Entertainment icon Julie Andrews was photographed making a rare public outing in the Hamptons on October 16, just weeks after celebrating her 91st birthday and confirming she has stepped away from on-screen film roles to focus on writing, podcasting, and voiceover work.
A Rare Sighting in the Hamptons After a Milestone Birthday
Stepping out of the passenger seat of a car with the assistance of a companion, Julie Andrews kept a low profile during her Friday afternoon excursion in the Hamptons on October 16. The Oscar winner, who celebrated her 91st birthday on October 1, swapped Hollywood red-carpet glamour for weather-appropriate attire, wearing a lilac rain jacket, a white baseball cap, and pink-tinted sunglasses.
Neighbors and local residents seldom catch a glimpse of the actress, who lives in a property spanning over 4,300 square feet of living space that includes six bedrooms and five bathrooms. Her home was chosen years ago so she could be close to where her daughter, Emma Hamilton, lives. This outing marked her first major public sighting since she supported close friend Carol Burnett at her 90 Years Of Laughter + Love Birthday Special in March 2023.
Why the Screen Legend Stepped Away From On-Screen Acting
The rare sighting follows Andrews’ candid summer disclosure that she has effectively retired from on-screen acting after a career that earned her widespread acclaim in the 1964 Disney musical Mary Poppins—which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress—and The Sound of Music. Rather than retreating into inactivity, however, the nonagenarian has simply shifted her creative energies behind the scenes, telling The Hollywood Reporter in August, I think I'm retired, really, would be about the best description for that.
I’m not completely retired, but it’s a different kind of work that I do these days – [writing] books, and I do a lot of recording of podcasts and voiceovers.
Julie Andrews, via The Hollywood Reporter
She also added that while it was still lovely to be working on things, she was not necessarily looking for work on camera. She also narrates the podcast Jane Austen Stories and collaborates with her daughter on publishing children’s books for a number of years, alongside publishing a memoir in 2009. Her discipline and work ethic were forged by early years of training, and last year she notably won Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance during the 2025 Creative Arts Emmys.
Passing on the Crown in The Princess Diaries Franchise
That same deliberate evolution explains why Andrews officially passed on reprising her role as Queen Clarisse Renaldi—the queen of Genovia and distant grandmother of Mia Thermopolis, a teenage girl who learns she is the heir to Genovia’s throne played by Anne Hathaway—in the upcoming third installment of The Princess Diaries. Andrews decided that her time in Genovia had reached its natural conclusion after starring in the first film.
I think the absolute truth is that I think I’m really past all that now. It isn’t that I’m not enthusiastic for it. It’s just that I really don’t feel I should be part of it now.
Julie Andrews, via The Hollywood Reporter
Reflecting on the films, Andrews explained that it was very, very hard to say no, but she did because she thought she had a wonderful ride, and this one she felt would flourish very well and wouldn’t need Granny going in there at her age.
Family Bonds and Future Projects in Her Nineties
Away from film sets, Andrews spends her time surrounded by family in Sag Harbor, staying closely connected to her grandchildren as they are all doing so well, with many working in theater and films whom she helps guide. Fans also flooded Instagram with adoring comments after a documentary about Andrews, featuring her participation, was announced on her page for 2027, with one fan writing, She is a national treasure and must be celebrated in every way possible!!!