Cast
| Gregory Peck as Joe Bradley |
The role was originally written with Cary Grant in mind. Grant declined, believing he was too old to play Hepburn's love interest (though he played opposite her ten years later in Charade.) Peck's contract gave him solo star billing, with newcomer Hepburn listed much less prominently in the credits. Halfway through the filming, Peck suggested to Wyler that he elevate her to equal billing — an almost unheard-of gesture in Hollywood. |
| Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann ('Anya Smith') |
This role was originally written for Elizabeth Taylor. Hepburn was cast after a screen-test. After she had performed a dignified, subdued scene from the film, the director called "cut", but the cameraman left the camera rolling, capturing the young actress suddenly become animated as she chatted with the director. The candid footage won her the role; some of it was later included in the original theatrical trailer for the film, along with additional screen test footage showing Hepburn trying on some of Anya's costumes and even cutting her own hair (referring to a scene in the film). Roman Holiday was not Hepburn's first American acting job—she appeared on a 1952 CBS Television Workshop production of Rainy Day in Paradise Junction—but it was her first major role, one which introduced her to the general public. |
| Eddie Albert | as Irving Radovich |
| Hartley Power | as Hennessy, Joe's editor |
| Harcourt Williams | as the Ambassador of Princess Ann's country |
| Margaret Rawlings | as Countess Vereberg, Ann's principal lady-in-waiting |
| Tullio Carminati | as General Provno |
| Paola Borboni | as the Charwoman |
| Laura Solari | as Secretary |
Read more about this topic: Roman Holiday
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—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
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—Jean Marzollo (20th century)