Did Julie Andrews Actually Sing in 'The Sound of Music'? Here’s the Truth

Actress Julie Andrews, a beloved Hollywood icon, has graced timeless classics that some might never fully appreciate — Mary Poppins being one such example and a personal favorite. Her talent, however, extends far beyond films that today’s generation might consider outdated. She voiced Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton, a nod to her tenure in the industry.

Another beloved classic she starred in, often rewatched during the holidays, is The Sound of Music. Released in 1965, it featured Julie as Maria, and she was just 29 years old when production began. In many of her films, musical numbers play a central role, yet some still wonder: did Julie actually sing in The Sound of Music? Here’s the truth.

Yes, Julie Andrews sang in The Sound of Music. In fact, she performed all the musical numbers in the classic film. That stunning voice you heard in the 1964 hit Mary Poppins? From "A Spoonful of Sugar" to "Stay Awake," it was all Julie! But believe it or not, the role of Maria almost went to someone else.

Leslie Caron, Doris Day, Anne Bancroft, and Grace Kelly were all considered for the part, according to Biography.com. Thankfully, footage of Julie in Mary Poppins was made available to the filmmakers, which helped her land the role.

Beyond casting decisions, The Sound of Music itself could have taken a very different direction. Per Biography.com, the film was initially set to be directed by William Wyler, a Swiss-German Jew who intended to emphasize the presence of additional swastikas and Nazis. However, Wyler chose to direct The Collector instead, leaving the project open for Robert Wise to step in and create the iconic film we know today.

While The Sound of Music is one of the films Julie Andrews is best recognized for, there was one time she regretted her association with it — briefly. As she prepared for a Las Vegas show some years ago, Julie was practicing her vocals while walking through the hills near her home in Switzerland. In what was usually a secluded area, she began singing lyrics from The Sound of Music.

While doing so, she noticed "a whole bunch of Japanese tourists with cameras around their necks" coming over "the crest of a hill," she shared during a 2015 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Both Julie and the tourists were caught off guard by the unexpected encounter.

For much of Julie's career, her roles required her to deliver standout vocal performances — and she delivered every time. However, she lost the ability to sing as she once did. After undergoing vocal surgery in 1997 to remove a benign lesion, her impressive four-octave range was diminished.

Still, that didn’t stop her from acting. Julie went on to voice several memorable characters in major films, including Gru's mom in Minions: The Rise of Gru, the queen in Shrek Forever After, and the narrator in Enchanted.