One of the most famous scenes in movie history is Audrey Hepburn in a black Givenchy dress and opera gloves. She steps out of a yellow cab early in the morning, eats a pastry, and stares at the jewelry in the Tiffany & Co. window. That scene is so well known that it basically defines the movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.‘
But it almost did not happen, not because of studio problems or a fight over the script. It was because Audrey Hepburn really hated Danish pastries.
The Behind-the-Scenes Fight Over Ice Cream vs. Pastry
They filmed the opening at 5 in the morning on a Sunday on Fifth Avenue in New York, and wanted to catch that moment when night turns into day. The final result looks so easy and graceful. But the production hit a snag that had nothing to do with the script and everything to do with what the star liked to eat. Reports from the 1960s say that Hepburn had “no affection for the Danish” and would rather have ice cream. She went to director Blake Edwards and asked if she could lick an ice cream cone while looking in the window instead.
Related: Audrey Hepburn Was Fired Twice Before Becoming a Hollywood Legend
However, Edwards quickly rejected the idea. He probably thought about how messy a melting cone would be on a silk dress when they had to do many takes. His reason was short and to the point. Ice cream was not a breakfast food, but Hepburn’s problem with the pastry was not just about taste. She felt it did not fit her character. For her, the Danish did not match the elegance of Holly Golightly. But the director knew the scene needed to happen a certain way.
How a Small Compromise Created One of Cinema’s Most Iconic Moments
This small disagreement shows a bigger struggle behind the making of the movie. The scene itself was hard to shoot, out on the street with people watching. Yet the main problem was that the star did not like her prop. They found a middle ground, and the scene became one of the most copied and admired in all of cinema. It turned the image of Holly Golightly into a fashion icon for years to come. It is funny that Hepburn thought this was her best work, but she also knew that author Truman Capote had wanted Marilyn Monroe for the part. She often wondered about her character’s reasons for doing things.
In case you missed it: Audrey Hepburn’s Most Shocking Rejected Roles That Became Hollywood Classics
In the end, Hepburn’s dislike for that pastry is just a fun little piece of Hollywood history. It shows that even the most perfect scenes usually come from some kind of compromise. She never got her ice cream, but her reluctant bite of a Danish turned into something much more powerful. It became a moment of being open and graceful, one that really captures who Holly Golightly is as a dreamer.
You might also want to read: The Letter That Changed Audrey Hepburn’s Life and Made Her a Hollywood Legend
