Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn was a magnetic film presence who lit up the big screen from 1953 onwards. In 1953, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Roman Holiday opposite one of Hollywood's most venerable leading men of the time, Gregory Peck. Hepburn later went on to star with Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Sean Connery, and a host of other major Hollywood film stars.

After the filming of the well-received motion picture Sabrina, Hepburn took up a romance with one of her co-stars, William Holden, who fell deeply in love with her. In 1961, she starred in the romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany's, creating the memorable role of Holly Golightly. Hepburn was also a noted humanitarian; she did a great deal of work for UNICEF, a children's fund sponsored by the United Nations.

Hepburn was born in Brussels in May of 1929, and royal blood flowed both through her mother's and father's line. She studied ballet as a young child, but her teachers dissuaded her from dancing since she was too tall--five feet seven inches. In 1951, she proved her teachers wrong by stunning audiences with her lilting take on the title character of Gigi in the play of the same name.

Hepburn was known for her poise and charisma, but she never lost her deep humility. In addition to her aforementioned partners, Hepburn starred opposite Fred Astaire in the movie Funny Face and shared the screen with Sean Connery and Peter O'Toole in widely acclaimed films. She died in 1993, one of Hollywood's most beloved stars.