Julie Andrews has been stealing viewers’ hearts for decades.
Born Julia Elizabeth Wells, the actress came from humble beginnings before scoring her big break on Broadway in September 1954, just before her 19th birthday. Andrews’ performance of Polly Browne in The Boy Friend caught the attention of both audience members and industry experts, kickstarting her wildly successful career.
Eventually, Andrews found her way to the big screen, scoring the lead roles in The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins.
The England native, a three-time Grammy winner, has experienced highs and lows in her personal life. The Netflix star welcomed daughter Emma in November 1962 with her first husband, set designer Tony Walton. The pair split in 1967 after less than 10 years of marriage.
Andrews and her second husband, the late director Blake Edwards, wed in 1969 and adopted two daughters from Vietnam: Amelia in 1974 and Joanna in 1975.
Keep scrolling for a look back at Andrews’ career highlights:
Andrews made her Broadway debut as Polly Browne in The Boy Friend, a musical set in the French Riviera in the ‘20s. The original production ran for more than 2,000 performances.
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Her turn in The Boy Friend sparked interest within the theater world, leading Richard Rodgers to offer Andrews the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. The iconic show opened on Broadway in March 1956 to rave reviews.
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The actress released her first solo album, The Lass with the Delicate Air, after being nominated for an Emmy for her work in the TV musical version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
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When Mary Poppins premiered, Andrews proved herself to be capable of stealing the spotlight both on the stage and the screen. The Disney movie was nominated for five Oscars, including best actress, which Andrews won. She also took home the Golden Globe, while the entire cast received the Grammy for Best Album for Children in 1965.
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Andrews’ star continued to rise with The Sound of Music, which was one of the most successful movies of 1965. She secured the second Golden Globe win of her career, as well as a nomination for best actress at the Academy Awards.
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After taking on the titular role in 1967’s Thoroughly Modern Millie, she turned to the small screen with her own variety show, The Julie Andrews Hour. The series only ran for one season on ABC but won seven Emmys.
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Andrews reunited with her The Americanization of Emily costar James Garner for Victor/Victoria, a musical comedy that was later brought to Broadway. The performance earned her yet another Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and a nomination for best actress at the 1982 Oscars, which she lost to Sophie’s Choice star Meryl Streep.
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In the middle of Victor/Victoria’s Broadway run, Andrews was forced to step away to undergo vocal surgery. At the time, she denied that cancer or vocal nodules were the cause. After coming out of surgery unable to sing the same way as before, she sued her surgeons for malpractice. The lawsuit was settled in September 2000.
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Andrews received recognition from the Kennedy Center Honors the same year The Princess Diaries hit theaters. She portrayed Queen Clarisse Marie Renaldi, grandmother of Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway), and reprised the role three years later in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
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The Tooth Fairy actress was given the Screen Actors Guild’s Lifetime Achievement Award shortly before being named one of The Times’ top 10 British actresses of all time.
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Andrews’ second husband died in December 2010 after experiencing complications from pneumonia. The duo were married for more than 40 years.
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The Julie’s Greenroom star took viewers by surprise at the 87th Academy Awards when she introduced Lady Gaga, who sang a medley from The Sound of Music 50 years after its debut.
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Andrews’ second memoir, Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years, gave longtime fans a candid look at her decades-long career. She previously released Home: A Memoir of My Early Years in 2008.
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The British star provided the voice of Lady Whistledown on Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton.
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Andrews, who played a royal matriarch herself in The Princess Diaries, issued a heartfelt statement after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. “A page in history has turned today,” she wrote. “Along with millions of others, I mourn the passing of our beloved Queen Elizabeth II. “It feels as though we lost a friend: a dedicated Monarch who inspired all of us with her love, wisdom and grace. May we honour her by holding to the standards she set for herself and her nation.”
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Andrews stepped out at fellow acting icon Carol Burnett’s 90th birthday television special, which was taped in March.
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