The True Story Of Julie Andrews’ Life Behind The Scenes

Hollywood is full of triple threats, and one of the greatest of all time is Julie Andrews. Primarily known for her acting and singing, she made her mark on some of the biggest films of the 20th century, ensuring a lasting career that’s still going strong today.

She’s managed her success despite not always having the easiest go of things. From a troubled relationship with her stepfather to a surgery that changed everything, her years in the spotlight are almost like a movie in themself. No matter the hardships she’s faced, though, Julie Andrews has always come out fighting.

Julie’s grandparents passed away within a few years of one another

Born October 1, 1935, Julie never got to meet her maternal grandparents. They’d passed away before the actress was born. However, though they were never a part of her life, their influence was still felt in those early years. Well, their loss had a significant impact on Andrews’ mother, who was apparently still a teenager at the time.

Her parents apparently passed within two years of each other, both with the same disease. Julie’s grandfather - who reportedly drank frequently and cheated repeatedly on his wife - was the first to go, with the man’s parting gift to his spouse being that devastating illness. When Julie’s grandmother then went the same way, her mother had to pick up the pieces.

Her mother had to sideline her dreams to care for her sister

With her parents gone, Juie’s mother could no longer follow her dreams. While she was 19, she had a sister who was just 13, and someone needed to look after her. So, as much as the woman wanted to become a classical pianist, she had to put what remained of her family ahead of her own ambitions.

Fortunately, this would not be the case forever. Years later, she would get to perform while also living some of her dreams through her daughter. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and that’s easy to see with Julie and her mother. After all, Andrews also grew up with great talent and looking to become a star.

Julie Andrews’ mother tied the knot with Ted Wells and had two kids

It was only a few years after losing her grandparents that Julie’s mother began to settle down with someone. In 1932, she wed Ted Wells, a man who taught woodwork and metalwork. Ted was seemingly a great support for his wife, helping her to look after her younger sister before she was old enough to fly the nest.

Three years after the pair got married, Julie came along, with her brother John arriving shortly after her. The four of them could have been a happy family unit. However, it wasn’t long before Julie’s mother had the opportunity to finally live out her dream. When that happened, it seemed to shake up everything back home.

Love blossomed between Julie’s mother and Ted Andrews, leading to a divorce

Julie’s mother had secured a job playing the piano for the singer and actor Ted Andrews. This led to her going on tour with the man, and it seems this may have sparked something between the pair. Before long, she was smitten with the man, and her marriage to Wells fell apart, putting the kids in a difficult position.

The couple eventually tied the knot in 1943, during the height of the Second World War. The two were living together in London, with the pair apparently involved in entertaining the troops through the Entertainments National Service Association. Although the children didn’t initially join them, Julie was apparently sent to be with her mom and stepdad in 1940.

Julie lived in a “bad slum area of London” with her mother

By 1940, the war had already begun. Most children were being evacuated out of cities to areas of the countryside that were less likely to be attacked during air raids. However, Ted Wells thought that Julie’s mother and stepfather would be better suited to honing the girl’s talents and providing her with the training that she needed.

So, she found herself living in “a bad slum area of London” that was far from ideal. The family was apparently quite poor at the time, so they couldn’t afford anything better. Andrews has since referred to this time as a “very black period in my life,” and we can understand why. However, that wasn’t simply because of her home.

Her mother and stepfather allegedly both had problems with drinking

When a child’s parents part ways and new partners are introduced to the family, it can take some getting used to. Julie wasn’t necessarily the biggest fan of her stepfather when he began dating her mother, and it seems she had a good reason for this. Much like her maternal grandfather, he also allegedly had a drinking problem.

This seemingly influenced his behavior towards both his wife and her kids, with Ted Andrews allegedly being abusive at times. In time, Julie’s mother also reportedly developed an unhealthy relationship with drinking, potentially driving a wedge between the two. According to the actress, it became difficult to trust her mom because of her drinking dependency.

Julie Andrews was apparently told to stop calling her stepfather “Uncle Ted”

Some children can find it weird or uncomfortable to start referring to a stepparent as “mom” or “dad” when they join the family. In the early days, Julie had apparently called Ted Andrews “Uncle Ted,” but her mother seemingly didn’t like this. She apparently suggested her daughter refer to him more like a father figure.

