In the 1953 film Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s characters visit The Mouth of Truth, an ancient sculpture in Rome. “The legend is that if you’re given to lying, you put your hand in there, it’ll be bitten off,” says Gregory as American journalist Joe Bradley. When Joe tries it, he fakes losing his hand, shocking Audrey’s Princess Ann before causing her to erupt in laughter at his joke. Gregory later revealed that he hadn’t told Audrey what he was going to do and her reaction in the film was genuine.

Despite sweltering heat and crowds of gawkers, the filming of Roman Holiday in the summer of 1952 marked the beginning of a long, warm friendship between its stars. “Everyone on the set of Roman Holiday was in love with Audrey,” said Gregory. “We did that one picture together, and I think it was the happiest experience I ever had on a movie set.”

He admitted he felt “protective” of the 23-year-old actress, who had never starred in a film before. “Audrey was so new,” he said. “And we all had the feeling that we were doing something that everyone would enjoy.”

There were rumors the costars had fallen in love in real life, but both denied it. “Actually, you have to be a little bit in love with your leading man and vice versa,” noted Audrey. “If you’re going to portray love, you have to feel it. You can’t do it any other way. But you don’t carry it beyond the set.” In fact, Gregory’s first wife, Greta, and their three sons accompanied him to Rome, making the shoot more of a family affair.

The veteran actor realized early on that Roman Holiday would make Audrey a huge star. Seeing her on the set “was like watching a flower come to bloom,” said Gregory, who demanded that Paramount give Audrey equal billing. His hunch was dead on. Not only was Roman Holiday one of the most popular films of the year, but it also walked away with three Oscars — including a Best Actress award for Audrey.

A Long Road for Audrey Hepburn

After the film, Gregory and Audrey continued to be a part of each other’s lives. Audrey even met her first husband, actor Mel Ferrer, who was a founder with Gregory in the La Jolla Playhouse, at a party her Roman Holiday costar threw in London.

Inside Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck's Friendship
Inside Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s Friendship

Gregory and Audrey felt like kindred spirits because they both enjoyed living normal, unpretentious personal lives, despite their silver-screen fame. “My mother loved working in Hollywood, but it wasn’t the place where she wanted to raise her kids,” her son, Luca Dotti, author of Audrey Hepburn in Paris among other books, exclusively tells Closer.

Gregory also tried to distance himself from Hollywood phonies. His son Stephen Peck exclusively tells Closer that “having close friends that had a similar lifestyle” meant a lot to him. “Audrey remained a friend throughout his life.”

In their later years, both loyally attended events that celebrated each other. “Not only did Greg agree to have me as his leading lady,” Audrey recalled in 1989, “but he guided me for months with kindness and patience and humor through one of the loveliest experiences of my life.” In all, Audrey would participate in four tributes to her costar.

“Your appearance, as always is a high point,” Gregory wrote in a thank you note to Audrey. “I’m always touched by your lovely grace and your generosity of spirit.”

When she passed away in 1993 at age 63, Gregory read one of her favorite poems, “Unending Love” by Rabindranath Tagore, at her memorial. “I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times,” he read. “In life after life, in age after age, forever.”