Earlier this month at the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, Julie Andrews reunited with five of the seven actors who played the von Trapp kids in 1965’s “The Sound of Music.”
During an interview Wednesday on TODAY, she recalled what it was like to see Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Duane Chase (Kurt), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta) and Kym Karath (Gretl) again. She said they see each other periodically.
“We do keep in touch, but not on a really regular basis,” Andrews explained. “I mean, Christmases, maybe birthdays and certainly get-togethers, but we just bonded so hard that I think we’re family anyway.”
While reflecting on the musical, Andrews, who famously played Maria, said it was special to her because it always brings back so many “funny” and “real” memories.
“It really was the most beautifully crafted movie,” she said. “I mean, the details in the movie, first of all, the scenery, children, songs, music, all of it. But it means very, very many memories: funny ones, real ones, lovely ones, working with dear Chris Plummer also, whom I adored.”
In the film, Plummer played Andrews’ on-screen love interest, Captain Georg von Trapp.
“We were friends for years,” Andrews said of their relationship.
Plummer died at the age of 91 in February 2021. Two of the actors who played the von Trapp kids also passed away in recent years. Charmian Carr, who played Liesl, died in 2016, and Heather Menzies-Urich, who portrayed Louisa, died in 2017.
On June 9, Hammond, Chase, Cartwright, Turner and Karath joined Andrews as she was awarded the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award.
When thinking about all of her accolades, which also include an Oscar and two Grammy Awards, Andrews said she doesn’t just stop to appreciate all that she’s accomplished because there’s so much to do.
“I’m a busy mum,” she said. “And I’m very busy writing with my daughter that writes books with me and we’ve done so many and we’ve got three more coming out in the next year.”
