Ear To There Travel – 66: Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton (2017)

Přidal: Premek |

Prosinec 4, 2023

Připravil Phil Gramlich.

Hovoří Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton.

Natočeno 2017. Webová premiéra 24. 4. 2017 (Ear To There Travel, 22 min.).

Lit.: Gramlich, Phil: Episode 66: Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton. In web Ear To There Travel, 24. 4. 2017 (článek + nahrávka k poslechu). – Cit.: From Broadway to Hollywood, from England to Los Angeles, is there a bigger showbiz icon than Dame Julie Andrews? She’s won a Tony, a Grammy, and an Academy Award. She and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, have written over 30 books together. Now the pair have teamed up with The Jim Henson Company for the new Netflix hit, Julie’s Greenroom. Check out my interview with this amazing mother-daughter team on Episode 66: Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton.

In one of the most surreal moments of my life, I had the amazing opportunity to chat with Julie Andrews & her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. I had the chance to talk to them about their new Netflix show, Julie’s Greenroom, the books they’ve written together, Mary Poppins (of course!) and more!

Me: You met Walt Disney when he came to offer you the role of Mary Poppins. Did you know that was going to happen and did you know he was in the audience that night?

Julie Andrews: We did know he was in the audience that night but we thought, quite literally, that he was there to see the show, Camelot. Richard Burton was the star of it and I was co-starring with him and the lovely Robert Goulet as well and we thought he had just come to see the show as entertainment and pleasure. But, he asked if he could come backstage afterward and he came into my dressing room and we chatted and then he revealed that he had in mind a film of the books by P.L. Travers, the Mary Poppins books, and would I be interested in coming to Hollywood to hear the songs and see the layout that they had developed for the storyline. I remember thinking, ‘Gosh, that sounds wonderful!’ But with some dismay I said, “Mr. Disney, I would love to but I’m afraid I’m pregnant! (Laughs) And I’m about to have a baby…” and he said, “Well, that’s okay! We’ll wait!”

He then turned to Tony (Walton), my husband at the time, who was a wonderful theater designer and film designer, and said “And what do you do, young man?” And Tony explained, and Walt said “Well, bring your portfolio with you” which Tony did and we did go after my time in Camelot was finished. We did go to Hollywood and Walt spoiled us both royally and he hired Tony on the spot when he saw his designs and, of course, Tony got an Academy Award nomination for that. The first film that he had ever done, the first film that I had ever done…and it was the magic of Disney that…emmm…he just had this talent for, well, for spotting talent, I guess.

Me: The first movie you did was this little, tiny film called Mary Poppins, right, like this little…

Julie Andrews: (Laughs) But talk about a quick learning experience!

Me: Did you know it was gonna be a huge hit when you were filming it?

Julie Andrews: Emm, not exactly the hit that it turned out to be. We knew that it was different and unique and charming, you know? Disney’s vision was so huge for it to mix animation and live action, it was very new in those days. But, it certainly seemed like it could be successful but I don’t think anybody dreamed it could be that big a hit. And how lucky can a girl get?

Me: Oh, absolutely! Well, how lucky could we get? That we’ve gotten to enjoy everything you’ve done over decades.

Julie Andrews: Well, it was a great learning experience for me and I will forever be grateful to Disney for that!

The film Mary Poppins went on to become the biggest box office draw in the history of the Disney Company. Julie Andrews, in her first film, won the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film was nominated for 13 Academy Awards, winning 5.