The recommendation was apparently to call him “Pop,” a deviation from the way Julie referred to her father as “dad” or “daddy.” This suggestion was something the actress reportedly wasn’t a fan of, but she seemingly had little say in the matter. We can understand the reluctance, though, knowing the difficult relationship that these two shared.

Julie’s stepfather attempted to get into bed with her several times

Living with a stepparent can be hard enough for some children. When that stepparent has an alleged drinking problem, it can be even more difficult. For Julie, though, her situation was even worse because it seems there were several occasions when her stepfather attempted to get into bed with her. She was reportedly only nine the first time it happened.

It apparently happened on two occasions, with Andrews recounting that he wanted to show her how he “cuddled with mommy.” Julie knew that what he was doing “didn’t feel right” at all, so she reportedly had a lock fitted on her bedroom door. The situation allegedly left Julie feeling “trapped and claustrophobic” in her own home.

Julie’s living situation started to improve after the Second World War

Knowing what Julie Andrews had to deal with growing up, it’s safe to say her early years aren’t necessarily ones that she looks back on fondly. Who could blame her? Having to live in Lonon during the Second World War with parents who drank and a stepfather who tried to get into bed with her must have been a nightmare.

At least things began to improve in some regard after the war. Her mother and stepfather’s careers started to flourish to the point that they could afford a place in Hersham. They apparently lived in a house that Julie’s maternal grandmother had previously worked in as a maid, showing just how far the family had come.

Julie Andrews’ talent for singing was apparently discovered during the war

As the family’s finances improved, they could afford to do more than simply move to a nicer neighborhood. Julie’s stepfather apparently sponsored singing lessons for her to nurture her vocal talent. It’s something the family reportedly discovered during the war, with Andrews sometimes singing in the air raid shelters as they waited for the danger to pass.

Although her stepdad reportedly tried to teach her himself at first, it soon became apparent that she needed a professional coach to really help her talents blossom. This is how Julie ended up meeting Lilian Stiles-Allen, a concert soprano and voice instructor. As the pair worked together, Lilian very quickly became one of the most important people in Julie’s life.

Lilian Stiles-Allen heaped plenty of praise on Julie’s vocal ability

Julie’s lessons initially began with Cone-Ripman School, an independent arts school in London. However, when Lilian Stiles-Allen came along, there was no need for Andrews to train with anyone else. The pair worked wonders together, with both women full of respect for one another years after those lessons ended. Julie referred to her coach as a “third mother.”

Meanwhile, Lilian wrote a book about Andrews, saying that the actress’ voice “amazed” her while praising its “range, accuracy, and tone.” She claimed that Julie had “the rare gift of absolute pitch,” a notion that her student seemingly refuted. It seems Andrews has never been as confident in her abilities as her teacher was all those years ago.

Julie was encouraged to pursue opera, but she preferred musical theater

Julie Andrews has demonstrated many times over the years just how blessed she’s been with her vocal prowess. While she may have never viewed her talents in the same way as her coach, there’s no denying her voice is one of the best Hollywood has ever seen. There was even a time when she was encouraged to sing operatically.

It was Lilian who suggested she go down this route, but once again, Julie didn’t view her skillset in the same way as her teacher. She believed it was “too big a stretch” because her voice was too “high and thin” to pull off an operatic performance. So, Julie stuck to musical theater, something she definitely doesn’t regret.

She was already performing for big crowds at 12 or 13 years old

The end of the war brought a lot of positivity Julie Andrews’ way. Not only was her family able to move out of that slum in London, but her career began to take off very quickly. At just 12 years old, she was introduced to Val Parnell, a managing director who cast her in the musical revue ‘Starlight Roof.’

She was tasked with singing the aria ‘Je suis Titania’ and made an instant impression. From there, she continued to blossom, with Andrews asked to perform for King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the following year. She became the youngest solo performer at the Royal Variety Performance, with people tipping Julie to go far after she showcased her vocal talent.

