she was Hollywood’s perfect nanny but behind that perfect smile was a secret

she kept for 60 years at 89 Julie Andrews is finally telling the truth

about what really happened when she lost her famous voice the shocking surgery

mistake that destroyed her career the truth about her marriage to Blake Edwards and the heartbreaking confession

about what she regrets the most you won’t believe what she’s been hiding all these years julie Andrews was born Julia

Elizabeth Wells on October 1st 1935 her mother Barbara Ward Morris was

a talented pianist who had once dreamed of performing on stage her father Edward

Charles Wells was a teacher their marriage ended when World War II began

in 1943 Barbara married Ted Andrews a Canadian-B born vaudeville performer

this marriage changed everything for young Julie ted and Barbara toured England entertaining soldiers and Julie

was introduced to the world of music and performance at 14 she discovered a

secret that had been kept from her all her life edward Wells was not her

biological father her mother had an affair with a family friend and he was

Julie’s real father the news was shocking but it didn’t change her bond

with Edward Wells she remained close to him for the rest of his life her

stepfather Ted Andrews played a key role in her musical training he quickly

realized she had an extraordinary voice she had perfect pitch and a vocal range

far beyond most children her age he became her first teacher and helped

shape her into a performer music and performance ran in her family her aunt

Joan owned a dance school another relative was a concert artist from the

time she was little Julie was surrounded by people who lived for the arts it was

no surprise when she showed early signs of talent her formal training started when she was 8 years old she began

studying under Madame Lillian Styles Allen a respected concert soprano styles

Allen believed Julie was a once-in-a-lifetime talent she often said Julie was the reincarnation of Adelina

Patty one of the greatest opera singers of the 19th century her training was

strict she focused on perfect diction and emotional expression she had a

saying she often repeated to Julie the amateur works until he can get it right

the professional works until he cannot go wrong julie took these words seriously

and trained tirelessly lessons with Styles Allen were intense julie traveled alone from

London to Leeds to attend them she stayed in a freezing cold room in a house lit by gas lamps despite the

difficult conditions she loved every moment evenings were spent drinking

homemade ginger beer with her teacher and listening to stories about legendary

musicians this period shaped her voice and discipline she stayed with Styles

Allen until she moved to America in 1954 at just 12 years old Julie had her

first big break on October 22nd 1947 she

made her professional debut at the London Hippodromeome in Starlight Roof a

musical review she performed Jesuit Titania a challenging area from the

opera Minong the audience was stunned she received a standing ovation at 12

she had already shown she could hold a stage like a seasoned performer the show

ran for over a year and Julie became known as Britain’s youngest

primadana in 1948 she performed for King George V 6th and Queen Elizabeth at the

Royal Command Variety performance at the London Paladium she was just 13 no solo

performer that young had ever appeared at the event before while performing in Starlight Roof she

met W-ally Boe an American comedian known for making balloon animals on

stage he often brought kids up to help with his act one night young Julie stepped up and

began singing the moment was completely unscripted and the audience loved it it

was a small but unforgettable moment that showed her natural charm

in 1948 Julie made her official West End debut at just 13 she took on roles in

pantoimes and musicals including Aladdin and Humpty Dumpty one of the most

important moments of this period was playing Cinderella it proved she wasn’t just a

singer she had acting talent too she could bring warmth and humor to a role

making her stand out from other young performers at the same time she was

gaining recognition in radio and television she became a regular on BBC

programs like Up the Pole and Educating Archie these experiences helped her

develop incredible comedic timing performing alongside experienced entertainers at such a young age gave

her confidence and skills that would be crucial later in her career julie

Andrews was just 19 when she made her Broadway debut in The Boyfriend on

September 30th 1954 at the Royale Theater she played Polly Brown a young

girl dreaming of romance on the French Riviera in the 1920s the show had already been a hit in

London but Andrews brought something special to the Broadway stage her voice was clear and effortless and her charm

made her impossible to ignore critics took notice she won the Theater World

Award for Outstanding Broadway debut in 1955 her performance also caught the

attention of some very important people the producers of My Fair Lady were looking for someone to play Eliza

