With clips of the upcoming modern version of Mary Poppins circulating the internet I think we can all admit that although Emily Blunt is delightful and talented, there is no replacing Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins. Here are some interesting facts about her:
- She started her acting career at the age of 12 in a production of Starlight but before that she was occasionally found singing on stage with her mother and step-father.
- Her youth vocal coach said that Andrews had "absolute pitch" which she had never had a student so young and talented.
- She began to make a name for herself when she stared in the Broadway production of My Fair Lady.
- She almost didn't take the role as Mary Poppins because she was holding out for a part in the motion picture version of My Fair Lady but when she lost out for Audrey Hepburn she accepted the part.
- She is best friends with Carol Burnett and Burnett is Godmother to the oldest of her 2 adopted daughters.
- In 1997 she lost her singing voice in a botched routine procedure.
- She has a hybrid rose breed named after her.
- In 2002 she was declared a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II
- She learned to play the guitar for the role of Maria in The Sound of Music.
- She was once nominated for a Tony, the only award she doesn't have, for her role in Victor/Victoria, but she turned down the nomination because she believed her other cast mates and crew deserved more recognition than her.
- She still tries to stay actively involved in the theater world and is an iconic actress and lady.
