The Only Surviving Cast Member Of Hit '60s Classic Breakfast At Tiffany's

"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is one of the most iconic '60s romance films. It might also be the reason why younger audiences know Audrey Hepburn, although her most iconic role almost went to another star. However, Hepburn wasn't the only actor who got their big break from the romcom. George Peppard gained fame for his role as Paul Varjak, the love interest of Holly Golightly, and Beverly Powers landed her second acting role as the burlesque dancer.

Powers is also the only surviving member of "Breakfast at Tiffany's." The former nightclub dancer and actress was born in August 1939, which means she's turning 87 in 2026. Other cast members were born at least five years earlier, and the ones who weren't much older than her, such Hepburn and Peppard, died from illness at a younger age.

After "Breakfast at Tiffany's," Powers worked as an actor for almost two decades. She found it difficult to not be reduced to her body but eventually took on roles that were not limited to burlesque performances. Powers told the Desert Sun, "I'm not knocking stripteasing ... But someday I'd like to keep all my clothes on in a television show or in a movie and play a decent woman." In 1987, she left Hollywood behind to pursue her calling to be a minister in Hawaii. Powers later stopped preaching in 2011 to focus on writing and published a memoir called "Passing the Baton of Light."

Beverly Powers' story isn't very unusual since many celebrities abandon Hollywood fame for a more normal life. After experiencing childhood tragedies similar to other Old Hollywood stars, acting probably gave Powers a sense of stability. However, later in life she believed that she wasn't meant to be in Hollywood for too long.

"I had a dear praying grandmother who believed strongly in God and the plans that He had for me," she told Lahaina News. "'Mamo,' as I called her, had taken me to church as a child and dedicated me to the Lord when I was only 12 years old." Powers pursued a dancing career that evolved into a burlesque one, and later acting, but she felt like the end of her life in Hollywood was fated. Powers separated from her husband and high school sweetheart not long after her last acting project, and her adult sons no longer lived with her. However, she said her newfound faith led to her reunion with her husband and children.

She said, "That's when I cried out to God to help me. And he did ... My home sold within three days for the highest sales price in our area. I was given the way and means to move to Maui to be near my sons, where later, my marriage was restored."