Julie Andrews at 90: From perfect nanny to subversive star

Julie Andrews turns 90 today, a milestone that celebrates not just a beloved Hollywood icon but also one of cinema’s most surprising careers. Known to millions as the crisp-voiced, ever-cheerful nanny who floated in with an umbrella in Mary Poppins (1964), Andrews has never been content to rest on her image of wholesome perfection. Behind the immaculate diction and crystalline soprano was a performer willing to challenge expectations, embrace edgy material, and even poke fun at herself.

The woman who won an Oscar in 1965 for playing Walt Disney’s “practically perfect” governess once joked that she hated the word wholesome and reportedly drove around Los Angeles with a bumper sticker declaring: “Mary Poppins Was a Junkie.” Hollywood insiders dubbed her “the nun with the switchblade,” a nod to her sharp wit hiding behind that angelic exterior.

Early Brilliance

Born in Surrey in 1935 and raised during the Blitz, Andrews revealed her gift early. Her stepfather discovered she had not just talent but a fully developed adult larynx at the age of eight, producing a pure soprano voice that stretched across four octaves. She became a child sensation, performing at the Royal Variety Show by 13 and securing steady work on BBC radio.

Broadway soon beckoned. Andrews first appeared in The Boy Friend and then originated the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, dazzling audiences with her perfect pitch and crystal-clear enunciation. Though passed over for the film adaptation in favor of Audrey Hepburn, Andrews got the last laugh: she scooped an Oscar for Mary Poppins and cheekily thanked studio head Jack Warner for freeing her up to take the role.

From Sweetness to Subversion

World fame solidified with The Sound of Music (1965), but Andrews quickly sought to sidestep typecasting. She tackled the wartime drama The Americanization of Emily (1964), throwing in love scenes and even a slap across James Garner’s face. Later came Alfred Hitchcock’s Torn Curtain (1966) and several television projects during the 1970s.

A new creative chapter opened with director Blake Edwards, her second husband. Together they pushed her screen image into bold territory. S.O.B. (1981) lampooned Hollywood and even saw Andrews drop her clothes on screen, while Victor/Victoria (1982) showcased her comic timing and androgynous allure in a gender-bending musical farce that became a cult hit.

Risk, Resilience, and Reinvention

Andrews was also fearless in dramatic roles. In That’s Life! (1986) she played a singer fearing a throat cancer diagnosis, and in Duet for One (1986) she portrayed a violinist confronting multiple sclerosis with ferocious honesty. Life soon imitated art: a botched throat surgery in 1997 robbed Andrews of her celebrated singing voice, ending her musical career.

Yet she refused to fade. Knighted as Dame Julie Andrews in 2000, she returned triumphantly in The Princess Diaries (2001) as a regal but witty grandmother. Later, she lent her distinctive voice to animated franchises like Shrek and Despicable Me, and more recently to Netflix’s scandalous period hit Bridgerton, where she narrates as the sly gossipmonger Lady Whistledown with delicious precision.

A Legacy Beyond Perfection

From the comforting lullabies of the 1960s to the risque satire of the Edwards years, and now to the playful narration enjoyed by Gen Z, Andrews has remained a constant presence across generations. At 90, she stands as both cinema’s sweetest nanny and one of its most daring chameleons — proof that being “practically perfect” sometimes means being delightfully unpredictable.

Julie Andrews at 90 — Frequently Asked Questions

1. When is Julie Andrews’ birthday, and how old is she now?

• Julie Andrews was born 1 October 1935.  
• In 2025, she celebrates her 90th birthday.

2. What was her birth name?

• Her birth name is Julia Elizabeth Wells.  

3. What are her most iconic film roles?

• Mary Poppins (1964), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.  
• The Sound of Music (1965), in which she played Maria von Trapp.  
• Victor/Victoria (1982), a comedic musical where she plays a woman posing as a man.  

4. Did she act in darker or more risqué films as well?

Yes. She has deliberately stretched against her “wholesome” image over her career:

• S.O.B. (1981), which includes satire of Hollywood and more mature content.  
• Duet for One (1986), in which she plays a concert violinist struck by illness.  
• She also embraced androgyny, drag, and adult themes in Victor/Victoria.  

5. Why is her singing voice no longer heard in films (after a certain period)?

In 1997, Andrews underwent throat surgery that was botched and severely damaged her vocal cords, effectively ending her ability to sing at her former level. 

6. What has she done in her later career (after her singing voice was lost)?

• She pivoted to acting, narration, and voiceover roles.  
• She played a royal grandmother in The Princess Diaries (2001) and its sequel.  
• She narrated for major animated franchises like Shrek and Despicable Me.  
• She is the voice of Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton, bringing her trademark clarity and wit to the role.  

7. What awards and honors has she received?

• Academy Award for Mary Poppins.  
• Many Golden Globes, Grammys, Emmys, etc.  
• She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Dame Julie Andrews) in 2000.  
• She received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2022.  

8. What was her early life like?

• She was born in Surrey, England, and her childhood included surviving the Blitz during World War II.  
• Her musical talent showed young: by age eight, she had a fully adult larynx and a remarkably wide vocal range.  
• She began performing professionally in her teens on stage and on BBC radio.  

9. What are her published books or memoirs?

• Home: A Memoir of My Early Years (2008), covering up to her departure for Hollywood.  
• Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years (published in 2019), covering her life in film and after.  

10. Where does she live now or where has she lived in recent years?

• In more recent years, she has lived in Long Island, New York.  
• Earlier she lived in or was associated with England, Hollywood, and various places in the U.S. during her career.

11. What events are being held in honor of her 90th birthday?

• The BBC Concert Orchestra is staging a birthday tribute concert at Alexandra Palace in London.  
• In Ireland, the Helix (RTÉ Concert Orchestra) is organizing a “Julie Andrews 90th Birthday Celebration” concert in November 2025.  

12. What was her relationship with Blake Edwards, and how did it affect her career?

• Blake Edwards (film director) was Andrews’ second husband; they married in 1969 and remained together until his death in 2010.  
• Together they collaborated on films that challenged her “nanny” image, e.g. S.O.B. and Victor/Victoria.  

13. Why was she overlooked for the film version of 

My Fair Lady

?

• Though she originated Eliza Doolittle on stage, she was passed over in the film version in favor of Audrey Hepburn. Many believe that studio politics and name recognition played roles.  
• Andrews later publicly quipped that she thanked the studio for that decision because it freed her up to do Mary Poppins.  

14. What is her influence or relevance today / among younger generations?

• Her voice remains distinctive, and narrating Bridgerton has introduced her to younger audiences.  
• Her career is often studied as a model of resisting typecasting, evolving across decades, and combining artistry with risk.

15. Are there controversies or lesser-known facts about her life or career?

• Her childhood memoir Home recounts darker episodes, including sexual advances by her stepfather.  
• Her stance on her public image has sometimes been irreverent: she’s joked about hating the word “wholesome” and once drove around with a bumper sticker reading “Mary Poppins Was a Junkie.”  
• The surgery that damaged her voice has been a point of both tragedy and dramatic reinvention.