Chapter 399 Hepburn

This little girl named "Audrey Kathleen Ruston" would later become Audrey Hepburn.

Beautiful, good temperament, kind, like an angel—these make up the majority of people's evaluations of Audrey Hepburn.

Perfection became a label associated with Audrey Hepburn.

In the 1953 film "Roman Holiday," Audrey Hepburn played a princess who ventured out among the commoners in disguise. She was playful, adorable, and full of life. Hepburn became famous overnight with this movie, won an Oscar, and was loved by a wide American audience. Describing her as "an angel coming to Hollywood" is not an exaggeration.

At the time, the 24-year-old Hepburn played her first leading role, which was almost a portrayal of her real self. In the movie, Ann is a princess from a small European country—noble, elegant, beautiful, and charming. In real life, Hepburn was also of European nobility (her mother was a Dutch noble descendant, with the title of a baroness, and her family lineage could even be traced back to King Edward III of England), with an elegant demeanor and outstanding appearance.

This role conquered the discerning American audience and started Hepburn on a path to legendary status.

This also established Hepburn's public image. "My Fair Lady," "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Charade," and "Paris When It Sizzles"—despite the different character settings, Hepburn on screen was always the same: playful, adorable, elegant, and charming, always the best choice for a romantic lead.

As a result, during Hepburn's acting career, the roles she is remembered for are almost identical, so much so that although she was nominated for an Oscar five times and won once, no one spontaneously talks about her excellent acting skills when discussing the golden actresses of Hollywood in the 1950s.

People talk about Hepburn's beauty, her temperament, the charity work she did for the United Nations, even her hairstyles and dresses, but they never discuss her acting skills.

When talking about her works, it's always the debut "Roman Holiday" and the large-scale advertisement "Breakfast at Tiffany's" funded by Givenchy.

In fact, Hepburn was not limited to playing innocent and sweet characters. In her decade-long acting career, she also made some breakthroughs in roles, including portraying a lesbian life in "The Children's Hour" and a thriller crime in "Wait Until Dark."

Among them, "Wait Until Dark" is considered the pinnacle of Audrey Hepburn's acting, but unfortunately, such a breakthrough work of Hepburn's is not even as famous as the dress she wore in "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

In other words, the audience does not care whether Hepburn's acting is excellent or not.

Hepburn rose to fame in the 1950s and 60s, a period when the happiness index in the United States was at its highest. After World War II, as a victorious nation, the US leaped to become the world's leading economy and the wealthiest country.

The citizens had ample time to pursue perfection: better cars, better houses, better forms of entertainment, and better women.

Audrey Hepburn's emergence perfectly matched the American people's obsessive pursuit of perfection during the 50s and 60s.

With her impeccable looks and charming elegance, she carried the mystique of a fallen aristocrat, yet she was kind, approachable, and even family-oriented.

The audience delighted in seeing Hepburn on screen, wearing beautiful dresses, sporting exquisite hairstyles, pausing in front of luxury store windows, and then turning around to fall into love.

Men longed to have such a perfect woman, and women aspired to become her.

Thus, Hepburn became famous with a halo, becoming a symbol of perfection. Her attire set a fashion trend, and her hairstyle became an object of emulation for female stars for decades to come.

She was the pure beauty manufactured by Hollywood, just as Hollywood also created the sexy icon Marilyn Monroe.

However, this crazy Hollywood star-making system also limited her breakthroughs in screen image to some extent, because the audience did not necessarily expect Hepburn to appear on screen in another image.

That's why almost no one liked Hepburn's "Wait Until Dark," because the audience did not need such a Hepburn. Just as the audience could not accept Shirley Temple, the little angel child star, becoming a young wife talking about love with men, nor could they accept the sexy yet innocent screen Monroe really getting together with Kennedy and claiming to be a homosexual.

Fortunately, Hepburn was truly like an angel as the public expected, with a screen image and personal life that were surprisingly unified. She did a lot of charity in her own name and, as a public figure, always touched her fans with a positive image, with almost no negative news.

As a result, the female stars who rose to fame in the 50s suffered a lot of public opinion backlash afterward, with Monroe even paying with her life. But Hepburn has always been enshrined by the American people and people around the world as an angel, a goddess, never stepping down from her pedestal.

Now, this little angel stood in front of Wilhelm, showing a puzzled expression on her tender face upon hearing Wilhelm accurately say her name. "Who are you?"

"Me?" Wilhelm thought for a moment. "I am a friend of your father."

Little Hepburn's eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly, "Do you know where my father is?"

Wilhelm shook his head. "Sorry, I haven't heard from your father in a long time."

Upon hearing this, Little Hepburn's face immediately dimmed, and her eyes began to slowly gather mist, turning into tears that slid down; seeing this, Wilhelm felt heartbroken and quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "Be good, don't cry, brother will take you to eat something delicious." Saying this, he took her hand and walked into KFC, finding a relatively quiet corner to sit down.

Soon, two guards brought over two full trays of desserts and sweets. Wilhelm picked up a strawberry sundae and placed it in front of Little Hepburn. "Come on, eat."

"Wow!" Looking at the brightly colored strawberry sundae, Little Hepburn asked in disbelief, "Can I really eat this?"

Wilhelm nodded. "Of course, eat it quickly, or it will melt."

Little Hepburn couldn't resist any longer, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in her mouth, her face immediately beaming with happiness.

"Is it delicious?"

"Delicious!" Little Hepburn nodded vigorously. "Brother, won't you eat too?"

Wilhelm picked up a chicken wing, causing Reinhard, who was standing by, to become anxious and quickly speak out. "Young master..." According to security work requirements, Wilhelm should not casually eat such outside food.

Wilhelm waved his hand, signaling him not to be too nervous; Little Hepburn curiously looked at Reinhard, then at Wilhelm, and asked, "Brother, are you a big shot?"

Wilhelm smiled and said, "A bit big, Hepburn. Brother heard you like ballet, right? I happen to know a very famous ballet academy. How about I send you there?"

Little Hepburn opened her mouth in surprise and quickly shook her head. "Mom said we shouldn't accept favors for no reason."