The REAL reason Audrey Hepburn was so skinny

She is one of the most celebrated actresses of all time.

Now, Audrey's Hepburn's family has revealed the secret behind the star's waiflike frame.

In a new interview Audrey's son, Luca Dotti, says there have long been common misconceptions about the Breakfast at Tiffany's star's weight, with many speculating she suffered from an eating disorder.

But, according to Luca, that's not true.

"People think because she was skinny that she had an eating disorder but she loved Italian food and pasta. She ate a lot of grains, not a lot of meat, and a little bit of everything," he told People.

The actress, who passed away from appendiceal cancer at the age of 63, maintained an average weight of 50kgs during her lifetime despite being 170cm tall.

According to Robert Wolders, who dated Audrey from 1980 until her death in 1993, she never dieted and even indulged in chocolate and Scotch.

"We'd walk for miles. She could outwalk me," he told People.

"She had a healthy metabolism but she was not exsessive. We had brown bread with jam for breakfast, lunch would be chicken or veal pasta, often with vegetables from the garden, and for dinner we often had soup with chicken and vegetables. She had chocolate after dinner and a finger or two of Scotch."

Audrey often spoke about her time during WWII, which saw her nearly starve to death.

Her son explains: "She survived by eating nettles and tulip bulbs and drinkng water to fill her stomach."

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