Julie Andrews on the Woman Who ‘Makes [Her] Into a Very Wicked Lady’
To the public eye, Julie Andrews might as well be the prim and proper Queen of Genovia she portrays in The Princess Diaries. From her inherently erudite demeanor to the conservative RP accent her characters often retain in films, Andrews has become a symbol of poise. Yet, it only takes one of her best friends to pull out the reckless woman lying beneath the surface.
Andrews and best friend Carol Burnett are known for their duet “You’re So London,” in which Andrews takes on the classy friend who is “so Kensington Gardens,” while Burnett is “so San Antone.” Andrews is “chamber ensemble,” while Burnett labels herself “saxophone.” Yet, these lines between their personalities are a lot blurrier in real life. Burnett pulls out the “wicked lady” existing within Andrews, and the two are known to get into mischief, leaving Burnett silent.
Julie Andrews on the shenanigans she gets into with pal Carol Burnett
During an interview back in the day, Andrews and Burnett talked about their relationship. Andrews said, “she makes me into a very wicked lady. When I’m with Carol, I get naughty and bawdy…” While Burnett may beg to differ on this point, the two have gotten into enough comedic mischief in the past to prove Andrews’ point.
Back in the day, Burnett and Andrews got caught pretending to lock lips by a handful of secret service agents on Lyndon B. Johnson’s inauguration day. How did this happen? They were trying to get a rise out of fellow entertainer Mike Nichols (The Graduate, Closer, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf).
Nichols was supposed to meet them in the evening for a hot beverage, as they were all staying at the same hotel. They were convinced that the next man to step out of the elevator would be him. So, they prepared and executed their make-out scene! Yet, Nichols did not emerge. Instead, a handful of Secret Service men did. The elevator kept opening, and it was never him, as People magazine explains. At one point, Burnett got so mortified that she was completely silent, leaving Andrews to face the public eye, as her friend went and hid behind a couch.
Julie Andrews said their personalities flip when she and Burnett are together
While Burnett may be the wild jokester known for portraying the funniest, most eccentric characters in The Carol Burnett Show, she and Andrews tend to switch personalities when they get together. Off-screen, they shift. Andrews shared:
“Oh my gosh, yes she is such a great chum!.. And you know, I’m the bad girl when we get together. She brings out the mischief in me, and she’s the quiet one. It’s very funny.”
Andrews | People
