WI: Julie Andrews & Audrey Hepburn switch roles in 1964

In 1956, My Fair Lady premiered on Broadway. Julie Andrews's performance as Eliza Doolittle was well-regarded. In 1964, they released My Fair Lady as a film- but cast Audrey Hepburn as Eliza. Why? Apparently Jack Warner felt Andrews was not a big enough name. Meanwhile, Andrews was cast in another film released that year- Mary Poppins. My Fair Lady won eight Oscars- but the Best Actress award went to Julie Andrews for Mary Poppins. (Her acceptance speech began with her "thanking"* Jack Warner for his faith in her. It should be noted that, while many viewed Andrews's award as a slap to Warner, Audrey Hepburn herself differed with that assessment, saying it was because Andrews had the better performance that year.)
But, what would happen if the roles were reversed? What if Andrews kept the role of Eliza and if Hepburn got the role of Mary Poppins? Would it change either of their careers?

* She did use the word "thank" though I'm not sure what tone of voice it was.
 
Eh...I don't see Hepburn as Mary Poppins. I'm saying she couldn't play the part...just that it's hard for me to picture it...
 
Mary Poppins was the 1st movie I saw in the theater as a wee tyke! I cannot imagine Audrey Hepburn in the role of Mary. While Julie Andrews would have been done well as Eliza IMO, Hepburn's glamour and grace fit the role perfectly. On the whole, I can't see the career of either woman being impacted greatly if they had reversed movie roles that year. I imagine that Julie Andrews would still be cast as Maria in Sound of Music (one of my all time favorite musicals).
 
Hepburn, to her credit, told Jack Warner that Julie Andrews should be cast as Eliza Doolittle. Only when he wouldn't did she accept the part herself. With Julie Andrews in the role, it would still have been a massive hit, and Andrews would have won the Oscar that year.

Mary Poppins would have been a hit, too, but not as big as in OTL. Hepburn might even have been allowed to do more of her own singing in Mary Poppins.

There would not be much change to Hepburn's career. She was still in demand when she stopped taking roles from 1967-1976.
 
I'd much rather imagine that Julie Andrews had managed to do both parts as she was born to play them both.

She is the definitive Eliza, her Broadway soundtrack with Rex Harrison is nothing short of a masterpiece and for years Rex Harrison refused to do a film without her, until the money that was being offered become too much to say no to.

I love Audrey Hepburn but her cockney accent was horrific and her vocals were dubbed in the movie by Marnie Nixon. She looked beautiful though, although back then Julie Andrews looked great as well. I think Julie was the total package, beauty, great acting and most importantly the vocal chops to deliver. I always find it somewhat unsettling watching the King and I or West Wide Story or My Fair Lady and knowing that Deborah, Natalie and Audrey are lip syncing to Marni Nixon, I think it takes away from their performances.

I believe the Sound of Music started filming before Mary Poppins was even released, I think the studios recognized that Julie Andrews had the potential to be a real star and of course the role of Maria Von Trapp required an actress who could sing or was willing to be dubbed and who could play the sweet virginal character. Elizabeth Taylor was never going to be considered for that role :)
 
I love Audrey Hepburn but her cockney accent was horrific and her vocals were dubbed in the movie by Marnie Nixon. She looked beautiful though, although back then Julie Andrews looked great as well. I think Julie was the total package, beauty, great acting and most importantly the vocal chops to deliver. I always find it somewhat unsettling watching the King and I or West Wide Story or My Fair Lady and knowing that Deborah, Natalie and Audrey are lip syncing to Marni Nixon, I think it takes away from their performances.



Could someone come up with POD in which Marni Nixon was in facts for some of these roles?
 
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