Doolittle a cochnney flower girl who transforms into a sophisticated lady

they needed someone who could handle the role’s demanding songs and emotional depth andrews got the part and on March

15th 1956 the show opened on Broadway the audience saw her evolve on stage

night after night shifting from rough and unpolished to graceful and refined

songs like I Could Have Danced All Night and Wouldn’t It Be Loverly became instant classics the show ran for

2,717 performances becoming one of Broadway’s longestrunn musicals at the

time andrews was nominated for her first Tony Award for best actress in a musical

but what many don’t know is that she wasn’t the first choice for Eliza the

role was originally offered to Mary Martin a more established star but she

turned it down that decision changed Andrews’s life despite her success

Hollywood had different plans when it came time to make the movie version of My Fair Lady instead of casting Andrews

they chose Audrey Hepburn it was a controversial decision heepburn’s

singing voice was dubbed by another singer while Andrews had proven she could perform the songs

flawlessly many believed Andrews should have had the role but she moved on to something even bigger

on December 3rd 1960 she starred as Queen Gwyavir in Camelot a musical about

King Arthur’s legendary kingdom she performed alongside Richard Burton as

Arthur and Robert Goule as Lancelot the show had drama romance and heartbreak

andrews brought elegance and depth to her role making more than just a love

interest she earned another Tony nomination for best actress in a musical

during this time Camelot became tied to the presidency of John F kennedy after

his assassination in 1963 his widow Jquelin Kennedy compared

his leadership to the story of King Arthur’s kingdom calling it one brief

shining moment that was known as Camelot the musical took on a whole new meaning

and Andrew’s role in it became part of that legacy before Hollywood came

calling Andrews had already expanded beyond Broadway on March 31st 1957 she

starred in a live television broadcast of Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella on

CBS this wasn’t a remake of an existing musical it was written specifically for

TV over 107 million people tuned in more than half the US population at the time

it was a massive success andrew’s performance was warm and magical and the

songs became favorites she earned a Prime Time Emmy nomination for best

single performance by an actress by 1964 she was ready for the movies walt

Disney had been searching for the perfect actress to play Mary Poppins he wanted someone with a beautiful singing

voice a strong presence and a touch of mischief andrews had it all the film

premiered on August 27th 1964 and was a runaway success earning

$31 million at the box office her performance was flawless songs like a

spoonful of sugar and supercalifragilistic expialidocious became iconic at the 37th

Academy Awards in 1965 Andrews won the Oscar for best actress it was a defining

moment not just because she won but because she beat Audrey Hepburn the

actress who had taken her role in My Fair Lady the win proved that Hollywood

had underestimated her her next film was even bigger the Sound of Music premiered

on March 2nd 1965 and became one of the highest grossing films of all time earning $286

million worldwide she played Maria von Trap a young nun turned governness who

changes the lives of an Austrian family through music the film was based on a

true story and Andrews made Maria feel real kind strong and full of

joy the opening scene where she twirls on a mountaintop was visually stunning

but incredibly difficult to film a helicopter was used to capture the shot

and the force of the wind from its blades kept knocking her to the ground she later joked about being flattened

into the grass after every tape the film won five Academy Awards including best

picture and turned Andrews into one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood but

success came with a challenge she had now played two beloved nanny figures in

a row and people worried she would be typ cast she knew she had to show she

could do more later in 1964 she took on a completely different kind of role in

the Americanization of Emily opposite James Garner this film set during World

War II was a sharp and sometimes dark take on patriotism and war andrews

played Emily Barham a British widow who falls for an American naval officer it

was her first major dramatic role and she proved she could do more than musicals

then came Torn Curtain a Cold War thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock

the film was released on July 14th 1966 and paired Andrews with Paul Newman

universal Pictures insisted on casting two major stars to ensure box office

success hitchcock however wasn’t entirely pleased he reportedly felt that

both actors were too polished for the gritty spy story he wanted to tell the film received mixed reviews but it

grossed $13 million worldwide against a $3 million budget making it a financial

hit later that year Andrews took on Hawaii an epic historical drama based on

James Mer’s novel the film was released on October 10th 1966 and had the highest

budget of any film at the time $15 million it grossed $34.5 million domestically

and became the highest grossing movie of the year andrews played Jerushia Bramley

