Audrey Hepburn’s Son Says the Iconic Actress Never Knew ‘She Was That Special,’ but ‘Did the Best She Could’ (Exclusive)

Audrey Hepburn is recognized as one of the greatest icons in film and fashion. In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, Audrey Hepburn’s sons, Sean Hepburn Ferrer and Luca Dotti, open up about their mother’s legacy in Hollywood and in their hearts

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Audrey Hepburn is recognized as one of the greatest icons in film and fashion

From Roman Holiday to Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Hollywood to fashion, motherhood and humanitarian work, Hepburn influenced countless areas of culture in her four decades in the spotlight

In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, Audrey Hepburn’s sons, Sean Hepburn Ferrer and Luca Dotti, open up about their mother’s legacy in Hollywood and in their hearts

Audrey Hepburn never anticipated being a star.

After surviving the horrors of World War II in the Netherlands, Hepburn hoped to return to her dream of becoming a ballerina, her son Sean Hepburn Ferrer tells PEOPLE. When she learned that she’d never get that chance because “it got stolen by lack of nutrition and training during the war,” Hepburn turned to acting.

“I guess she never really expected it to happen the way it did. She always said, ‘I was not a professional actress and I got a great part,’ ” Ferrer, who co-authored the biography Intimate Audrey with Wendy Holden, shares.

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“In a way, I like to equate it to the definition of real beauty. Is it the person that sits in front of the mirror and primps themselves, or is it really that deer that kneels down and drinks from the creek, then looks up with beautiful eyes and doesn’t know that it’s so graceful and beautiful?” he poses.

He says she never got ahead of herself, knowing her career could take a turn for the worse just as quickly as she skyrocketed to fame. That mindset, according to Ferrer, kept her humble and focused on each job at hand.

“So I don’t think she ever knew that she was that special, and therefore, she just did the best she could and gave her all,” the 66-year-old shares.

Acting presented the starlet with the challenge of “hitting the ground running,” with Ferrer pointing out, “She had respect for the work and the craft and all of that, but she didn’t have technique like many other actors, and therefore she gave something very genuine.”

“What you see in most cases is Audrey Hepburn in that part, rather than what happens over the next decade in the ‘50s and ‘60s, which is the method, the Strasberg School, where actors are supposed to transform themselves into these people,” he explains. “I think that the partition is very, very paper thin, because in fact, she would study and drill down on all the characters that she played and spent time with them. So she was learning.”

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Hepburn’s earnest approach allowed her to meet audiences with a “fresh” take on each character she portrayed.

“Maybe what’s wonderful about the way the cookie crumbled for her was the fact that it was all fresh and in the moment, so there was nothing prepared. It’s so important never to see the technique behind the magic, and I think in her case, because it wasn’t there, all we got was the magic.”

PEOPLE also spoke with Hepburn’s younger son, Luca Dotti, who believed her ability was innate. “Being an actress, I think she had this drive. It’s a natural thing that you either have or do not have. Then you can explain that by your own experiences,” the 56-year-old shares.

“She didn’t get into acting for the sake of being famous and always felt that fame was something attributed to her by the audience and that same audience could very well change their mind, forget her,” he adds, concluding, “It wasn’t something she felt she built but rather was bestowed.”

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