Audrey Hepburn Helps Cast Chanel Role

4 months ago 15th Jul 09:24

Shirley Maclaine has late Hollywood star Audrey Hepburn to thank for her new role playing fashion icon Coco Chanel - because she recommended her for the part more than forty years ago.

MacLaine, who will take the role in a forthcoming mini-series - entitled Coco Chanel - claims Hepburn likened her to the French fashion designer, when the pair starred together in 1961 movie The Children's Hour.

MacLaine says, "She told me I should play Coco Chanel. I said, 'She was a little scrunched over and very short.'

"And she said, 'But the spirit of the woman is what matches your spirit.' She was obviously right".

And the 74-year-old admits the comparison isn't necessarily flattering: "I think we are both colourful, we are both rude, and we are both spontaneous. We can't hold what we feel to be the honest opinion in. And I think we are both probably dead".