Pros Verbruggen: I'm not a Registrar, but my first question! Where were you born?
Audrey Hepburn: Here in Brussels.
PV: In Brussels!
AH: I’m very proud to say it.
PV: You speak Dutch very well, with a bit of a Dutch accent. How is that?
AH: My mother is Dutch and I lived in Holland during the war. I lived there for eight years.
PV: You lived there for eight years. And did you return to Belgium afterwards?
AH:I went there a few times, very short, but it's great to be here again.
PV: You started an acting career a few years back. How did you start? Did you follow an acting class?
AH: Well, I have danced, I started my career as a ballet student. In Holland.
And I went to London as a ballet student in '48.
And then slowly, one thing led to another, I played very small roles (including) one movie in London.
Then I got the opportunity to play Gigi in New York in Theater.
And the same year I auditioned for Roman Holiday.
PV: So the movie Roman Holiday...
AH: In 1952. It was a great year for me.
PV: But it wasn't final. There were more actresses for that role?
AH: Yes, they were selected. The role was not meant for me, no.
PV: You have worked in London, you’ve worked in new York, then you went to Hollywood. How was that?
Was it very different? Was it like how one reads it in publications and newspapers? How was it exactly? Can you explain it in a couple of words?
AH: It's not like people read in magazines, because it's either pretty or not so pretty.
I have to say I love working there very much; I have a lot of friends.
As you know, the movie industry is very old in Hollywood so there is a very high standard.
I’m not sure if I’m using the right word now.
PV: Yes, you said it right. And what are actors like among themselves?
AH: I really love to work there.
PV: And is there a nice atmosphere?
AH: Oh yes, a very serious atmosphere. It’s such a pity one doesn’t read about that more often.
It’s always about things that happen, but one reads so little about the
early mornings and having to be in the studio in the early morning, about hundreds of people
who are ready to work, and do so the entire day very seriously.
There is a very serious atmosphere because everyone takes their work very seriously.
PV: Do you have any preferences for a director? You’ve worked with Billy Wilder.
AH: Actually, I don’t really. I have been very lucky, as you know, with the directors
I was allowed to work with, that is really the only thing I can say.
PV: Paris has had a very obvious role in your movies; there are quite some roles of you in-
AH: Yes, so peculiarly, in my whole career
also when it comes to theater. Because, Gigi, as you know, is from origin French, from Collette,
and the second piece I played in New York with my husband, Mel Ferrer, was Ondine by
Jean Giraudoux. And with Sabrina.. in the story of Sabrina I am from Paris.
In Funny Face I’m going to Paris. It is often something like that. Paris has brought me lots of luck.
PV: You have not met your husband in Paris, have you?
AH: No I haven’t.
PV: Do you like musical movies?
AH: Yes, very much. It’s lovely to work with music all around you. Which is what you’re doing.
PV: The reason for you to be here is of course your movie The Nun’s Story
which was filmed partly in Belgium and partly in Belgian-Congo.
Belgium was of course no new territory for you, but how did you find Congo? Did you not
have any difficulties with the temperature while you were working?
AH: No, not at all. No. I would love it to be very interesting and to be able to say
‘ooh it was so hot and I fainted every day’ but it wasn’t like that.
It was VERY hot but I rather liked that because at least I can say that, and it was..
It was terribly beautiful. I would love to go back one day. My husband doesn’t know it yet and I would
love to go back together I thought it was stunning.
PV: And the role itself, in the movie? How did you find that?
AH: It was a difficult role. Difficult and I have worked very hard, like everyone else,
we did our very best, and I hope the public will notice this.
It was also a very serious subject, and I hope we did it credit.
PV: Then a classic interview question, are there any plans?
AH: At this moment very few for me.
My husband is going to direct another movie, so we’re flying back to LA tomorrow morning.
So, well, he is going to work and I am going to tend to the house, like all other women do.
PV: Well, Mrs. Ferrer, I want to thank you very much for this interview and of course
I wish you luck with your career, with your movie career, like all your movies till now
have been such a success. AH: Thank you very much.