When we think of Julie Andrews, we often recall her as the magical Mary Poppins or the kind-hearted Maria from The Sound of Music. But there’s a side to Julie that many may not know. The legendary actress recently opened up about a dark chapter in her life when she lost her singing voice over two decades ago.
In a candid interview with AARP The Magazine for their October/November 2019 issue, the 84-year-old star shared her journey through a difficult time. Back in 1997, Julie underwent a serious surgery to remove a cyst from her vocal cords. "When I woke up from the operation, my singing voice was gone," she revealed. "I went into a deep depression. It felt like I had lost a part of my identity." For someone who built her career on her powerful voice, this was more than just a professional setback—it was a personal loss.
Life After Losing Her Voice
But as Julie shared, life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. "By good fortune, that's when my daughter Emma and I were asked to write books for kids," she said. "So along came a brand-new career in my mid-60s. Boy, was that a lovely surprise." Despite finding new joy in writing, Julie admits she still misses singing. "Do I miss singing? Yes. I really do," she confessed. It's a reminder that even the most celebrated artists can feel the absence of something they once cherished.
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Her Voice: A Lifeline
Even though Julie may not have the singing voice she once had, she still cherishes the ability to sing. "I would have been quite a sad lady if I hadn't had the voice to hold on to," she explained. "The singing was the most important thing of all, and I don’t mean to sound overly optimistic about how incredibly lost I’d have been without that." It’s clear that singing was more than just a talent for Julie—it was a lifeline that connected her to her identity.
A Life of Regrets
Despite her illustrious career in film, Julie has one regret that lingers. "Everyone thinks I come from Windsor Castle or something," she joked. "But I was so busy working as a kid. The only thing I had time for was to read on trains and planes." Julie admitted that she always wished she could have attended college. "When I didn’t go to college because I was working, I said to my mum, ‘Are you sure I’m not going to miss college?’ She said, ‘Oh, you’ll have a much better education from life.’ But I always wished I’d had a real education," she shared.
Her Thoughts on Mary Poppins Returns
As the author of Home Work, Julie also found herself reflecting on one of her most iconic roles when Mary Poppins Returns hit theaters. This time, Emily Blunt stepped into the magical shoes of the beloved nanny. However, Julie didn’t want to be part of the sequel. "She was very hands-off with the whole thing," Emily, 36, told Variety. "There was discussion that maybe she would come and do a bit in the movie, and she was so generous, actually. She said to [director Rob Marshall], ‘Do you know what this is? This is Emily’s version of her and I don’t want it to be that she’s playing Mary Poppins the whole way through, but then I come in and there’s, like ‘Oh, but there’s the real Mary Poppins.’" What a classy move by Julie!
