Timeless Actress Revealed A Secret Heartbreak Behind Her Most Iconic Role

Audrey Hepburn turned in one of her most beloved performances in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but real-life heartbreak from the iconic star’s life makes the movie all the more compelling. Based on the eponymous novella by Truman Capote, the 1961 adaptation came at the peak of Hepburn’s career, and went on to become a bona fide pop culture phenomenon that continues to influence style today. Hepburn’s turn as Holly Golightly not only inspired an unmistakable fashion look, but has also become something of an archetype that future characters would be modeled after, and the defining image of Hepburn’s career.

Though the film is hardly without its flaws, especially its downright racist depiction of Asian people, Breakfast at Tiffany’s has stood the test of time and is a highlight of the last years of Hollywood’s Golden Age. While it is often viewed as a breezy comedy from the 1960s, Breakfast at Tiffany’s is actually a lot more introspective and character-driven than it appears on the surface. Holly Golightly is a compelling and rich character, and Audrey Hepburn’s performance in the lead role was partially informed by her own experiences. Hepburn is ultimately inseparable from the character that she originated.

Audrey Hepburn Experienced Sadness & Insecurity Issues Throughout Her Life

Despite Being An Icon On The Big Screen, She Was A Human Being Too

Though she would go on to be one of the greatest movie stars of all time, Audrey Hepburn’s life started under rocky circumstances, and she struggled with the scars of her early days for the rest of her life. As documentary filmmaker Helana Coan explained in a piece from Harper’s Bazaar, Hepburn “suffered a lot in her life, and she turned that into something beautiful.” The suffering started early when her parents separated when she was only six years old, and she would then spend the years of WWII under Nazi occupation in the Netherlands.

her two marriages were a reflection of her conflicted search for a father figure

The documentary Audrey unearthed an interview with Hepburn from Life in 1992, and in the discussion she mentioned that “[My father leaving] was the first big blow I had as a child, it was a trauma that left a very big mark on me, it left me insecure for life” (via The Guardian). This sense of abandonment and insecurity would color her relationships with men, and her two marriages were a reflection of her conflicted search for a father figure. Fortunately, her final long-term relationship (with Robert Wolders, whom she never married) was a more stable and positive union.

Another aspect of her life that the documentary covers in detail is her struggles with body image issues. Because Hepburn grew up under Nazi occupation in the Netherlands, she was subjected to near starvation, which caused her to develop a smaller frame. Despite it being one of her defining physical characteristics, Coan explained that “Her body is not something you should aspire to have; she ended up that way because she didn’t have a choice – as a result of tragedy.” It would even prevent her from pursuing ballet, something she was passionate about in her younger years.

Thinness has always been valued highly in showbusiness, especially for women, but Hepburn’s characteristic small frame was a source of great insecurity for the star. Instead of simply being one of her trademarks or even assets, it was a stark reminder of the overwhelming challenges she faced in her formative years. Much like the mental scars of being abandoned by her father, the physical toll of history’s injustices was inescapable for the multi-talented actor. These issues were likely compounded by the fact that discussions about her figure often overshadowed her best performances.

How Audrey Hepburn’s Personal Experiences Relate To Holly Golightly In Breakfast At Tiffany’s

The Classic Movie Character Is Quite Complex

Casting Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly was not only brilliant because she was such a great actor, but also because of the similarities between the two. Though Hepburn was a self-confessed introvert, she also carried a lot of pain in the same way that Holly did throughout the film. Holly escaped the dullness of rural Texas in favor of a life in the big city, but things aren’t as nice as they seem. Her relationships with men are purely transactional, and it’s clear that Holly is looking to fill some void within herself using men who aren’t a good fit.

Audrey Hepburn’s two marriages (Mel Ferrer and Andrea Dotti) were marred by emotional abuse and infidelity, and as Coan explained in Harper’s Bazaar, “Her father leaving hugely affected her sense of self-worth.” Holly also seems to have a low sense of self-esteem, despite the fact that she is gregarious and confident. She is willing to settle for the safest choice when it comes to men, though they are often heels and downright don’t care about her. In the end, Holly picks Paul, but she has to learn a few tough lessons before she makes her choice.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s was directed by Blake Edwards.

Holly Golightly is such a fascinating character because she appears to have it all on the surface, but there’s more to the story. Audrey Hepburn was quite similar in real life, and though she reached the pinnacle of stardom, her humanity was what made her so interesting. The two aren’t exactly the same, however, and that is a testament to Hepburn’s character skills. She brought the right parts of herself to Holly without abandoning the aspects of the character that were in opposition to her real personality.

Why Audrey Hepburn In Breakfast At Tiffany’s Remains One Of Cinema’s Greatest Performances

A Complex Female Character With A Struggle That Felt Real

Hepburn brought beauty and class, but she’s a real person under that facade as well.

Though the latter years of the 1960s would usher in a shift toward more realistic movies, many films from the early ’60s were still glossy and stylized. Breakfast at Tiffany’s represents an interesting middle ground between the two, and Hepburn’s performance is still the best part of the movie. The exaggerated and farcical plot is balanced by Hepburn’s down-to-earth turn as Golightly, and the character could have easily been totally overblown if another actor had been cast to fill the role. Hepburn brought beauty and class, but she’s a real person under that facade as well.

Audrey Hepburn’s highest-rated movies include:

While there had been excellent examples before Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Hollywood was still figuring out how to write compelling female characters that weren’t just sexist stereotypes. Holly Golightly is one such early example, and she has clear motivation that is muddied by her own choices. She’s imperfect, a bit jaded, and sometimes short-sighted, and that’s what makes her so fascinating to watch. Audrey Hepburn’s real-life struggles brought an air of tragedy to Golightly that exists right below the surface, and would have absolutely ruined the movie if it was absent.