Lily Collins is ready to channel old-Hollywood magic. The Emily in Paris star has been cast to play screen legend Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming film that traces the behind-the-scenes journey of the beloved 1961 romantic comedy Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
The as-yet-untitled project will focus on the making of the cultural classic and is inspired by Sam Wasson’s nonfiction book Fifth Avenue, 5 AM: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the Dawn of the Modern Woman. The screenplay has been written by Alena Smith, while a director is yet to be announced.
Confirming the news, Lily Collins shared an emotional note on social media, calling the role a long-cherished dream. “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 (sic),” she wrote. “Honoured and ecstatic don’t begin to express how I feel (sic).”
Check out her post here:
About Breakfast at Tiffany’s
The film will revisit the fascinating, often turbulent path that led to Breakfast at Tiffany’s becoming a cinematic milestone. Originally published as a novella in 1958 by Truman Capote, the story followed the eccentric socialite Holly Golightly through the eyes of a writer neighbour in 1940s New York. When adapted for the screen, several elements were softened, including the narrator’s sexuality, which was changed from gay to straight.
Capote famously had a different vision for Holly Golightly. He wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the role, but her acting coach reportedly advised against it, stating that Monroe should not portray a “lady of the evening”. Other actors, including Shirley MacLaine and Kim Novak, also passed on the part before Hepburn was cast, a choice Capote later criticised publicly.
In the run-up to the film’s release, Paramount Pictures made a concerted effort to reshape Holly Golightly’s image, distancing the character from Capote’s more provocative portrayal. Studio publicity leaned heavily on Hepburn’s elegant, princess-like persona, even issuing statements that famously read, “The star is Audrey Hepburn, not Tawdry Hepburn.”
According to the makers, the new film aims to offer the most comprehensive account yet of Breakfast at Tiffany’s coming to life. It will explore creative clashes, studio anxieties and even a near-accident during the now-iconic Tiffany & Co opening sequence. Casting details for key figures such as Capote and director Blake Edwards are still under wraps.
Collins, who is the daughter of musician Phil Collins, is best known today for headlining Netflix’s Emily in Paris.