Hail a woman who follows her missionary husband to Hawaii in the 19th century

filming was difficult the crew faced torrential rains and even title wave alerts causing constant delays despite

the challenges the film earned seven Academy Award nominations

one of the most unexpected outcomes of Hawaii was the attention on a first-time actress Joseline Lagard who played a

Hawaiian queen she had never acted before yet she won a Golden Globe for

her role even with Andrews as the lead Lagard’s performance became one of the

film’s biggest talking points julie Andrews was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood mary Poppins 1964 made her a

household name and The Sound of Music 1965 turned her into a legend she had

charm talent and an audience that adored her but by the late 1960s things started

to change two films nearly ended her career the first was Star in 1968

it was a big budget biopic about Gertude Lawrence a famous stage actress the film

had everything going for it robert Wise the director of The Sound of Music was

in charge the budget was massive $14 million a huge amount at the time but

something went wrong critics said Andrews’s performance felt too theatrical and unnatural variety even

called it overdone hidenishness a harsh criticism for someone known for her effortless charm

the film bombed it became one of the most expensive failures in Hollywood

history then came Darling Lily in 1970 directed by her husband Blake Edwards

this film had even more problems re-shoots dragged on and the budget

ballooned to $25 million andrews tried to reinvent herself she

swore on screen for the first time she performed a strip tease in one scene

shocking audiences who had always seen her as a wholesome figure but it didn’t

work the film flopped audiences didn’t connect with it and the failure was so

big that it marked the end of her time as Hollywood’s top musical star

strangely despite these failures Andrews still earned Golden Globe nominations

for both films she was still respected but that didn’t change the reality

hollywood was moving on and if she wanted to stay relevant she had to do

something different she turned to television in 1972 she launched the Julie Andrews Hour

a variety show that let her showcase her talents beyond musicals abc believed in

her so much that they gave her a 5-year contract something rare for the time the

show premiered on September 13th 1972 it featured musical numbers from

her Broadway and film career with comedy and special guests critics loved it they

praised her charm her voice and her ability to do more than just sing but

the ratings told a different story the show aired on Wednesday nights competing

with other major programs it struggled to find a big enough audience after just

one season and 24 episodes ABC canled it in April

1973 then something unexpected happened just one month later the Julie Andrews

Hour dominated the Emmy Awards it won seven out of 10 nominations including

Outstanding Variety Musical Series the show was an award-winning success yet it

was already gone to make up for the cancellation ABC offered Andrews five

variety specials between 1973 and 1975

it was a small consolation but it was clear her future wasn’t in television

she needed a new path and she took a surprising one she turned to nightclubs

for someone known as the world’s most beloved nanny and governness this was an unexpected move nightclubs were known

for jazz singers and edgy comedians not former Disney stars but that was exactly

why she did it she needed to break free from her old image in these performances

Andrews showed a new side of herself she sang jazz standards made jokes about

Hollywood and even poked fun at her own past roles audiences saw her as more

than just a musical theater star she was witty sophisticated and versatile

critics praised her for her ability to switch between Broadway ballads and jazz

arrangements the nightclub performances gave her career a fresh start then after

nearly a decade away from box office success she made a comeback in 1979 she

starred in 10 a romantic comedy directed by Blake Edwards and starring Dudley

Moore and Bo Derek the film was a massive hit grossing over $74 million in

the United States it was exactly what Andrews needed she followed it with two

more bold films first was Sob in 1981 a

satire about Hollywood in one scene Andrews shocked audiences by appearing

topless something no one expected from her it was a statement she was proving

that she could take risks and wasn’t trapped by her past image then came

Victor Victoria in 1982 the film that truly redefined her

career she played Victoria Grant a struggling singer who pretends to be

Count Victor Grazinski a male impersonator performing in Parisian nightclubs the role was groundbreaking

it explored gender identity and sexuality in ways Hollywood rarely had

before audiences who had known her as Maria von Trap now saw her playing a

complex daring role the film was both a critical and commercial success earning

$28 million in the United States andrews won the Golden Globe for best actress in

a comedy or musical she also earned an Academy Award nomination for best actress the film itself received seven

