Audrey Hepburn is one of those stars who never really fades away. She had that gamine charm, the elegant style, and those unforgettable performances in movies like ‘Roman Holiday‘, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s‘, and ‘Sabrina‘. She is a true Hollywood legend, but it makes you wonder what would have happened if she had said yes to some of the biggest roles ever offered to her.
Over the years, Hepburn turned down a surprising number of parts that ended up becoming huge hits. These rejections did not just affect her own career; they actually changed the course of Hollywood history.
Why Audrey Hepburn Refused ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ Role
The most heartbreaking refusal probably came with George Stevens’ 1959 film ‘The Diary of Anne Frank‘. Hepburn was the first choice for the lead role, and what is really remarkable is that Anne’s father, Otto Frank, personally asked her to play his daughter.
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The connection between the two women was deep. Hepburn and Anne were the same age during the war and lived only about 60 miles apart in occupied Holland. They both suffered under Nazi rule, but the painful difference was that Anne died at Bergen-Belsen while Hepburn made it through.
Hepburn rarely talked about those dark years. She had lived through the horror of seeing Jews packed onto boxcars and watching street executions. The Nazis executed her beloved uncle as well.
Hepburn later revealed that she was left devastated after reading Anne’s diary. She explained, “I was so destroyed by it again, that I said I couldn’t deal with it.” She considered Anne her “soul sister.“
There were practical reasons too. At 28, she felt she was too old to play a teenage girl convincingly. The role eventually went to a newcomer named Millie Perkins, and the film ended up winning three Oscars. But Hepburn never regretted her choice. Years later, she would narrate Anne’s diary for UNICEF concerts, using her own pain to help others.
‘Vertigo’, ‘Doctor Zhivago’, and ‘The Exorcist’ Roles Audrey Hepburn Passed On
Alfred Hitchcock wanted Hepburn for two of his films. She was considered for the dual role in ‘Vertigo‘, which eventually went to Kim Novak. She was also up for the part of Melanie Daniels in ‘The Birds‘, but Tippi Hedren got that one.
In case you missed it: Audrey Hepburn Nearly Joined ‘The Exorcist’ Cast But One Condition Killed The Deal
David Lean really pursued Hepburn for ‘Doctor Zhivago‘. She was his top choice for the role of Tonya Gromeko before Geraldine Chaplin was cast. She also turned down Richard Attenborough’s ‘A Bridge Too Far,’ which was about the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. However, as one would expect, it hit too close to her own personal experiences.
One of the most surprising rejections was for the iconic 1973 horror ‘The Exorcist‘. Director William Friedkin wanted Hepburn for the lead role of Chris MacNeil. She liked the script but had one condition: the film would have to be shot in Rome, where she was living with her Italian husband. Friedkin saw this as a dealbreaker and moved on. Ellen Burstyn got the role instead.
Other Classic Films Audrey Hepburn Said No To
Some rejections were simpler. Hepburn passed on ‘West Side Story‘, and Rita Moreno won an Oscar for playing Anita. She turned down ‘Out of Africa‘, and Meryl Streep earned an Academy Award nomination for it. She said no to ‘Cleopatra‘ when Elizabeth Taylor was hesitating, and Taylor ended up securing the first million-dollar movie contract in Hollywood history.
Hepburn also declined to reprise her Broadway role in the film version of ‘Gigi’. That movie went on to win nine Oscars, which was the most for any single film at the time.
Audrey Hepburn had an extraordinary career even with all these rejections. She won an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony, and a Grammy, making her one of the few EGOT winners. But imagining her in any of these roles really changes everything.
Just picture Hepburn being terrorized by the demon in ‘The Exorcist‘. Imagine her as Maria in ‘West Side Story‘ or as the conflicted heroine of ‘Doctor Zhivago‘. The films would have been different, maybe even better, but they certainly would not have been the same.
Audrey Hepburn Had No Regrets About the Movie Roles She Rejected
Hepburn’s choices were very personal. She refused roles that brought back wartime trauma, and she put her family life in Rome ahead of Hollywood ambitions. She knew her own limits, like feeling too old for Anne Frank.
In the end, the roles she rejected became classics with other actresses, but Hepburn did not need them to become an icon. Her son Luca Dotti put it well when he said, “Once you are a survivor, you are always a survivor.“
She had lived through war, hunger, and fear. She survived when millions did not. Every role she played and every role she rejected came from that place of survival, instinct, and grace. That is what made her so unforgettable.
You might also want to read: The One Film Audrey Hepburn Regretted Turning Down More Than Any Other