Julie Andrews soon became the sole breadwinner in the family

Not many people have the opportunity to perform in front of royalty, let alone at such a young age. It was clear that Julie possessed great talent, and the more publicity she received, the more people wanted to work with her. As a result, she reportedly became the breadwinner of her family when she was only 15 years old.

Although her mother and stepfather’s careers improved after the war, this seemingly wasn’t to the level at which Julie was getting work. Apparently, she became solely responsible for dealing with mortgage payments on their house as her star began to shine ever brighter. While the future looked bright for Andrews, no child should have to worry about paying a mortgage.

In 1950, she discovered that Ted Wells wasn’t actually her father

Looking back on her early years must give Julie Andrews many mixed emotions. On the one hand, she achieved so much from a young age, which set her up for tons of success in the future. However, she also dealt with a lot of personal turmoil, from drinking problems in the family to her stepdad invading her private space.

There was also the revelation that the man she’d always thought of as her father wasn’t actually related to her by blood. It seems that Julie was actually the result of an affair with a family friend, something she reportedly learned in 1950. That information remained with her for almost 60 years before she shared the revelation in her autobiography.

She made her Broadway debut when she was only 18

Given the way that Julie Andrews’ career was already flourishing throughout her teenage years, it’s maybe no surprise that things only got better as she approached her 20s. In 1954, she began appearing in the production of the musical ‘The Boy Friend,’ which appeared on Broadway of all places. She was apparently only 18 when she had her first show.

Given that Andrews lived in the UK, she had to move to New York, where she reportedly lived alone and devoted most of her time to performing. Her family was allegedly still reliant on her for financial support, so she couldn’t afford for anything to go wrong. Ever the professional, though, Julie never put a foot wrong.

Andrews was approached to star in My Fair Lady

After a year of doing ‘The Boy Friend,’ it was clear that Julie Andrews possessed a talent not often seen on the stage. Her vocal prowess and acting ability meant he was the perfect choice for a lot of roles, including the musical ‘My Fair Lady.’ Andrew was allegedly approached to play Eliza Doolittle, with her debut coming in 1956.

The actress spent several years in the show, performing on both Broadway and the West End. Despite her clear talent, though, not everyone was happy with her casting. Apparently, her co-star Rex Harrison wasn’t impressed by Julie and sought to have her replaced. Thankfully, the director stood firm in the decision to have Julie in the show.

Julie was overlooked for the role of Eliza Doolittle in the movie adaptation

The success of ‘My Fair Lady’ soon led to other roles, including appearing in the musical ‘Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,’ which debuted on CBS in 1957. Over 100 million people reportedly watched Andrews take on the role of the titular character, which saw the actress receive an Emmy nomination. However, the award went to Polly Bergen.

While performing in ‘My Fair Lady’ may have earned Julie a lot of praise, what it didn’t get her was a spot in the movie adaptation of the musical. Though there were hopes that Andrews would reprise her role, Audrey Hepburn was selected to play Doolittle instead. This was apparently because Julie was seen as more of a financial risk.

Andrews got the role of Mary Poppins in place of Eliza Doolittle

Although it was clear that Andrews possessed a great talent, there was no guarantee she would bring in big money. Hepburn seemed like a safer choice, with Jack Warner of Warner Brothers saying that she’d “never made a financial flop.” Thankfully, being rejected for the ‘My Fair Lady’ movie may have actually been a blessing in disguise for Julie.

The film came out in 1964, the same year that the Disney musical ‘Mary Poppins’ was released. The titular character still stands as one of Andrews’ biggest roles, and had she been in ‘My Fair Lady,’ she wouldn’t have had the time to play Mary Poppins. So, it’s probably a good thing that Warner Brothers didn’t have faith in her.

Walt Disney headhunted Julie Andrews for the role after seeing her on Broadway

It wasn’t the case that Julie Andrews auditioned for ‘Mary Poppins’ and was then cast in the titular role. No, Walt Disney himself personally wanted Andrews to play the part after seeing her perform in the musical ‘Camelot’ on Broadway. He thought she was the perfect choice to play the nanny, and we can’t say he was wrong.

Disney was so adamant about Julie being in 'Mary Poppins' that he offered to wait to film it until after she’d given birth. The actress initially declined his invitation because of her pregnancy, but his patience seemingly won her over. It proved to be the perfect first movie for the star, whose career had now hit a new level.