Oscar nominations more importantly it changed the way people saw Andrews she

wasn’t just the sweet singing governness anymore she had range she could take on

bold unexpected roles julie Andrews’s life was never just about fame behind

her success was a woman balancing love heartbreak and personal struggles while

building a legendary career she married Tony Walton in 1959 a set and costume

designer who had admired her since childhood they met when Walton saw her

perform at age 11 years later their friendship turned into love their

marriage was filled with creativity walton even designed costumes for Mary

Poppins one of Andrews’s most famous films in 1962 they had a daughter Emma

Walton Hamilton life seemed perfect but success came at a cost andrews was

constantly working traveling between Broadway and Hollywood the distance took

a toll and by 1967 they divorced the breakup left

Andrews emotionally drained she turned to therapy a decision that changed her

life director Mike Nichols encouraged her to seek help and she listened

therapy helped her deal with what she called the clutter and garbage in her mind it gave her clarity and strength to

keep going years later she spoke openly about mental health hoping her story

would help others not long after her divorce she met director Blake Edwards

in an unexpected place outside a therapist’s office edwards later called

it a wonderfully Hollywood moment their connection was instant they had both

been through failed marriages and both found comfort in each other despite a

13-year age gap their bond grew deeper by 1969 they were married their life

together was a mix of Hollywood glamour and deep personal connection andrews

became a stepmother to Edward’s children and in the mid 1970s they adopted two

daughters from Vietnam Amy and Joanna professionally they worked on seven

films together including Victor Victoria 1982 and Sob

1981 some projects struggled at the box office like Darling Lily but their

relationship remained strong andrews often said Edwards’s humor balanced her

out they were married for 41 years until his passing in

2010 even after his death she called their marriage a true love

story as her personal life changed so did her career the 1980s brought new

challenges in That’s Life 1986 she played a singer facing the possibility

of cancer the role hit close to home because around that time doctors found a

lesion on her throat the film explored aging relationships and fear of the

unknown that same year she starred in Duet for One playing a famous violinist

diagnosed with multiple sclerosis the story was raw and emotional it also gave her the chance to

work with Liam Niss whose intense performance added to the film’s depth

both roles earned her Golden Globe nominations proving she was more than just a musical star by the 1990s Andrews

explored television in 1992 she starred in the sitcom Julie playing a TV

personality who moves to a small town after marrying a veterinarian blake

Edwards directed the show but it never found an audience it was cancelled after just seven episodes even though the

series struggled Andrews found success elsewhere julie Andrews The Sound of

Christmas 1987 won five Emmy awards in 1989 she

reunited with Carol Bernett for Julie and Carol together again in 1990 she

performed in Julie Andrews in concert reminding everyone why she was a star

after 30 years away from Broadway she made a grand return in 1993 she starred

in Putting It Together a Steven Sondheim review about relationships and regrets

it was a small off Broadway production running for just 59 performances but it

marked an important comeback two years later she starred in Victor Victoria a

Broadway adaptation of her 1982 film she played Victoria Grant a woman pretending

to be a man performing as a female impersonator the show was a massive

success running for over 700 performances that same year the Tony

Awards nominated her for Victor Victoria but when she realized she was the only

cast member recognized she made a bold choice she rejected the nomination it

wasn’t out of pride or bitterness she believed the entire cast deserved

recognition it was a rare moment in Broadway history but it showed the kind of person Andrews was julie Andrews

returned to Disney after 37 years with The Princess Diaries 2001

she played Queen Clarice Rinaldi a royal grandmother guiding her awkward

granddaughter played by Anne Hathaway director Gary Marshall cast her without

an audition knowing she was perfect for the role this was her first Disney film

since Mary Poppins 1964 which won her an Academy Award her

performance brought warmth and humor making Queen Clarice one of her most beloved roles she mentored Hathaway on

set though she insisted Hatheraway needed little guidance the film became a hit grossing 165 million worldwide in

