashes. Audrey often repeated the phrase: "What makes me happy, I keep. What doesn't matter to me, I forget." The only shadow over her happiness was her husband's constant infidelity. After ten years of marriage, Hepburn filed for divorce. At 50, Audrey finally found lasting love. She found it with Dutch actor Robert Wolders (born 1936), who stayed by her side until the end.

Robert Wolders – Audrey Hepburn's last love

Public Activity

In the 70s, Audrey Hepburn shifted from acting to charity work, becoming a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador—the same organization that had helped her as a child during World War II.

In the 70s, Audrey Hepburn turned to charity work instead of her acting career

Hepburn's multilingual abilities—she spoke French, English, Spanish, Italian, and Dutch—made it easy for her to connect with people from different countries.

The actress recalled: "I saw tiny mountain communities, slums, and informal settlements somehow getting water supply systems for the first time, and that miracle was UNICEF".

Death

Hepburn threw herself completely into charity work, eventually neglecting her fragile health. During a trip to Somalia, Audrey experienced severe stomach pains, but she pushed through because she didn't want the entire program canceled on her account. When she returned, it was too late - doctors diagnosed her with colon cancer that had already spread to surrounding organs.

With nothing more to be done, she chose to spend her final days peacefully with her family. Audrey Hepburn passed away on January 20, 1993. She was laid to rest in Tolochenaz, Switzerland.

"She started her career in a Givenchy dress and ended it in a simple t-shirt and jeans. And she did that with everything that surrounded her. She simplified," her younger son would later say in an interview.

Memory and Heirs

Audrey's eldest son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, never wanted to become an actor after watching his parents' constantly demanding film careers. His brief acting career consisted of just one minor role in "They All Laughed" (1981). He worked in production during his younger years, then founded a children's charity in his mother's name after her death. He published "Audrey Hepburn, An Elegant Spirit: A Son Remembers" in 2003.

Sean Hepburn Ferrer in his youth and now

Sean has been married four times, the last time in 2014. He has three children: Emma, Gregorio, and Santiago. Emma became a model and has graced the covers of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Her other grandchildren prefer to stay out of the spotlight.

Audrey Hepburn's granddaughter, Emma Ferrer, became a model

The younger son, Luca Dotti, pursued a career in graphic design. He married Domitilla Bertucci, an Italian from a wealthy family, and they have two daughters together. Luca wrote three books about Audrey Hepburn, the most famous of which is "Audrey at Home".

Photos: Audrey Hepburn