Andrews found the film unrelenting but gave it her all

By the time ‘Mary Poppins’ came along, Julie Andrews was no stranger to performing. She’d been on Broadway in three different shows, after all. However, there’s a big difference between the stage and screen. She had to put so much into this new role, with Andrews calling it “relenting.” However, she seemingly has no regrets about doing the movie.

Although being in ‘Mary Poppins’ was quite demanding, Julie apparently wasn’t afraid to put her foot down. For instance, when Walt Disney considered removing ‘Stay Awake’ from the film, Andrews supposedly wrote to P.L. Travers, asking her to convince Disney to change his mind. Her efforts proved worthwhile, as the song made it into the final cut.

Julie Andrews won Best Actress at the Oscars for her role as Mary Poppins

Considering that ‘My Fair Lady’ and ‘Mary Poppins’ came out in the same year, it was inevitable there would be some competition between the two. That was especially the case after Julie had been passed over for one and found great success with the other. So, when awards season came around, these movies received plenty of attention.

At the 1965 Academy Awards, both films had tons of nominations, with ‘Mary Poppins’ having the most at 13. ‘My Fair Lady’ won the most with eight, though, including Best Picture. At least Julie Andrews still emerged from the ceremony a success, as she was named Best Actress, an award that Hepburn controversially wasn't even nominated for.

The Sound of Music progressed her career further one year after Mary Poppins

The Warner Brothers might not have believed in Julie Andrews, but Walt Disney did, and his support may well have transformed the actress’ career. The film was the biggest box-office draw in Disney history, and with Andrews receiving rave reviews and awards for her performance, it would be no time at all before she was cast in other projects.

Just one year later, she appeared as Maria von Trapp in the musical drama ‘The Sound of Music.’ The highest-grossing movie of 1965, it was another film that did wonders for her career. Even if the reviews weren’t as glowing as they had been with ‘Mary Poppins,’ Julie’s performance was still a major talking point.

She put her all into the performance, including fine-tuning her guitar skills

Nowadays, ‘The Sound of Music’ is one of the films that we most associate with Julie Andrews. However, before she was cast in the movie, she didn’t necessarily think that highly of it. Apparently, Julie considered it to be “rather saccharine,” a judgment that she came to be “ashamed” of, as she wrote in her autobiography.

Despite her perception of the movie, though, that didn’t stop her from putting her all into the performance. For instance, she spent weeks working on her guitar skills just so it would look realistic when Maria played the instrument in the film. It’s that sort of dedication that has always made Andrews stand out and earned her so much respect.

Julie has a love of birds that stems from her great-grandmother’s aviary

These notable roles that Julie Andrews played in the mid-1960s weren’t all that dissimilar from one another. In both movies, she portrayed a kind soul who worked as a nanny and injected plenty of fun into the lives of her charges. Her characters were also very animal-friendly women, which definitely fits with the kind of person Andrews is.

Apparently, Julie has had a lifelong love of birds, which stems back to her relationship with her great-grandmother, Emily. The actress reportedly has fond memories of the woman, who used to have her own aviary. The exposure to birds is something that stuck with Andrews, who allegedly has quite a fondness for canaries above all other species.

Christopher Plummer had some strong words for his co-star

Julie Andrews was seemingly an unstoppable force during those early years. Her undeniable talent was pushing her to greater and greater heights, and she deserved every bit of success. Unfortunately, some of her co-stars didn’t seem to think so. Rex Harrison wasn’t the only one to question her casting, as Christopher Plummer was the same in ‘The Sound of Music.’

He seemingly didn't get along with his co-star, reportedly calling her “Ms. Disney” and saying Julie was “insufferable and annoying.” Thankfully, in the years after, he acknowledged that he was out of line and apologized for his behavior, saying that Julie had always been such a professional. Thankfully, their relationship improved significantly before Plummer passed away in 2021.

Julie Andrews was dealing with career rejection as far back as 1947

Julie Andrews faced some setbacks during those earlier years of her career. However, despite clashing with the odd co-star and not being cast by Jack Warner, she still managed to build a sensational career. Evidently, the actress isn’t someone who lets rejection dissuade them from following their dreams and finding a way to make things work.

