Audrey Hepburn’s Deepest Regret Revealed: The One Role She Wishes She Had Played

Audrey Hepburn is universally regarded as one of the most iconic actresses in the history of cinema. With timeless performances in classics like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, and Sabrina, Hepburn became a cultural figure known for her elegance, grace, and incredible talent. She earned five Academy Award nominations, won an Oscar for Roman Holiday in 1953, and took home numerous other accolades, including three BAFTA awards. Yet despite an illustrious career filled with unforgettable roles, Hepburn harbored one regret—a role that slipped through her fingers and left a lasting mark on her.

In an incredible career that spanned decades, Hepburn played numerous characters who became part of film history. Her portrayal of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) is perhaps the most iconic of all, while her work in Funny Face, My Fair Lady, and Roman Holiday cemented her status as a screen legend. The American Film Institute ranks her as the third greatest female screen legend, right behind Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis.

Despite all her achievements, there was one role that Hepburn wished she had taken—a role that would have connected her career to her personal life in a profound way.

The film was The Turning Point (1977), a drama about the lives of two aging prima ballerinas, DeeDee Rodgers and Emma Jacklin, who struggle with the realities of their fading careers. Based on the true stories of dancers Isabel Mirrow Brown and Nora Kaye, the film explored themes of loss, aging, and the transition from the heights of ballet to a life beyond the stage. Hepburn, who had trained as a ballerina in her youth, saw a reflection of her own life in the character of Emma Jacklin.

Hepburn’s connection to the world of ballet was deep and personal. During World War II, she studied ballet at the Arnhem Conservatory and even performed to secretly raise money for the Dutch resistance. She worked as a chorus girl in the West End and was trained by some of the most renowned choreographers of the time. Ballet had been Hepburn’s first love, and the dream of becoming a prima ballerina was at the core of her early ambitions.

However, her pursuit of ballet was tragically cut short. Hepburn was told by a teacher that due to her small height, slight weight, and the effects of malnutrition from her childhood during the war, she would never be able to achieve the status of a prima ballerina. This shattered her dreams, but she soon found success as an actress, marking the beginning of her legendary career in Hollywood.

The role of Emma Jacklin in The Turning Point seemed like a perfect fit for Hepburn, given her personal history and connection to the world of ballet. However, by the time the film came around, Hepburn had entered a semi-retirement phase of her life. She had shifted her focus towards her family and humanitarian efforts, taking on only a handful of roles in specific projects. The role eventually went to Anne Bancroft, and Hepburn later admitted that passing on the part was her biggest regret.

In her own words, Hepburn confessed, “That was the one film that got away from me.” Despite all her achievements, the role of Emma Jacklin haunted her for years, a reminder of a dream she had left behind in favor of her acting career.

Although Hepburn’s legacy as an actress is unparalleled, The Turning Point represents a poignant “what could have been” in her storied career. The film would have given Hepburn a chance to return to the world of dance and explore themes of aging and lost potential in a way that echoed her own experience. While it may have been a missed opportunity, it remains one of the few regrets in an otherwise perfect career that continues to inspire new generations of moviegoers.