Flashback Friday: Julie Andrews Rebounds From a Snub With a Mary Poppins Oscar

In honor of Mary Poppins's return to theaters this week, we've decided to spend this lazy preholiday Friday flashing back to one of our favorite pieces of Mary Poppins history — Julie Andrews's vindicating win at the 1965 Academy Awards.

As many My Fair Lady aficionados know (particularly Broadway's newest Eliza Doolittle, Laura Benanti), Julie Andrews, Broadway's original Eliza Doolittle, was passed over for the chance to reprise her performance on the big screen, and was replaced by Breakfast at Tiffany's star Audrey Hepburn (and Marni Nixon who sang for Hepburn).

My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins, starring Andrews as Disney's magical nanny, were both released in 1964, landing them side by side at the Oscars — My Fair Lady entering the evening with 12 nominations and Mary Poppins with 13. My Fair Lady ended up leaving with eight awards and Mary Poppins with only five, but Andrews (whose category didn't even include Hepburn) had the chance to saunter away with the Best Actress statue like Vivian Ward on Rodeo Drive. The My Fair Lady execs had made a big mistake. Big. Huge.