Lily Collins, the acclaimed star of Netflix's global hit series Emily in Paris, has officially been cast to portray the legendary Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming film that will chronicle the dramatic making of the 1961 romantic comedy classic Breakfast at Tiffany's. The announcement was made during London Fashion Week on February 19, where Collins was photographed, generating significant buzz in both fashion and film circles.
A Decade-Long Project Comes to Fruition
Collins, who is the daughter of renowned musician Phil Collins, expressed her profound excitement and honor in a heartfelt statement shared on her Instagram account. "It's with almost 10 years of development and a lifetime of admiration and adoration for Audrey that I'm finally able share this," she wrote. "Honoured and ecstatic don't begin to express how I feel." The film, which remains untitled, is based on Sam Wasson's meticulously researched nonfiction book Fifth Avenue, 5 AM: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's and the Dawn of the Modern Woman.
Behind the Scenes of a Hollywood Classic
The script for this highly anticipated project has been penned by Alena Smith, the creative force behind the Apple TV series Dickinson. While no director has been officially announced yet, the film promises to deliver the first complete account of the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's, delving into the intense drama from preproduction through various on-set disasters. One notable incident involved a crew member who was reportedly nearly electrocuted during the filming of the iconic opening sequence outside the flagship Tiffany & Co store on Fifth Avenue in New York.
The Controversial Casting of Audrey Hepburn
Breakfast at Tiffany's was originally a 1958 novella by Truman Capote, set in the 1940s and narrated by a struggling writer who befriends his glamorous neighbor, Holly Golightly, described as an "American geisha." The 1961 film adaptation, however, took significant liberties, transposing the story to the 1960s and altering the narrator's character. Capote had fervently lobbied for Marilyn Monroe to play Golightly, but Monroe was under contract with Twentieth Century Fox at the time and was advised to decline the role due to concerns that it would tarnish her image.
Shirley MacLaine and Kim Novak also turned down the part, leading to Hepburn's casting against Capote's explicit wishes. Capote later lamented, "Paramount double-crossed me in every way and cast Audrey. It was the most miscast film I've ever seen." In response, Paramount's publicity department aggressively worked to reframe Golightly's character, emphasizing Hepburn's pure and princess-like image to distance the role from any association with sex work.
Critical Acclaim and Lasting Legacy
Despite the initial controversies, Breakfast at Tiffany's achieved critical acclaim and commercial success, grossing $14 million globally (equivalent to approximately $152 million today) and winning two Academy Awards for Best Score and Best Song for "Moon River," performed by Hepburn in the film. The upcoming movie starring Collins will explore these multifaceted elements, including the casting of other key figures such as Truman Capote and director Blake Edwards, which has yet to be announced.
Previous Portrayals and Future Prospects
Audrey Hepburn has been portrayed on screen before, most notably by Jennifer Love Hewitt in the 2000 television movie The Audrey Hepburn Story. Additionally, Rooney Mara was briefly attached to a Hepburn biopic directed by Luca Guadagnino, but the project was ultimately canceled in 2023. Collins' casting marks a significant new chapter in bringing Hepburn's enduring legacy to life, promising a fresh and in-depth look at one of Hollywood's most beloved films.
