Even after her death in 1993, Audrey Kathleen Hepburn has remained one of the most elegant, beautiful, and revered women in the film industry. Her movies, Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, My Fair Lady, and Sabrina are some of the most loved classics of all time.

Born in Brussels, Belgium, Audrey was the only child of a wealthy English banker, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, and a Dutch aristocrat, Baroness Ella van Heemstra. Audrey used the surname Ruston until her father found out about descendants using the name Hepburn, including Audrey’s great grandmother, Kathleen Hepburn. Since then, she began using the name Audrey Hepburn-Ruston.

Audrey’s experiences during the 2nd World War were often the subject of her talks. She compares herself to Anne Frank who, like her, was 10 years old when the war broke out. In one interview, she confided that reading Anne Frank’s diary was like reliving her life.

After taking dance lessons and performing onstage, Audrey became an instant celebrity with Roman Holiday. Her succeeding films further established her foothold in the film industry. Some of her movies, like The Nun’s Story and Wait Until Dark, earned her acting nominations. Her last film was the 1989 Steven Spielberg-helmed Always.

Audrey was a UNICEF special ambassador from 1988 up to the time of her death.

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