Inspiration

Emma Ferrer on Preserving the Legacy of Her Grandmother, Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s solidified her status as an icon, rendering her immortal.

Her influence on popular culture remains pervasive to this day. Despite the passage of time since her passing, her granddaughter Emma Ferrer bears a striking resemblance to the actres.

Emma Ferrer was born on April 20, 1994, just over a year after the passing of her paternal grandmother, the legendary Audrey Hepburn. Despite never having met her grandmother, Ferrer has gained knowledge about her over the last 28 years. She has acquired a general understanding of Hepburn’s personality and career through watching her movies and receiving information from family members. Ferrer gradually realized the extent of her grandmother’s fame when she saw posters, t-shirts, and handbags featuring her image in friends’ homes. In an interview, Ferrer commented, “I guess this actually is a bigger deal than I thought it was.”

Emma Ferrer expressed admiration for her grandmother, stating that Audrey Hepburn had revolutionized the concept of a celebrity being associated with a cause.

1953: Film star, Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993). (Photo via John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images)John Kobal Foundation

Ferrer believes that this was a groundbreaking idea at the time, and it is difficult to fully appreciate its impact today. Ferrer finds that working with UNICEF allows her to establish a connection with her grandmother that she has found challenging to feel otherwise.

Despite not having a personal relationship with her grandmother, Emma Ferrer bears a striking resemblance to Audrey Hepburn.

As an artist, she shares Hepburn’s expressive eyes and dark hair. Emma is the daughter of Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Hepburn’s first child from her marriage to actor Mel Ferrer. Audrey’s second marriage to Italian physician Andrea Dotti produced another son, Luca Dotti. Emma has learned about her grandmother through stories shared by her father, which she would not have otherwise known.

Emma Ferrer spoke about the personal stories she has learned from her father and others who knew her grandmother. According to Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn had a close relationship with those around her, often cooking lunch for the entire crew during her breaks while working on set. Hepburn even laundered the shirt of a news personality who had gotten a stain on it. She would frequently bring flowers and serve breakfast in bed to guests staying at her home, displaying her kind and thoughtful nature. Ferrer admires her grandmother’s decision to prioritize her family over her career, which she considers a testament to her character.

Emma Ferrer takes pride in her grandmother’s decision to prioritize her family over her career. Despite having a successful career, Audrey Hepburn made significant sacrifices by turning down movie roles to focus on her family. Hepburn’s agent and husband expressed concern about her decision, but she was determined to prioritize her children. Ferrer admires her grandmother’s willingness to put her career on the line for her family.

It is believed that Audrey Hepburn’s relationship with her father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, influenced her decision to prioritize her children over her career. Hepburn had a difficult relationship with her own father, and Ferrer believes that Hepburn understood the pain that can come from parental relationships. Hepburn’s experiences growing up during a time of war also influenced her worldview and her approach to motherhood. Hepburn began her career as a ballerina, but when that didn’t work out, she was thrust into the fast-paced world of Hollywood. According to Ferrer, Hepburn’s experiences during and after World War II shaped her life and career.

 
Ferrer explains that despite Hepburn’s aristocratic background, her experience of living through the war and struggling to make ends meet with limited resources led her to prioritize non-material things. As a result, the belongings Hepburn left behind, while not necessarily valuable in a monetary sense, are precious to Ferrer and her family. For example, Ferrer cherishes Hepburn’s old linen teddy bear, which bears a coffee stain, and still keeps it on her bed at her father’s house. She also wears Hepburn’s old sweaters, sometimes forgetting that they were originally her grandmother’s.

Emma Ferrer also possesses some costume jewelry worn by her grandmother in films. She explains, “They may not be made of precious metals, but they hold sentimental value, and it’s a way for me to feel like she’s imparting wisdom to me.”

Learning about her grandmother’s focus on the essential things in life, Emma Ferrer has realized the importance of putting people first. Hepburn always prioritized the life of a child over everything else and was apolitical. Ferrer wonders what her grandmother would think of the current world situation. She admits that getting to know her grandmother through her movies can be bittersweet, as she wishes she had the chance to know her personally while also feeling intimidated by her iconic status. Ferrer describes it as a push and pull experience.

According to Ferrer, her grandmother was a kind-hearted person who left a positive impression on everyone she met. Ferrer notes that her father has always said that Audrey Hepburn was such a wonderful person that no one has ever had anything negative to say about her. Ferrer finds this to be true, asking, “what could you possibly say bad about her?”

Emma Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn’s granddaughter, may have never met her grandmother, but she keeps her legacy alive by preserving her belongings and sharing stories about her. According to Ferrer, Hepburn was a kind and selfless person who always put her family first, even at the cost of her career. Ferrer cherishes the simple and precious things that her grandmother left behind, like a linen teddy bear and costume jewelry, as they serve as reminders of the valuable lessons she learned from her. She also admires how her grandmother was loved and respected by everyone who knew her, with nobody having anything bad to say about her. Overall, Ferrer’s efforts to preserve her grandmother’s legacy are heartwarming and inspiring. Audrey Hepburn fans should definitely learn about her granddaughter’s dedication to keeping her memory alive.