Claim: Audrey Hepburn was ranked by the American Film Institute.

Audrey Hepburn -LRB- -LSB- ˈɔːdri_ˈhɛpˌbɜrn -RSB- born Audrey Kathleen Ruston ; 4 May 1929 -- 20 January 1993 -RRB- was a British actress , model , dancer and humanitarian . Recognized as a film and fashion icon , Hepburn was active during Hollywood 's Golden Age . She was ranked by the American Film Institute as the third-greatest female screen legend in Golden Age Hollywood and was inducted into the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame .  Born in Ixelles , a district of Brussels , Hepburn spent her childhood between Belgium , England and the Netherlands . In Amsterdam , she studied ballet with Sonia Gaskell before moving to London in 1948 , continuing her ballet training with Marie Rambert , and then performing as a chorus girl in West End musical theatre productions .   Following minor appearances in several films , Hepburn starred in the 1951 Broadway play Gigi after being spotted by French novelist Colette , on whose work the play was based . She shot to stardom for playing the lead role in Roman Holiday -LRB- 1953 -RRB- , for which she was the first actress to win an Academy Award , a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for a single performance . The same year Hepburn won a Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance in Ondine . She went on to star in a number of successful films , such as Sabrina -LRB- 1954 -RRB- , The Nun 's Story -LRB- 1959 -RRB- , Breakfast at Tiffany 's -LRB- 1961 -RRB- , Charade -LRB- 1963 -RRB- , My Fair Lady -LRB- 1964 -RRB- and Wait Until Dark -LRB- 1967 -RRB- , for which she received Academy Award , Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations . Hepburn won a record three BAFTA Awards for Best British Actress in a Leading Role . In recognition of her film career , she was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from BAFTA , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award , the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award and the Special Tony Award . She remains one of the 12 people who have won Academy , Emmy , Grammy and Tony Awards .   Hepburn appeared in fewer films as her life went on , devoting much of her later life to UNICEF . She had contributed to the organisation since 1954 , then worked in some of the poorest communities of Africa , South America and Asia between 1988 and 1992 . She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in December 1992 . A month later , Hepburn died of appendiceal cancer at her home in Switzerland at the age of 63 .