(translated with google and Ernesto)

Venice Film Festival, Julie Andrews: “In my voice you can hear my destiny” August 27, 2019

The actress will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lido. We remember the many female characters who made her famous, from Mary Poppins to the artiste in ‘Victor Victoria’

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT ARIANNA FINOS

VENICE –

“Wind’s in the East”, as was said in Mary Poppins, it blew to the Lido Julie Andrews so that she can put in her bottomless bag a new lifetime achievement award, a Golden Lion in recognition of her career: “I have never been to the Venice Film Festival, I have to take measurements of my bag, I’m curious, happy and grateful,” she says, her voice full of energy. Eighty-three years old, a professional history that began when she was a little girl with blue eyes and with a vocal extension of four octaves. She performed on tours of Britain, sang for Queen Elizabeth, traded the boards of Broadway with Richard Burton in the musical Camelot, won the Oscar for Mary Poppins, made every family around the world watch the Sound of Music on afternoon television, became a gay icon thanks to the androgynous irony of Victor Victoria, wrote thirty children’s books and two autobiographies (the second comes out in October) and now debuts in a brand new TV series. She once said she was born inside a piano. “I come from a showbiz family, yes, my mother was a very good pianist, with my stepfather they made ends meet in English vaudeville. He found that I had a powerful and unusual voice for a little girl, and my fate was sealed. I started traveling around the country, performing on stage with them. Then I went on tour with a tutor, I sang and sang, opera arias and English ballads, things that were fashionable at the time. I had a great singing teacher, a great mentor.”

What did music mean to you, then? “I would say it saved my life. I know it’s a strange answer. having such a powerful voice for a 13-year-old girl gave me an identity. Life was not easy in those days, the war, my parents were poor and very unhappy people. A rough time, but luckily there was something I could focus on. I practiced very hard.” What does it mean today? “A great joy. Twenty years ago I had that bad operation that kept me from singing again, but I did everything I could to restore the joy that singing had given me. In every project I do, I always try to include music.” She was one of the few actresses not attached for years to a single studio. With her husband Blake Edwards, she fought against the interference of the producers in their films. “It was a special time, I was lucky to have a director husband. We made seven films together, I trusted him blindly: thank God I didn’t have to sign a long contract like many colleagues. I had a singular career: in my twenties three huge shows on Broadway, including My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison. For the film version they cast Audrey Hepburn, who was more famous, but Walt Disney came in person to invite me to Hollywood and show me the sketches and songs for Mary Poppins, I was three months pregnant and they waited for me. This is how my film career began. Every milestone in life has been a step towards learning a new and interesting aspect of this wonderful craft that I still love so much.”

She played strong women like Mary Poppins and Maria in “The Sound of Music.” “Mary Poppins was certainly very independent, she didn’t need anyone! Playing her was a lot of fun. Maria was an adorable character, beautiful songs. Working on the set in Austria was hard and took a long time. In the kiss scene, the spotlight kept on making a funny noise. Christopher Plummer and I laughed so much that they had to shoot it in silhouette so that the expressions wouldn’t be seen.” You made a show with Harry Belafonte in which you gave him the first interracial kiss in TV history. “It was perfect. I did a great TV special with Harry and it was nice to work with him, we were great friends. I didn’t think there would be any bad reaction and in fact it went smoothly.” A memory of Marcello Mastroianni with whom you shot “Cin Cin”? “I was very nervous about working with him, but he was sweet and charming. During the shoot my father died, I felt miserable and grieving. He came to console me, I threw myself into his arms and I cried a lot, flooding his jacket with tears. It was a sad day.” You and your daughter Emma have written thirty children’s books. Between children and grandchildren you have a tribe. What values did you pass on to them? “I would like my books to convey the wonder that is in this world, often under our noses. Writing children’s book is more difficult than writing for adults because kids should learn lessons from what they read.” Broadway’s “Camelot” was John F. Kennedy’s favorite show. “The whole company was so proud that he liked the show. I have only one regret, I have not been able to meet him.”

And then “Victor Victoria”, filmed with her husband Edwards (disappeared in 2010, ed.), is an evergreen. “Blake would have been so glad to hear you say this. It was an exciting set, but I was never sure who I was: “Am I a man or a woman?” I used to wonder, “Am I thinking like a man while I’m a woman?” But I knew I was in good hands with my husband. It was a difficult film and I’m happy with its success. It was originally a German film without the nuances that Blake brought to our version by embellishing it.” Now the TV series “Bridgerton” from Julia Quinn’s books, in which she will be the mysterious Lady Whistledown… “You won’t see me, but you will hear my narrating voice. Not only is she an interesting character, but she allows me to go to the studio without having to resort to makeup and wig: a great relief.”

Original posted here 

Special Thank you to Ernesto!!