'60s Icon Julie Andrews Confirms She's Done With Acting: 'I Had A Wonderful Ride'

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Acting icon Dame Julie Andrews has delighted generations with her performances — from her early work in "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music" to her gender-bending turn in "Victor/Victoria" and her later roles in "The Princess Diaries" and "Bridgerton." Her success is even more impressive when you consider the tragic details of Andrews' life, but the actor's latest news will come as more of a tragedy for her fans. In an interview with InStyle, Andrews revealed she's giving up her on-screen appearances.

When asked about returning as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the upcoming "The Princess Diaries 3," Andrews admitted, "I think I'm retired, really, would be about the best description for that." Explaining that she was asked multiple times to reprise the role, she added, "It was very very hard to say 'no,' but I did because I thought I had a wonderful ride, and this one I felt would flourish very well and wouldn't need Granny going in there at my age." That age, by the by, will be 91 in October 2026 — a shock to those who still think of Andrews as the mountain-climbing Maria Von Trapp. 

Working off-screen is another matter, thankfully. Andrews has transformed herself into a voiceover artist of late, playing the voice of Lady Whistledown on "Bridgerton" and "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story." Kids know her best as Fiona's mother, Queen Lillian, in the "Shrek" series and as Gru's mother in the "Despicable Me" movies. Classic literature lovers also tune in to listen to her read "Pride and Prejudice" and "Emma" on the "Jane Austen Stories" Apple podcast. (Who else could do the books justice?)

The woman who brought Mary Poppins to life may have stepped away from movie cameras, but she's still creating magic. Julie Andrews' oldest daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, has transformed into her mother's collaborator on 35 children's books. The most recent title, "Shy," was released in August 2026; it was inspired by the authors' desire "to celebrate the satisfaction that can come from finding one's voice in the world," as they explain in their bio. The book centers on an adopted shelter dog who finds courage with the help of her musical owner.

The message of the book resonates particularly deeply with the "Victor/Victoria" star, who lost her famous singing voice in 1997 as the result of vocal cord surgery. She explained to Parade, "Singing had been such an enormous part of who I was and how I communicated with the world." But after she and Hamilton were approached about collaborating on picture books, her world opened up again. "I have always loved to write, and writing became a new kind of voice for me — a different way of sharing stories, ideas, and hopefully a little joy," she told the outlet. "I learned that our gifts don't disappear; they often evolve."

Andrews' life and career will also be examined in never-before-seen detail in the upcoming Disney+ documentary about her life. Currently in production, it's scheduled to stream in 2027. Director R.J. Cutler told Disney, "She gave us her full self, without armor, without pretense. And what we found was someone even more extraordinary than the icon. I am humbled by her talent, in awe of her strength and honored by her trust." Or, as one fan put it on Instagram, "This is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!"