Wednesday, March 24, 2010

What is Audrey Hepburn famous for?


Among the many things that Audrey Hepburn was famous for, the four categories that have lasted the longest are her acting career, her work with Unicef, her style, and her character. She began acting at the age of 19 and received her breakthrough role in 1953's Roman Holiday. She continued acting for 40 years in such films as Sabrina, My Fair Lady, and Breakfast at Tiffany's (www.biography.com). Not only was Audrey a great actress, but she worked for Unicef in the 1980's. She raised awareness about children in need (www.audreyhepburn.com). Hepburn's style continues to affect our society. The popularity of large sunglasses, straight leg pants, flats and other simple designs has carried throughout decades. She also was regarded as a person of high character. She was considered graceful, humble, beautiful, caring, compassionate and not arrogant by all she came in contact with, including Vogue writer Cecil Beaton (Ferrar, pg. 87). These traits are included in the many reasons why Audrey Hepburn has reached such high fame.

What were Audrey Hepburn's biggest accomplishments?


Among Hepburn's accomplishments, awards in acting, work with Unicef, stylistic influence and motherhood are her most memorable. She was awarded 5 Academy Award nominations, including winning an Oscar for Best Actress in Sabrina in 1953. She also won a Tony award, an Emmy and a Grammy, becoming one of the few female performers to achieve such an accomplishment (www.biography.com). Hepburn also used her desire to help others in her work with Unicef as an ambassador for the organization. She even won a special Academy Award for her social work. This work inspired the creation of the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund, created by her sons (www.audreyhepburn.com). Her sense of style as a simple, yet elegant woman has stood the test of time and become an achievement as well. She has set the standard for beauty and grace for celebrity and every day women alike (www.nytimes.com). However, one of Hepburn's biggest accomplishment was becoming a mother of her 2 boys, Sean and Luca. She even gave up acting to raise them out of the Hollywood spotlight (http://transcripts.cnn.com). These were some of the many things she achieved throughout her lifetime.

What influence does Audrey Hepburn have on society today?


Although Hepburn passed away in 1993, she continues to be an influence in society. Audrey's work with Unicef created the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund. Hepburn is quoted as saying, "I've known Unicef a long time, ever since they came to the aid of children like myself, famished victims of the German occupation" (http://news.bbc). This organization helps to bring awareness and aid to children around the world in need. Hepburn's style also continues to play a role in culture. Her look, made famous by large sunglasses, flats and a little black dress, continue to be popular fashion. Her black dress from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's recently sold for $192,000, solidifying her place as a fashionista in society (www.time.com). Even her films continue to be popular. A poll done by Time magazine shows that several of Hepburn's films have made the Top 100 movies of all time (www.time.). However, her character, poise and grace have continued to set a standard for celebrities in Hollywood. According to a Larry King interview, there was never a person who met Audrey Hepburn that didn't like her (http://transcripts.cnn.com). Although she has long since left this world, Audrey Hepburn continues to make a lasting impact in our culture and around the world.