Audrey Fox
Everything happens for a reason. That’s probably what Julie Andrews told herself when she found out that she wasn’t chosen to play Eliza Doolittle in the big-screen adaptation of My Fair Lady, a role that she herself had originated on Broadway in 1956. But although she was passed over in favor of Audrey Hepburn because of concerns that she wasn’t a big enough name, Andrews ultimately ended up having the last laugh when she took on the role of the magical nanny in Mary Poppins, a performance that would see her immortalized in film history.
My Fair Lady began as a smash hit on both Broadway and the West End; Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews starred in both productions, cementing themselves in the minds of theater-goers as the memorable characters of Professor Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle. Harrison was soon brought on board the production (albeit reluctantly – the studio originally wanted Cary Grant, who refused the role, insisting that they use Harrison). But Andrews, who was largely a stage performer at the time and had only a few on-screen credits, was a much more unknown quantity. So it was disappointing, but perhaps not surprising, when they elected not to hire her to play Eliza Doolittle, instead choosing the waiflike Belgian-born actress Audrey Hepburn. After popular turns in Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Charade, Hepburn may not have established her musical cred, but she was exactly what the producers wanted – a bona fide movie star. Her performance in My Fair Lady is, to be fair, delightful, even with Marni Nixon dubbing her vocals. But it still must have rankled for Julie Andrews to watch the role she made famous in the hands of another actress, especially one who wasn’t even singing.
It wasn’t long before Andrews would get her own legendary role on the big screen. The same year that My Fair Lady went into production, Andrews was cast in a live-action Walt Disney film called Mary Poppins, where her effervescent charm could be shown in all its glory. To say that it resonated with audiences is a bit of an understatement. Mary Poppins became the highest grossing film of the year, and received 13 Academy Award nominations (to say nothing of how thoroughly the character has become embedded in popular culture). One of those Oscar nominations had Julie Andrews’ name on it, completing the Cinderella story of the largely unknown stage performer. Audrey Hepburn, by contrast, was snubbed for her performance in My Fair Lady. There seems to have been a sense among Oscar voters that Andrews had been treated unfairly, and although Hepburn was a very talented actress, she didn’t quite live up to the standard set by her on-stage predecessor.
By the time the Academy Awards rolled around in April 1965, the idea that Julie Andrews was not famous enough to play Eliza Doolittle was laughable, so precipitously had her star risen. When Sidney Poitier announced that she was the winner, Andrews was all smiles, and delivered a gracious acceptance speech. “I know you Americans are famous for your hospitality, but this is really ridiculous,” she said with a laugh. The Oscar ceremony, after all, was not the appropriate venue for the airing of old grievances – that’s what the Golden Globes are for. And two months earlier, at Hollywood’s most unhinged dress rehearsal for the Academy Awards, she had gotten all her pettiness out of her system.
When Andrews accepted the Golden Globe for Mary Poppins, she couldn’t resist the temptation to get a little dig in at Jack Warner, who had balked at casting her in My Fair Lady. Most of her thank yous played out as one might expect, but at the very end, she dropped what is possibly the most genteel burn in awards speech history. “Finally, my thanks to a man who made a wonderful movie, and who made all this possible in the first place, Mr. Jack Warner,” she said with a wide grin.
Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn were among the most celebrated actors of the 20th century, and although the media played up the tension during this awards season, there doesn’t seem to have been much animosity between the two. Andrews was magnanimous when discussing the situation publicly, and Hepburn found herself in a difficult position, with many feeling as though she had unfairly wrenched the role from Andrews’ hands, especially after the production insisted on dubbing her singing voice. Still, it’s hard to begrudge Andrews one catty comment – especially when she was given the opportunity to so handily put the fearsome Jack L. Warner in his place.
