Audrey Hepburn wanted to be loved. She wanted to feel love. She wanted to give love. While watching the documentary Audrey on Netflix, I’ve learned quite a lot about her. I learned about how she struggled both as an adult and a child. I learned that she was appreciated for not just her acting, but also for her friendly, charming personality. I learned that she is much more than just an actress and fashion icon. Hepburn was a humanitarian, wanting to give the love in her heart to children who had yet to receive it. Despite her own struggles, she continued to communicate kindness and personability.
Audrey Hepburn had a complicated childhood. Despite being close with her father, she was abandoned at an early age. She professed that this was “the most traumatic event in my life” and this seemed to affect her relationships later on. A few years later, when Britain declared war on Germany, starting the First World War, Hepburn’s mother moved her back to Arnhem, hoping they would be spared an attack by the Germans. She went by an English name during her boarding school experience to prevent dangerous encounters with the Germans. Hepburn’s uncle was targeted, then executed because he was Dutch. This led one of her half-brothers to leave to Berlin to work in a labour camp and the other to go into hiding to avoid the same consequences. She had even witnessed people being taken to concentration camps and deathly violence in the streets. This period of time caused them starvation and many financial struggles.
During her time in boarding school, Hepburn trained as a ballerina, so when the war ended and she moved again, she continued to practice ballet, this time under a leading figure in the industry. Eventually, she earned a ballet scholarship with Ballet Rambert, but later stopped after being told that her height and weak figure (due to malnutrition during the war) would prevent her from becoming a prima ballerina. This caused her to focus on acting. Hepburn had her first major role in Roman Holiday, playing Princess Ann, the main character. This role gained her many awards and lots of attention.
A few specific roles caused Hepburn much anxiety and insecurity. She took the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, which caused controversy because Julie Andrews, who had originally played Eliza Dootlittle on stage, was not offered the role. More tension was added when Hepburn’s singing in the movie was dubbed by someone whose voice was considered better for the role. Another film, by the name of Wait Until Dark, had her playing the part of a blind woman. At this point, Audrey was getting divorced with her first husband, who was also the producer of the film. She was stressed and had lost a lot of weight, but found light in her co-star and director.
After deciding to retire to take care of her children, wanting to have a private life, Hepburn was asked if she wanted to be a full-time ambassador for UNICEF. She accepted, remembering her past, not wanting the children to struggle like she did. Anytime UNICEF brought forward a new campaign, Hepburn was devoted to stepping up and speaking on their behalf. She was passionate about spreading the love that she didn’t receive during her childhood. During her time as an ambassador, UNICEF doubled in its number of participants. She was okay with using her fame to bring awareness to the major problems happening around the world.
During a trip in Somalia, Hepburn began feeling major abdominal pains. Her friend believed it was from the pill they were given for malaria, so they both stopped taking it. Hepburn left for home while her friend went on another trip. Her friend had tried contacting her when she came back, but Hepburn didn’t answer. After eventually getting ahold of Hepburn’s significant other, she was told that Hepburn had cancer. Hepburn didn’t tell anyone what was happening until she got surgery, even then she was calm and didn’t seem afraid. She passed away in her sleep in her home on January 20, 1993.
All Audrey Hepburn wanted was to give love and receive love in return. This was reflected in her work and the way she interacted with all types of people. Even if she was struggling, she still didn’t want people to worry. Hepburn is mainly recognized for her roles in films and TV, but there is much more to her than that. She helped bring awareness to poverty and starvation in less known areas. Despite having a traumatizing childhood, she was still compassionate and gave back what she never had. I really enjoyed watching this documentary because it not only brought up the impact she had on everyone, but it also mentioned how the world impacted her. As a woman of the world, Hepburn did face many challenges with insecurity and the feeling of abandonment, but she also let those teach her the importance of love, which she was happy to give.
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