Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn (connect.in.com (connect.in.com))

A hero is someone who inspires others and one such person is Audrey Hepburn. She overcame a rough childhood and rose above it to become one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Audrey Hepburn helped many children around the world in so many ways and is her most inspiring legacy.

Audrey Hepburn (vintagestardust.wordpress.com (vintagestardust.wordpress.com))

Audrey Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium on May 4, 1929. She spent some time in England during her youth at a boarding school. During World War One, she studied at Arhem Conservatory which is in the Netherlands. The Nazis later invaded there causing Hepburn and her mother to starve. Sometimes there was only flour for them to eat. According to "Biography," "She helped the Resistance movement by delivering messages" (Audrey 1). Hepburn also helped the Resistance by holding "blackout performances" and dance classes in secret. Hepburn had to watch people being lined up and shot by Germans and people collapsing on the streets from starvation, always wondering "Is that going to be me next?". She and her mother pulled through though and survived the war (Audrey 1).

Hepburn first wanted to be a professional ballerina. There are a few rumored reasons why she didn't become a ballerina one that she lacked the stamina. When becoming a ballerina didn't work out, she took up acting. Audrey started with small, minor roles in theatre to help provide for her mother and herself. She was soon asked to play a lead role on Broadway. From there she began making films ( "Biography" 1). Hepburn's early movies were small roles, such as her role in "Laughter in Paradise." This was Audrey's third movie appearance, and one of her shortest, but it did get Audrey on the cover of 'Film Review'"(That 1). Hepburn's 'international breakthrough' though was from her film, "Roman Holiday" in 1953 ("That" 1).

Audrey abroad on a UNICEF mission. (unicef.org (unicef.org))

During her later years Audrey begun acting less and increased her work for children in need. In the late 1980s Hepburn became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF (Audrey 2). UNICEF stands for: United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (What 1). Hepburn understood what it was like for these children; from her days in the Netherlands. As she traveled the world for various reasons, Hepburn always tried to raise awareness about children in need of help/aid. Audrey made over fifty trips for UNICEF projects. She traveled to Asia, Africa, South America, and Central America. Shortly after going on UNICEF missions Audrey began talking to the media in the United States, Canada, and Europe for several weeks about UNICEF projects for children. She promoted UNICEF missions by giving as many as fifteen interviews a day on average (UNICEF 1). Even when she wasn't going on missions for UNICEF she still tirelessly worked for them. UNICEF made a statement about Audrey's work for them even when she wasn't abroad on missions : "She testified before the U.S. Congress, took part in the World Summit for Children, launched UNICEF's State of the World's Children reports, hosted Danny Kaye International Children's Award ceremonies, designed fundraising cards, participated in benefit concert tours and gave many speeches and interviews promoting UNICEF's work" (UNICEF 1).

Audrey Hepburn in December 1992 received the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the United States' highest civilian award. That year Hepburn ill with cancer continued her work for UNICEF. She traveled to Kenya, Somalia, the UK, Switzerland, France, and the U.S. (UNICEF 1). She also won a Special Academy Award for her humanitarian work, but died before receiving it. Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993, from Colon cancer. Her sons and companion now continue on her work on behalf of children in need with the, Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund; formerly known as the Audrey Hepburn Memorial Fund (Audrey 2).