Julie Andrews Has a Podcast
If you had to name some of the most important people in the history of entertainment, who would you choose? There are many figures — actors and musicians, as well as writers and producers — who would belong on that list, but you would be making a glaring omission if Julie Andrews was not present. Julie Andrews has cemented herself as an important piece of history, as well as a woman who continues to be an important part of the film and stage world. But it turns out that, beyond the many talents we’ve all seen from Julie Andrews, there’s a new one: podcasting.
That’s right: Julie Andrews has started her own podcast. What is this podcast about, and when did she start making it?
Julie Andrews is a legend of stage and screen
Julie Andrews is a veteran actress and singer. She grew up in a musical family, and by the 1940s, when she was still a tween, she was making a name for herself as a singer — even singing in front of the King and Queen of England! This helped bring her to Broadway, first in the musical The Boy Friend, but in 1956 she would perform her first iconic role: that of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady. From there, she started giving many more performances and starring in other musicals and films.
In 1963, she would earn her next signature role: the eponymous Mary Poppins. This was one of her first big screen roles, and as a talent to her skill and professionalism, Andrews was an instant success. Only two years later, she would have another lead role in a similarly iconic musical movie: The Sound of Music. Though these are the roles people most know Andrews for, they are far from her only important roles, and she can be seen in films like Victor/Victoria, heard in Bridgerton and Shrek 2, and, of course, seen as the Queen of Genovia in The Princess Diaries. This legacy of performance earned her the title of Dame in 2000. Though Andrews has sadly sustained damage to her vocal cords in recent years, we as a species are truly blessed to have many high quality recordings of her singing, and by her continuing to act.
Andrews started a podcast during the COVID-19 lockdowns
In April 2020, when COVID-19 lockdowns were hitting the United States, Andrews started a podcast. This podcast, Julie’s Library, is meant to be a family podcast, and features Andrews reading stories. These stories follow children’s books that Andrews has written with her eldest daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton. The two work on the podcast together — along with, according to The Tampa Bay Times, Andrews’ grandson, Sam, who “built [Andrews] a recording studio in one of my closets, shoved a table and chair in there and covered me with throws and blankets and towels.”
The podcast can be heard from its website, as well as on other podcast apps like Spotify and iTunes. It represents just one more feather in Andrews’ many-plumed cap!
Andrews has other similar ventures
Julie Andrews has been taking an interest in family entertainment in recent years. She and her daughter have written children’s books, and Andrews also did a short series for Netflix, Julie’s Greenroom, which features Andrews teaching performing arts skills to a colorful cast of puppets. Though many of these new ventures are aimed at children, Andrews’ considerable skill means that parents, or even adult fans without children, can enjoy the books, podcast, and Netflix series alongside the target audience.
