By Anna Malik
Audrey Hepburn, the doe-eyed film and fashion icon, is remembered as the epitome of feminine beauty and grace. Her iconic roles in Roman Holiday (1953), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), and My Fair Lady (1964) lend to her glamorous public perception and global fame. With her slender frame, soft-spoken manner, and unique elegance, Hepburn is memorialised in Vogue covers and much fawned over for her timeless fashion sense. Yet, her legacy should and does extend far beyond her Hollywood image. Hepburn embodied a progressive and earnest sense of humanity, dedicating much of her life to giving back and pioneering for a better world. Oxford English Dictionary defines a role model as ‘a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated’. In this sense, there seems no one better to emulate than one who devoted her life to seeing the good in others while humbly presenting the unique good in herself.
Hepburn, born on the 4th of May 1929, spent her childhood in Belgium, England, and the Netherlands. When World War II began, she remained in Nazi-occupied Holland. Her family survived the brutalities that often come hand-in-hand with war, such as ongoing fear, starvation, and global isolation. War, however, failed to dull Hepburn’s ambition. She studied and mastered the art of ballet which she then performed to raise money to support the Dutch resistance. This talent led her to score her first role in High Button Shoes (1948). Hepburn’s experience of war undoubtedly fostered her keen understanding of human suffering and injustice. Despite the uncertain environment she witnessed growing up, she never shied away from discussing her trauma and the toll it took on her. This candour took bravery, highlighting the innate strength of her character, evident even at a young age.
Although Hepburn’s lithe figure is now a trademark of old-age beauty, it was a consequence of the starvation and malnutrition she suffered during the Second World War. In an era that viewed voluptuous, curvy women, such as Marilyn Monroe, as the essence of femininity onscreen, Hepburn was viewed by her peers as ‘boyish’. With her short, pixie haircut and petite frame, Hepburn redefined Hollywood’s conventional beauty standards. Her androgynous look was refreshing, challenging the expectation of her to look a certain way, especially in her line of work as an actress. Women across the world were influenced to denounce such gender stereotypes and instead embrace their natural beauty. Instead of striving to attain a prescribed ideal, Hepburn set a precedent for women to have more complex understandings of what constituted physical allure, empowering them to retain autonomy over their bodies.
This subversion continued into Hepburn’s acting career. She consistently performed in roles that gave a platform to independent, intelligent, and strong-willed female figures, qualities that were not typically associated with women in the 1960s. Breakfast at Tiffany’s can be viewed as a testimony of this, presenting a woman who refuses to be tied down to anyone (including a cat!). Although this free-spirited nature was controversial for women at the time, Hepburn effectively refuted the idea that there was a definitive model of womanhood. She brought to life the unspoken sense of the relation between vulnerability and independence that women still experience in the 21st century. Thus, even Hepburn’s approach to performance was itself feminist. She refused roles that did not illustrate the nuances of being a woman, instead demanding that her characters had depth and agency. Through her choices, she challenged Hollywood’s limited portrayals of women and pushed the industry toward more multidimensional female characters.
Despite her fame and renown, Hepburn did not let stardom distract her from what mattered in the world socially and politically. At the height of her success, she stepped back from her Hollywood career to focus on having a family and working with charities. She became a loyal ambassador to UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), a charity that provides humanitarian and developmental aid to children worldwide. Travelling to countries like Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Somalia, Hepburn returned to the war-torn environments familiar to her from childhood in order to provide help and aid to suffering women and children.
Audrey Hepburn is remembered as a glamorous, beautiful, and iconic actress of Hollywood’s golden age, yet her true talents lie in the way she conducted her life. She balanced personal ambition with empathy and a commitment to social justice. She redefined beauty standards by refusing to conform to the image that was expected of her. Her humility, selflessness, and dedication to the greater good should be recognised as much as her iconic Hollywood roles are. Being a feminist is not just about challenging social expectations. It is not about shying away from the stereotypes that circulate around you. Feminism is about nurturing a sense of shared humanity, equality, and justice. Hepburn did not have to give the world anything. It already took so much from her. Yet she grew up with a clear definition of what injustice looked like and used her platform to ensure that this would not be the future. In a world that often prioritises image over substance, Audrey Hepburn remains a timeless beacon of dignity, empathy, and strength. In celebrating Hepburn, we honour not only her contributions to film but also her profound compassion to make the world better. These qualities make her an enduring role model and a true icon of feminism.
References
Colasacco, Jessica (2016). “Five Reasons Audrey Hepburn Is My Role Model”. Odyssey Online. <https://www.theodysseyonline.com/five-reasons-audrey-hepburn-is-my-role-model
Dequina, Angelina (2019). “Audrey Hepburn deserves to be recognized as a lasting role model”. Daily Titan: The Student Voice of California State University, Fullerton <https://dailytitan.com/opinion/audrey-hepburn-deserves-to-be-recognized-as-a-lasting-role-model/article_c30b489e-8b78-5f3f-b745-50753d9580e4.html
Keogh, Pamela (2008). What Would Audrey Do?: Timeless Lessons for Living with Grace & Style (Aurum)
Paris, Barry (1996). Audrey Hepburn: A Biography (Weidenfeld)
Bluestocking Oxford 