Mary Poppins Vs. The Sound Of Music: Which Hit '60s Classic Had Julie Andrews' Grandkids Glued To The TV?

Imagine growing up with the Julie Andrews as your grandma? The legendary actor has been in so many of our favorite films and TV series, from "The Princess Diaries" to "Bridgerton," and has had a stunning transformation over the years. Two of her most iconic roles, however, are in 1964's "Mary Poppins" and 1965's "The Sound of Music." These musical films launched her into super-stardom and created long-lasting movies that are still relevant decades later — and her children and grandchildren seemingly have a favorite.

In an Instagram Reel of a July 2022 interview on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," host Jimmy Fallon asked Andrews if her grandkids knew she was the iconic Mary Poppins. "Well, now they do," she replied, telling a story of her then-4-year-old grandson watching the film at a birthday party. "And when his mother came to pick him up, he was standing this close to the television looking terribly puzzled," she explained, putting her hand one inch away from her face to demonstrate. His mother, Andrews' daughter, asked if he knew who was on TV. "And she said, 'Is it maybe somebody that we know very well? ... Is it maybe Granny Jules?'" Andrews added. "And he went, 'Oh, YES!' And he was thrilled."

Finding out your grandmother is a magical nanny who can jump into chalk drawings, clean a room with a snap of her fingers, and fly away with an umbrella would be pretty amazing for anyone, and we are so jealous. "The Sound of Music" is an amazing film as well, but in our opinion, it just doesn't hold a candle to the whimsy of "Mary Poppins" for a kid.

Julie Andrews has a big family, with three daughters, two stepchildren, and 10 grandchildren. She also has some great-grandchildren. When she took on the role of Mary Poppins, she was pregnant with her first child, Emma Walton Hamilton, whom was still an infant when filming started. Her mom looking like Mary Poppins was all Hamilton knew, so it makes sense that the little girl recognized Andrews right away when she saw a poster for "Mary Poppins," unlike Andrews' grandson, who had to be told who Mary Poppins was.

"I remember ... saying, 'Look, there's mommy!' And then suddenly becoming aware of two women who were shopping in the department next to us, saying to one another, 'Isn't that sweet? That little girl thinks her mother is Mary Poppins,'" Hamilton told NPR in 2019. "That was the first time I understood that my mom's job was perhaps a little different."

As she got older and Andrews' career skyrocketed, Hamilton remembered feeling weird when her mother would often get approached for an autograph. "And I always felt a mixture of protective of her and also not wanting to share her, wanting my private time with her," Hamilton said. Completely understandable. Now that Hamilton is older — and has had a stunning transformation over her own — she is still close with her mom and has even co-written over 30 books with her. We couldn't be more thankful that Hamilton did share her mom with the world, especially as Andrews continues to amaze fans with her "warmth" and "grace," even after turning 90 years old in October 2025.