Originally published on 2/24/26

Audrey Hepburn fans, we have some exciting news: Lily Collins, best known for her hit Netflix show Emily in Paris, has officially been cast to play the Breakfast at Tiffany’s actress in an upcoming biopic. That’s right. Collins will be playing the late Hepburn in a movie, and we could not be more excited. To learn more about the film, keep scrolling. 

What to know about the Audrey Hepburn biopic

A biopic centered around Hepburn has been in the works for a while. Originally, actress Rooney Mara was going to be cast as the lead, and Luca Guadagnino was going to direct it, but, in 2024, Mara told Deadline that “Luca is no longer going to be directing it, but the project is still very much alive. I can’t say more than that right now.” 

Following that interview, Mara remained rather tight-lipped about the project. As of publication, it’s unclear if she is still working on a different version of the biopic or if she was fully let go. Some people thought the latter had happened, and even began to speculate that Wicked star Ariana Grande was vying for the role after she appeared on several red carpets in looks inspired by Hepburn. 

“I’ve always loved old Hollywood glamour—like Marilyn [Monroe] and Audrey [Hepburn] have always been my references,” Grande said in a 2025 red carpet interview. “I’ve always gravitated toward ’50s, ’60s silhouettes, and retro vintage … I can’t even think of a time when that wasn’t my vision board. But it’s been more fun to have more places to really do that.”

After all of the online speculation, Grande addressed the rumors that she was trying to star in the biopic, telling Access Hollywood, “Oh my goodness, why is everyone asking me this? You’re insane! You’re insane, you’re insane, you’re insane. You’re insane. I love you.”

That interview was the last time the biopic had been widely discussed, until Monday, February 23, when Collins took to Instagram to announce that she had been cast in the film as Hepburn. The plot—which is based on Sam Wasson’s bestselling book Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the Dawn of the Modern Woman—will follow Hepburn during filming for Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which most people consider to be her best and most well-known role. 

“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,” Collins wrote on Instagram. “Honored and ecstatic don’t begin to express how I feel.” 

Along with Hepburn, the film will feature actors portraying Breakfast at Tiffany’s author Truman Capote, costume designer Edith Head  and director Blake Edwards. It will also most likely feature interpretations of George Peppard, Mickey Rooney, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen and Martin Balsam, all of whom appeared in the original Breakfast at Tiffany’s film. Hepburn’s son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer, and her first husband, Mel Ferrer, will most likely make an appearance, since the actress was reportedly seen with them in between takes. 

There is also a chance that Marilyn Monroe could appear, since Capote originally wanted her to play Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. 

“It’s true that Capote really wanted Marilyn, but at the end of the movie, Audrey was the winner. She did very well,” one of the actress’ biographers, Christopher Longé, told Woman’s World last year. “At the end of the movie, everybody said, ‘Okay, Audrey was the best.’”

How did Audrey Hepburn really feel about ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ 

Prior to her death, Hepburn had spoken out about her time on the Breakfast at Tiffany’s set a variety of times. She also praised the film’s plot, telling The Charlotte News in 1961, “It’s the story of a girl who liked to grab a doughnut and walk through Tiffany’s famous jewelry store while eating. How could anything happen to a girl there?” 

Audrey Hepburn biopic title and release date

Currently, the Hepburn biopic doesn’t have a name or a release date, but according to IMDb its being produced under the name Untitled Breakfast at Tiffany’s Making of Film.

Link to original: https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/movies/lily-collins-cast-as-audrey-hepburn-in-new-biopic