Jack of Hearts

Beautiful wise & wonderful

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Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck on the set of Roman Holiday, 1953  “I liked her a lot; in fact, I loved Audrey. It was easy to love her.” Most people took his last statement for what it meant - an assertion of loving friendship - and interpreted nothing more. But the question of an affair was whispered for decades by those who dine on rumors or cook them up for others. (…) The high spirits of Hepburn and Peck and their relaxed, genial collaboration certainly contributed to their remarkable onscreen performances that summer. Peck “always put me at ease before starting a scene,” she recalled. “It was a happy company, without anybody going temperamental or putting up emotional barries. I soon learned to relax, to look for guidance from Peck and Wyler. I trusted them, and they never let me down.” As for her co-star, he regretted that so many people primarily thought of Audrey “as regal - but I like to think of her as spunky.” For decades, Peck delighted in telling interviewers that early in the shooting, he realized that Audrey was delivering a first-rate performance, and that the film was certainly as much (if not more) her story than his. And so, he said, he contacted his agent in Hollywood. His contract stipulated that only his name was to appear above the title of the film, but he wanted that changed: Audrey was magnifecent, she would very likely win an Oscar, and her name belonged above the title with his. The agent demurred, but Peck pressed him - and so, thanks to his generosity, Audrey’s name was indeed moved above the title to accompany his.

Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck on the set of Roman Holiday, 1953 

“I liked her a lot; in fact, I loved Audrey. It was easy to love her.” Most people took his last statement for what it meant - an assertion of loving friendship - and interpreted nothing more. But the question of an affair was whispered for decades by those who dine on rumors or cook them up for others. (…) The high spirits of Hepburn and Peck and their relaxed, genial collaboration certainly contributed to their remarkable onscreen performances that summer. Peck “always put me at ease before starting a scene,” she recalled. “It was a happy company, without anybody going temperamental or putting up emotional barries. I soon learned to relax, to look for guidance from Peck and Wyler. I trusted them, and they never let me down.” As for her co-star, he regretted that so many people primarily thought of Audrey “as regal - but I like to think of her as spunky.” For decades, Peck delighted in telling interviewers that early in the shooting, he realized that Audrey was delivering a first-rate performance, and that the film was certainly as much (if not more) her story than his. And so, he said, he contacted his agent in Hollywood. His contract stipulated that only his name was to appear above the title of the film, but he wanted that changed: Audrey was magnifecent, she would very likely win an Oscar, and her name belonged above the title with his. The agent demurred, but Peck pressed him - and so, thanks to his generosity, Audrey’s name was indeed moved above the title to accompany his.

(Source: missingaudrey, via oldfilmsflicker)