The original 'Mary Poppins' actress admits she was hurt after being snubbed from the movie version of 'My Fair Lady' despite starring in the stage adaptation.
- August 28, 2023
AceShowbiz - Dame Julie Andrews was disappointed when Audrey Hepburn was cast as Eliza in "My Fair Lady". Although Julie, 87, had received rave reviews for the role on stage, Warner Bros' Jack Warner opted to cast Audrey in the lead for the feature film.
"Though I totally understood why Audrey had been chosen for the role (I'd never made a movie and was a relative unknown compared to her worldwide fame), I felt sad that I would never have the chance to put my version of Eliza on film," Julie told US Closer magazine.
However, Julie had her revenge when she went on to win an Oscar and Golden Globe for "Mary Poppins" and took a cheeky dig at Warner during her acceptance speech for the Globes. She said, "My thanks to a man who made a wonderful movie and who made all this possible in the first place - Mr. Jack Warner."
Despite being feted for her turn in "Mary Poppins", Julie admitted she found the attention of Hollywood difficult to deal with at first. Speaking about the movie's US premiere at the iconic Grauman's Chinese Theatre, she said, "I was unprepared for the pressure and scrutiny, the feeling of being pulled, poked and shouted at. I never sat down, and I don't recall eating a morsel … I couldn't wait to go home."
