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The True Measurements: Unmasking Audrey Hepburn's 5'7" Height, 110-Pound Weight, And The WWII Secret Behind Her Iconic Figure

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Few figures in Hollywood history are as universally recognized and revered as Audrey Hepburn, a name synonymous with grace, timeless style, and an almost ethereal slenderness. In late 2025, the fascination with her physical presence endures, often leading to a curiosity about the exact dimensions of the woman who defined the "gamine" look. While her image is one of effortless chic, the factual details of her height and weight—most commonly cited as 5 feet 7 inches and 110 pounds—tell a more complex and poignant story, one deeply rooted in the trauma of World War II and its lasting impact on her health.

The truth behind her famously slender frame is not a simple tale of dieting or genetics, but a profound narrative of survival. Her measurements were a direct result of severe malnutrition during her teenage years in Nazi-occupied Holland, a fact that her family and biographers have worked to clarify, shifting the focus from an aspirational body type to an enduring legacy of resilience.

Audrey Hepburn: A Complete Biographical Profile

Audrey Hepburn, born Audrey Kathleen Ruston, transcended the role of a Hollywood actress to become a global humanitarian and a perpetual fashion icon. Her life was a remarkable journey from the horrors of war-torn Europe to the pinnacle of international stardom and dedicated philanthropy.

  • Full Name: Audrey Kathleen Hepburn (née Ruston)
  • Born: May 4, 1929, in Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
  • Died: January 20, 1993 (aged 63), in Tolochenaz, Switzerland
  • Nationality: British
  • Spouses: Mel Ferrer (m. 1954; div. 1968), Andrea Dotti (m. 1969; div. 1982)
  • Long-Term Partner: Robert Wolders (1980–1993)
  • Children: Sean Hepburn Ferrer (with Mel Ferrer), Luca Dotti (with Andrea Dotti)
  • Notable Career Highlights (Films): Roman Holiday (1953), Sabrina (1954), Funny Face (1957), The Nun's Story (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), My Fair Lady (1964).
  • Key Awards: Academy Award (Oscar), Tony Award, Emmy Award, Grammy Award (one of the few to achieve EGOT status).
  • Humanitarian Role: UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador (1988–1993).

The Definitive Facts: Height, Weight, and Body Measurements

The physical statistics of Audrey Hepburn have been the subject of endless speculation, often romanticized in the context of fashion history. However, multiple reliable sources and accounts from her family provide a consistent, definitive picture of her adult measurements during the peak of her film career.

Audrey Hepburn’s Height: The 5'7" Stature

Audrey Hepburn was considered tall for her era, a feature that contributed to her striking and elongated silhouette. Her definitive height is:

  • Height: 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 meters).

This height, combined with her slender frame, allowed her to carry the sophisticated designs of Hubert de Givenchy with unparalleled elegance, making her a perfect muse for the designer and a revolutionary figure in Hollywood fashion, which had previously favored the voluptuous curves of stars like Marilyn Monroe.

Audrey Hepburn’s Weight: The Consistent 110 Pounds

The figure most consistently cited for Audrey Hepburn’s adult weight throughout her career is 110 pounds (50 kilograms). This weight was maintained for most of her adult life, a fact that her partner, Robert Wolders, and her sons, Sean and Luca, have often confirmed. At 5'7" and 110 lbs, her Body Mass Index (BMI) would be approximately 17.2, which is medically classified as underweight, highlighting the unusual nature of her physique.

  • Average Adult Weight: 110 lbs (50 kg).
  • Lowest Recorded Weight (Post-WWII): 88 lbs (40 kg).

The Infamous 20-Inch Waist and Other Measurements

Hepburn’s iconic silhouette was defined by her remarkably small waist. While figures vary slightly across different biographies and interviews, the consistent range is astonishingly small for a woman of her height:

  • Waist Measurement: 20 to 22 inches.
  • Bust-Waist-Hips (Commonly Cited): 32–20–35 inches.

This "gamine" figure was a radical departure from the prevailing beauty standards of the 1950s and 1960s, instantly cementing her status as a unique fashion icon and the perfect canvas for the clean, minimalist lines of Givenchy's designs, such as the famous Little Black Dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's.

The Untold Health Story: Malnutrition, Survival, and Lifelong Impact

The most crucial and often overlooked context behind Audrey Hepburn's slimness is her childhood experience during World War II. Her figure was not the result of a deliberate, modern diet, but a consequence of severe deprivation.

The WWII Malnutrition Crisis in Arnhem

From the ages of 9 to 16, Audrey Hepburn lived in Arnhem, Holland, during the Nazi occupation. The winter of 1944–1945, known as the "Hunger Winter," saw food supplies cut off, forcing her and her family to subsist on extremely limited rations. Her son, Luca Dotti, revealed that she ate very little, often surviving on tulip bulbs and boiled grass.

By the end of the war, the 5'6" teenager weighed a mere 88 pounds (40 kg). This period of severe, prolonged starvation left her with permanent health issues, including acute anemia, respiratory problems, and edema (swelling due to fluid retention). These ailments had a lasting effect on her metabolism and digestive system.

Dispelling the Diet Myths: Her 'Pasta Addiction'

In the decades following the war, Hepburn’s family adamantly maintained that she did not diet. Her partner, Robert Wolders, noted that she simply ate small portions and enjoyed a balanced, simple diet centered on whole foods. She was particularly fond of pasta—a fact Dotti humorously referred to as her "serious pasta addiction"—and enjoyed chocolate and scotch.

The prevailing theory among biographers and family is that the wartime trauma had a physiological impact, leading her to simply consume less food naturally, a pattern sometimes associated with post-starvation syndromes. Her lifelong thinness, therefore, was a scar of survival, not a fashion choice, adding a layer of tragic depth to her iconic look.

The Legacy of Style and Substance (LSI Entities)

Audrey Hepburn's unique physique became the foundation for a fashion legacy that continues to influence designers and style enthusiasts globally. Her collaboration with French designer Hubert de Givenchy is a cornerstone of this legacy.

The Givenchy Muse

The lifelong partnership between Hepburn and Hubert de Givenchy began with the film Sabrina and blossomed into one of fashion's most legendary designer-muse relationships. Givenchy designed her wardrobe for many of her most famous films, including the iconic black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's and the elegant gowns in *Funny Face*. She essentially served as the world's first celebrity brand ambassador, defining the 'Audrey look'—a style characterized by simplicity, elegance, and the famous *Sabrina* neckline.

A Humanitarian Focus

In her later years, Hepburn stepped away from the spotlight to dedicate herself to humanitarian work. Driven by her own experience with starvation, she became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1988. She traveled on missions to some of the world's most impoverished regions, including Ethiopia, Sudan, and Bangladesh, advocating tirelessly for children's rights and relief from famine. This work, which earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, cemented her legacy as a woman whose substance far outweighed her style.

Her granddaughters, including Emma Ferrer, continue to honor her commitment to UNICEF, ensuring that the true story of Audrey Hepburn—the survivor, the advocate, and the timeless icon—is remembered for its depth and profound impact.

audrey hepburn height and weight
audrey hepburn height and weight

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