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10 Things you probably didn’t know about Julie Andrews
From permanently damaging her vocal cords to nearly not being cast for "Sound of Music", there's so much to the actress' past that many people are unaware of. And it just so happens to be her 85th birthday.
Laura Shallcross
10.02.20

Julie Andrews might just be the most beloved actress of this century. Ever since she shot to fame for her role in box office hit “Mary Poppins”, she has remained at the forefront of our television screens ever since.

Even after performing in at least 39 movies, as well as numerous Broadway spectacles and several TV shows in her name, Julie is still keeping herself busy in the world of showbiz.

If you’re as much of a Julie Andrews fan as us, listen up – In honor of her 85th birthday this month, we’ve made a list of 10 facts about the dame that not many people know.

Wikipedia
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Wikipedia

1. She’s not always as politely reserved as she seems

Julie was apparently known for her tendency towards profanity on The Sound of Music set. This was said to be because of the wind in the Alps, which can blow up to 150 kilometers per hour, as well as the downdraft from the helicopter from which a cameraman shot her. The iconic opening scene in particular was a nightmare to film!

2. She’s a school drop-out

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Pexels

Julie never completed high school, having been too busy performing on stage, and she wishes she could have gone to college.

3. Her vocal cords are premenantly damaged

Julie received surgery in 1997 that damaged her vocal cords, which her singing voice never recovered from. Whenever she had to sing since then, she would do “speech singing” because she’s no longer capable of hitting a broad range of notes.

4. She nearly wasn’t cast in “Sound of Music”

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Flickr

“Sound of Music” director Robert Wise had never heard of Julie, and didn’t plan to cast her as a leading role in the film. But Walt Disney contacted Robert with a copy of “Mary Poppins”, and Robert decided to cast her immediately after that.

5. Her fans include the famous

Jon Stewart is one of Julie’s biggest fans, and he admitted to her on the Daily Show that he considers himself an “honorary Von Trapp.”

6. Her creativity goes beyond acting

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Flickr

Julie isn’t just famous on our TV screens – she’s also a best-selling author, having penned more than 50 books, as well as a 2019 memoir, “Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years”. She has even directed theatre during her busy career.

7. She’s had some unique roles

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Flickr

One of Julie’s most interesting roles was in the movie “Victor Victoria”, where she played a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman. Complicated, huh?

8. She has her own podcast

Julie created a new podcast, “Julie’s Library”, early in 2020, which features readings of children’s picture books. She hosts the podcast with her daughter, Emma, who is a best-selling children’s author. Some families get all the creative talent.

9. She didn’t have an idyllic childhood

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Flickr

We all assume that celebrities on the level of fame of Julie have had a sheltered, privileged upbringing, but that’s rarely the case. Julie says that she spent her early adulthood living in “a bad slum area of London.” She also had an alcoholic step-father who was often violent and abusive to his family.

10. She declined a cameo on “Mary Poppins Returns”

The director of the film, Rob Marshell, reached out to ask if Julie would be interested, but she politely turned down his offer. She wanted the show to be all about lead-actress Emily Blunt, who she hailed as “brilliant”, with no distraction from her end.

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