First Photos From Audrey Hepburn Biopic Spark Divisive Ansel Elgort Casting Reactions

Audrey Hepburn’s life story is nothing short of incredible. Coming of age during World War II, Hepburn supported anti-Nazi resistance by giving underground concerts for charity, and this was just the beginning. Hepburn led a long, inspiring on-screen life in Hollywood and a life of commendable humanitarianism after she left the screen. Her Hollywood and fashion icon years will be explored in a new film, Dinner With Audrey, which is finding its own brand of controversy.

New images from the set of Dinner with Audrey have been released, as reported by Deadline. Alongside the new images, reactions on X have been divisive, due to the casting of Ansel Elgort, who was accused of sexual assault in 2020. Some X users took to the platform to ask why Elgort hasn’t been blacklisted, while others question his placement in a film about such an iconic woman. User @flowerdrums wrote: “ew why tf are we still casting Ansel Elgort in things?” Others noted being put off by the casting choice in what otherwise looks like a good movie, such as @TFerguson25, who posted, “Thomasin McKenzie looks so beautiful and great, and then BAM… you get hit with Ansel Elgort casting and Justin Baldoni’s production company.”

The allegation concerns an incident in 2014. In response, Elgort said he didn’t handle a breakup well, ignored his ex-partner, and later admitted that it was wrong. “I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy,” said Elgort in 2020, according to the BBC. Elgort has more recently made headlines as he welcomed his first child.

Complicating matters is that the movie was produced by Justin Baldoni, who has been tied up in a lawsuit with Blake Lively due to reported misconduct while filming It Ends With Us. Due to this collaboration, @nobodynoswift shared, “Now everyone remember to boycott Justin Baldoni, including the upcoming Audrey Hepburn biopic Dinner with Audrey he’s producing starring pedophile Ansel Elgort.” Some users found it especially troubling to have a controversial figure like Elgort associated with the movie, given the struggles Hepburn herself faced, as @filmscouture noted, “It’s sad how death gives the industry the right to link your image to disturbing people like Ansel Elgort. It’s a lack of respect for the humanitarian work Audrey Hepburn did, dedicating her life to helping victims and children……and then doing this to her.”

The film is penned by Kara Holden, directed by Abe Sylvia, and started filming last month in Budapest. Thomasin McKenzie is cast as Hepburn, while Elgort will play famed designer Hubert de Givenchy, as the film’s backbone will be the 40-year friendship between the two. The film will feature the productions of Sabrina (1954) and possibly Love in the Afternoon (1957), as director Billy Wilder will be played by Michael Shannon in Dinner With Audrey.

Paramount Pictures

A rival Hepburn film is also currently in the works based on Sam Wasson’s Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M., which takes place during the production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Far too many people only know her for her role in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which is nowhere near her top ten films (see Charade and Wait Until Dark for my top two). Dinner With Audrey doesn’t currently have distribution.