Audrey Hepburn’s Son Says He 'Can Understand Why' Marilyn Monroe Passed on Holly Golightly Role in “Breakfast at Tiffany's”
Audrey Hepburn’s Son Says He 'Can Understand Why' Marilyn Monroe Passed on Holly Golightly Role in “Breakfast at Tiffany's”
Tereza ShkurtajSun, April 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM UTC
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Audrey Hepburn; Marilyn MonroeCredit: Bettmann Archive/Getty; Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty -
Sean Hepburn Ferrer recently revealed why he thinks Marilyn Monroe turned down the role of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, which eventually went to his mom, Audrey Hepburn
Nevertheless, his mother's take on the character surprised audiences and became an enduring icon of style and film
Now, Lily Collins is set to bring Hepburn's legendary performance to the big screen in a new biopic
Audrey Hepburn remains closely associated with Breakfast at Tiffany's, but the film's lead role was first offered to Marilyn Monroe.
Now, Hepburn's oldest son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, 65, is offering insight into why he thinks Monroe ultimately turned it down.
Speaking to Woman's World, Ferrer said he understands the decision, pointing to how closely the character of Holly Golightly mirrored Monroe. Truman Capote, who wrote the original novella, had drawn inspiration from the blonde bombshell— something Ferrer believes may have made the role less appealing.
“I can understand why Marilyn said no, because she probably felt like she was going to be playing herself,” Ferrer told the outlet. “It's not very interesting, but if you take someone like Audrey Hepburn, which is the last thing you expect her to do, it's going to create something completely new. And I think it worked.”
Sean Hepburn Ferrer posing in front of a photo of mother Audrey HepburnCredit: JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty
Directed by Blake Edwards, Breakfast at Tiffany's went on to become one of the defining films of the early 1960s, blending romance, humor and a stylized vision of New York City life. Hepburn's portrayal of Golightly helped shape the film's lasting appeal and continues to influence fashion and film decades later.
Hepburn, who died in 1993 at age 63, starred in Breakfast at Tiffany's alongside George Peppard, Patricia Neal and Mickey Rooney. She shared Ferrer with her first husband, Mel Ferrer, and later welcomed her second son, Luca Dotti, with Andrea Dotti.
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Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'Credit: Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty
Ferrer also reacted to the newly announced biopic about his mother, which is set to star actress Lily Collins.
“I have to be honest, I'm very excited, because I like Lily very much,” he told Woman's World, adding that he has watched her series Emily in Paris “as much as I could have.”
On Feb. 23, 2026, Collins confirmed that she will portray Hepburn in a film written and produced by Alena Smith, based on Sam Wasson's nonfiction book Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's and the Dawn of the Modern Woman.
“It's with almost 10 years of development and a lifetime of admiration and adoration for Audrey that I'm finally able to share this,” Collins captioned her Instagram post. “Honored and ecstatic don't begin to express how I feel…”
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