We already knew that, though, because she’d experienced such rejection when she was just 12 years old. Apparently, Julie was invited to do a screen test with MGM Studios in 1947, but things didn't go as planned. Despite her clear talent, executives reportedly viewed her as “unfilmable.” We’d say they were eating their words a few decades later.

She got married in 1959 but divorced her husband almost a decade later

Family life wasn’t always something that brought Julie Andrews much joy when she was younger. From the divorce to the drinking problems to the revelation about her father, she had plenty to be scarred by. This could have easily pushed her away from ever wanting to get married herself. However, Julie did tie the knot in 1959 to Tony Walton.

Walton was someone that Andrews had apparently known since she was 12, having first met through a school play. They enjoy plenty of happy years together, with Julie’s husband even designing sets for ‘Mary Poppins.’ However, things fell apart nearly a decade after the wedding, with the two naturally drifting apart. They ultimately got a divorce in 1968.

Julie Andrews married Blake Edwards a year after divorcing her first husband

Fortunately, while the marriage might have ended, the friendship didn’t. Julie has reportedly maintained a good relationship with her ex-husband, which is ideal for their daughter Emma. There was definitely no looking back for the actress, though, as she was already walking down the aisle again a year after ending her first marriage. Husband number two was Blake Edwards.

Edwards knew a thing or two about the world Andrews lives in as he was an actor and film director. It wasn’t on a set or at a Hollywood party that the two crossed paths, though. Instead, they kept bumping into each other at their shared therapist. Eventually, after meeting this way enough times, Blake asked Julie out.

She stayed with Blake until he passed away over 40 years later

Meeting at a therapist’s office isn’t where most great love stories begin. However, it’s clear that the love between these two was strong and genuine. Even though Blake was quick to pop the question, and they tied the knot in 1969, this wasn’t a case of them rushing into something. They stayed together for over 40 years.

The only reason they’re no longer together is because Edwards passed away in 2010. Not only did he leave behind a loving wife but also several children. Along with two kids from his first marriage, he had two children from Vietnam that he and Julie adopted in the mid-1970s. They were reportedly both left at the same orphanage in Saigon.

The actress surprised many with her appearance in S.O.B.

Given the roles that Julie made a name for herself in, it’s safe to assume that many people see the woman as a family-friendly actress. However, it appears there have been times when she’s appeared in some unexpected project and done things we never would have anticipated. For instance, when she starred in the satirical black comedy ‘S.O.B.’

The 1981 movie was directed by Julie’s husband, which perhaps explains why she was in it. Still, we’re surprised she said yes to it, given that she exposed her chest in the movie. The actress later admitted that agreeing to the project was a difficult decision but one she evidently thought was worth it. Thankfully, it didn’t hurt her reputation.

She once turned down a Tony nomination in the 1990s

That role in ‘S.O.B.’ showed a daring side to Julie Andrews that we hadn’t really seen before. It showed that she wasn’t always going to be as clean-cut as people expected or that she wouldn’t always follow the rules. We saw a similar side of her around 15 years later when she starred in the musical ‘Victor/Victoria.’

This marked a return to Broadway after more than 20 years, with Andrews' performance earning her a Tony Award nomination. However, she turned it down, asking that her name be removed from the list of nominations because the rest of the cast and crew were overlooked. Julie didn’t feel right being highlighted when so many others from the production weren’t.

Julie Andrews developed a problem with her vocal cords in the late 1990s

Julie Andrews might never have viewed her voice in the same way that her teacher previously did. However, she’s always known that she possesses plenty of great vocal skill. So, when she started having issues with it in the ‘90s, she had good reason to be concerned. Her voice was effectively her livelihood, after all.

The problems began to appear while performing in ‘Victor/Victoria,’ with Andrews later saying that they were due to “a certain kind of muscular striation [that] happens on the vocal cords.” Her work in the Broadway show had put a strain on her vocal cords, leading to the issue that she underwent surgery for in the late ‘90s.

