Before Audrey Hepburn captivated audiences with her screen presence and elegance, she led a life filled with challenges and varied experiences that significantly shaped her later career. Born on May 4, 1929, in Brussels, Belgium, to an English father and a Dutch mother, Hepburn’s early years were marked by the turmoil of World War II and a determination to pursue the arts.
Hepburn’s initial foray into the arts was not through acting but dance. From a young age, she showed a strong inclination towards ballet. When her family relocated to the Netherlands in 1939 to escape the impending war, Hepburn continued her dance training in Arnhem. The war years, however, were incredibly harsh on her and her family. They endured occupation, deprivation, and the resistance movement’s perils, which severely impacted Hepburn’s health and physical development.
Despite these hardships, Hepburn’s passion for dance never wavered. After the war, she moved to Amsterdam, where she studied ballet under Sonia Gaskell, a leading figure in Dutch ballet. Recognizing her potential, Gaskell nurtured Hepburn’s talent, and it was here that Hepburn began to seriously consider a professional career in dance.
In 1948, at the age of 19, Hepburn moved to London to continue her ballet training. She received a scholarship to study at the Rambert Ballet School, one of the premier ballet schools in the United Kingdom, under the tutelage of renowned teacher Marie Rambert. Hepburn’s dedication and talent were evident, but she faced a significant obstacle: her height. Standing at 5 feet 7 inches, she was considered too tall to join a professional ballet company. Moreover, the malnutrition she suffered during the war had affected her physical strength and stamina, making it challenging to meet the rigorous demands of professional ballet.
Acknowledging these limitations, Hepburn decided to pivot towards acting, a field where her expressive talents could still shine. Her first steps into acting were modest, beginning with chorus girl roles in musical theater productions in London’s West End. One notable early role was in the musical “High Button Shoes” in 1948, followed by “Sauce Tartare” and “Sauce Piquante” in 1949 and 1950, respectively. These roles, although minor, provided her with valuable stage experience and a foot in the door of the entertainment industry.
It was during this period that Hepburn was spotted by a casting director, which led to her first minor film roles. Her screen debut came in 1951 with the film “One Wild Oat,” where she played an uncredited part. This was followed by small roles in other British films such as “Young Wives’ Tale” (1951) and “The Lavender Hill Mob” (1951), where her charm and talent began to attract attention.
Hepburn’s big break came when she was cast in the lead role of the Broadway play “Gigi” in 1951. Her performance caught the eye of Hollywood, leading to her iconic role in “Roman Holiday” (1953), for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
In summary, before Audrey Hepburn became a celebrated actress, she worked diligently as a ballet dancer, overcoming numerous obstacles, and gaining invaluable experience in musical theater. Her early years in ballet and theater were crucial in shaping the poise, grace, and discipline that would become her trademarks on the silver screen.
Leave a Reply