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement 2004 Andrews even had a rare singing

moment despite losing her full singing voice after a 1997 surgery that same

year she voiced Queen Lillian in Shrek 2 2004 she played Fiona’s mother a

supportive and loving queen unlike most animated films she recorded scenes with

John Cle making their on-screen chemistry more authentic the Shrek

franchise became a global success and Andrews reprised her role in Shrek III

2007 and Shrek Forever After 2010 in 2007 she narrated Enchanted a

Disney film mixing fairy tales with the real world her voice set the magical

tone bridging classic and modern Disney storytelling the movie earned over $340

million worldwide she took on a comedic role in Tooth Fairy 2010 playing Lily

the head fairy who guides Dwayne Johnson’s character through an unexpected magical punishment the film

grossed $112 million proving Andrews could still shine in light-hearted

family films in 2016 she directed a stage production

of My Fair Lady for its 60th anniversary the show premiered at the Sydney Opera

House and toured multiple cities she ensured it honored the original using

archived designs to recreate sets and costumes the production broke box office

records and received glowing reviews in 2017 she co-created and hosted Julie’s

Green Room a Netflix educational series teaching children about the performing

arts the show featured celebrity guests like Alec Baldwin and Adena Mensel her

daughter Emma Walton Hamilton co-produced the series making it a

family project the show earned two daytime Emmy nominations julie Andrews

had a voice that felt like magic her four octave soprano made Mary Poppins

and the sound of music unforgettable but by 1995 something was wrong while

performing Victor Victoria on Broadway her voice started to strain at first it

was just horarsseness the kind that fades with rest but this time it didn’t

by 1997 doctors found a lesion on her vocal cords some called it non-cancerous

nodules others said it was a benign polic either way years of singing had

taken a toll doctors warned her to rest but she wanted a real solution in June

1997 she went in for surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York it was

supposed to be routine a quick procedure to remove the lesion and get her voice back instead it changed her life forever

the surgery left her with permanent scarring on her vocal cords scar tissue

stopped them from vibrating the way they needed to her clear powerful voice was

gone even speaking became difficult back then vocal cord surgeries weren’t as

advanced some used forceps others relied on lasers both carried a high risk of

scarring andrews later said she had never been fully warned about the dangers in 1998 her husband Blake

Edwards spoke publicly about what had happened he said what she had feared

most she would never sing again losing her voice felt like losing a part of

herself in December 1999 she took action filing a malpractice lawsuit against

Mount Sinai Hospital and the two surgeons she argued that they never told

her the real risks and that the operation had ruined her ability to perform the case was settled privately

in September 2000 for an undisclosed amount but no settlement could undo the

damage she spent the next years searching for answers from 2000 onward

she went through multiple treatments and four more surgeries with Dr steven Zidles at Massachusetts General Hospital

these helped her speaking voice a little but her singing voice never came back in

2002 she turned her focus to helping others she supported new research on

vocal restoration working with experts at MIT and Harvard Medical School

scientists were exploring laser technology and tissue engineering to heal damaged vocal cords she hoped that

even if she couldn’t be helped someone else could be through it all she refused

to disappear she found a new passion in writing with her daughter Emma Walton

Hamilton she co-wrote a series of children’s books but no matter how much

she accomplished the loss of her voice stayed with her she has spoken about it

openly calling it one of the greatest heartbreaks of her life julie Andrews

may have lost her ability to sing but her legacy is forever the world will never forget her

voice