
Voice of a generation Julie Andrews has been stealing viewers’ hearts for decades, from Broadway stages to Disney movies.
Born Julia Elizabeth Wells, the award-winning actress came from humble beginnings. She began singing lessons as a child and often joined her mom Barbara Ward Wells and stepfather Ted Andrews when she was a teenager. Her first official performance came at the age of 12.
Just before her 19th birthday, the star of many talents prepared to perform her first Broadway performance in September 1954. The Boy Friend. Her role as Polly Browne attracted the attention of both industry experts and audience members, which launched her career to great success.
The singer eventually found her way onto the big screen, landing the lead roles in The Sound of Music Mary Poppins. In her 2019 memoir Home Work: A Memoir from My Hollywood YearsAfter her movie success, the British star admitted she was worried about being stereotyped as a nanny. Her agent encouraged her to make the leap.
“Arthur [Park] very much encouraged me to accept the job,” she recalled in the autobiography. “And I’ll be forever grateful for the nudge over the fence that he and Bob [Wise] gave this nervous and insecure young woman.”
The three-time Grammy winner had her ups and downs, despite her success on film. The Netflix star welcomed her daughter EmmaIn November 1962, she was married to Tony Walton, a set designer. After less than 10 years of marriage, they split in 1967.
Andrews married her second husband, the late director Blake Edwards in 1969. They adopted two daughters from Vietnam, Amelia in 1974, and Joanna in 1975.
“I always hoped the two worlds could coexist; I adored my family and enjoyed my work. But I don’t think I ever actually decided anything,” the dame told Business Insider in October 2020. “It was more just needing to find ways to juggle it all. The struggle to balance one’s professional life with family and personal life is certainly not unique to me, nor to my line of work. There were times when I was more successful at it than others, and it was always an ongoing challenge.”
Andrews was a dedicated parent, even though few people got to see it.
“I always felt that if my kids were OK, I could do anything. … What helped the most was holding onto the idea of quality of time over quantity of time,” she told the outlet. “I tried to make sure that the time we did spend together was meaningful, and that I was fully present and focused on them.”
Keep scrolling for a look back on Andrews’ career highlights, from Eliza Doolittle to Lady Whistledown: