Julie Andrews used to hide her Oscar for a strangely relatable reason
- Posted by
- Hollie Richardson
- Published
Even a Hollywood icon like Julie Andrews isn’t immune from feeling imposter syndrome…
Julie Andrews is a legend. Best known for her star roles in classic films including The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins and Princess Diaries, the actor has worked in the business for over 70 years. It’s no wonder that Andrews was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year. And now, she’s continuing to celebrate her legacy with a highly-anticipated new memoir, Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years.
But even Andrews – one of the most accomplished actors in Hollywood – has experienced the same self-doubt that we all do at some point. It was both surprising and comforting to hear the star talking about the severe imposter syndrome that she experienced throughout her career. In fact, things got so bad that she hid her Oscar, because she didn’t feel worthy of it.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show on Friday (1 November), Andrews talked about what happened after she won an Oscar in 1966 for her turn as Mary Poppins.
She told the host: “l kept the Oscar in the attic for a very long time because I thought I’d been given it as a ‘Welcome to Hollywood’ and I didn’t feel worthy of it.”
She continued: “So much early success sent me into therapy and analysis. I learnt you have to do it right and honour the films you are making. It’s a huge gift, but a lot of obligation.”
In another recent interview, Andrews talked in more detail about therapy.
Appearing on The Late Show last month, she was asked by host Stephen Colbert about why she had chosen to talk at length, and so openly, about therapy in her memoir.
She replied: “The truth is, why not, if it helps anybody else have the same idea? These days, there’s no harm in sharing it, I think everybody knows the good work it can do.”
The star also revealed that she went into therapy after her marriage ended, because her “head was so full of clutter and garbage”. She added: “It saved my life in a way.”
It’s quite reassuring to know that Andrews is just like the rest of us (although, not all of us have an Oscar that we can hide away).
Images: Getty