The procedure damaged her voice forever, leading to a lawsuit

The hope was that the surgery would fix whatever was wrong, and she could return to performing. However, what actually happened was that the procedure damaged Julie Andrews’ vocal cords permanently and left her unable to sing the way she had done before. Her voice was much raspier, and despite assurance it would improve weeks later, that never happened.

In 1999, Julie ended up filing a malpractice suit against the doctors who operated on her throat. This lawsuit was eventually settled the following year, although for what amount is unknown. The actress has since received several more surgeries at a different hospital, but they’ve never been able to restore her voice to how it was before the first procedure.

She was able to sing again to some degree in the mid-2000s

Ever since Julie Andrews’ surgery went wrong, it’s always been a worry whenever a singer has undergone a procedure to fix something with their vocal cords. We don’t want to see what happened to her happen to someone else who’s just as talented. Thankfully, while the surgery affected her voice permanently, it hasn’t stopped her from singing altogether.

She proved she’s still very much a skillful performer when she did a duet with Raven in the rom-com ‘The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.’ By this point, it had been more than half a decade since the botched procedure, so it was truly something special when Andrews began singing. Apparently, people behind the scenes were in tears during filming.

Julie Andrews started to focus more on her writing following the botched surgery

Losing the ability to sing the way she was accustomed to didn’t completely derail Julie Andrews' career. However, it did push her to focus more on other avenues, ones that didn’t require her vocal talent as much. That included writing books, something that she actually started doing years before that vocal surgery damaged her voice.

It seems that Andrews is actually quite a prominent children’s author, having written and illustrated dozens of books with both her daughter and ex-husband. The first one - ‘Mandy’ - was printed in 1971, with many newer titles coming in the 2000s and 2010s. She even released a book as recently as 2023, with ‘The Enchanted Symphony’ launching to positive reviews.

Julie eventually established a podcast revolving around children’s stories

It’s been clear through Julie’s love that she has great affection for kids. Some of her best-known roles involved her playing a nanny, with much of the actress’ written work also aimed at children. Even the podcast that she launched in 2020 has children as the focus, with the show involving Andrews reading kid's stories with her daughter.

The podcast, entitled ‘Julie’s Library,’ was apparently created with the aim to “bring families together” and “encourage reading and literacy,” something we’d definitely say it’s achieved. The show came at a time when many families needed a way to keep kids entertained, and this definitely seemed to help with that. Julie proved to be as reliable as ever.

She still struggles to cope without her late husband at times

Working on the books and the podcast has definitely given Julie something to smile about in the years since she lost her husband. However, even though plenty of time has passed, she still struggles to cope without him sometimes. Five years after he’d gone, she admitted in an interview that her feelings changed from day to day.

Even now, after so much time has passed, she still misses him. Julie is currently the age that her husband was when he contracted pneumonia and passed away in a Californian hospital. Hopefully, though, she still has a lot of life left in her because we’re not sure that we’re ready to lose someone like Andrews anytime soon.

Some people were surprised that Julie wasn’t in Mary Poppins Returns

Nostalgia is a very powerful tool, and we’ve been seeing that a ton in Hollywood in recent years. So many old movies are being remade or receiving sequels decades after they were initially released. Sometimes, it pays off, while other times, it doesn’t. In the case of the musical fantasy film ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ it seemingly worked.

The sequel to the 1960s film performed well at the box office and generated plenty of positive reviews. However, some people were surprised Julie didn’t have a cameo in it at all. Thankfully, it wasn’t a case of her not being asked. Instead, she simply decided against it because she didn’t wish to take away from Emily Blunt’s performance.

Many of Julie’s roles post-surgery have seen her play regal characters

While Julie Andrews might have rejected a cameo in ‘Mary Poppins Returns,’ she’s said yes to plenty of other projects. Despite what happened with the surgery, she’s still been something of a regular in both film and TV. In fact, a lot of her roles have actually revolved around her using her voice, including the historical romance series ‘Bridgerton.’

She provides the voice of Lady Whistledown, with her role set to continue in the upcoming third season. A regal part like this is something Julie’s almost been typecast in since the turn of the century. Along with playing Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the ‘The Princess Diaries’ movies, she was also Queen Lillian in the animated ‘Shrek’ films.