eat your heart out

“[William] Wyler had an equally difficult time finding the perfect Princess Ann. His first choice was Elizabeth Taylor, but MGM wouldn’t loan her out to Paramount. He then became a champion of Jean Simmons, but billionaire Howard Hughes had Simmons under an exclusive contract and wouldn’t loan her out either. Wyler then went on an European tour to look for a new discovery to play the princess. Meanwhile, Paramount Pictures production chief Richard Mealand was pushing a young Belgian born actress named Audrey Hepburn, whom he had seen in a small part in the British movie, Laughter in Paradise (1951). Paramount gave Hepburn an unusual screen test – she was interviewed after acting out a scene in the script – that allowed her natural charisma and youthful radiance to shine through. Wyler’s verdict was ‘absolutely charming,’ and, from that moment, Hepburn was the only choice to play Princess Ann.”

Hummingbird and Apple Blossoms Martin Johnson Heade (1819–1904)