It’s a jolly holiday, indeed! Nearly 50 years after the release of Mary Poppins, the classic film’s stars Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke came back together again at the premiere of Saving Mr. Banks at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Monday, Dec. 9.
Though neither appear in the Walt Disney film that stars Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson, its based on the making of Mary Poppins, with Hanks playing the role of Walt Disney and Thompson as author P.L. Travers. During the big night, Andrews, 78, and Van Dyke, 87, were spotted catching up like old friends on the red carpet. The two Hollywood legends also smiled big as they posed together.
In 1964, Andrews and Van Dyke starred as the magical nanny Mary Poppins and Bert the chimney sweep in the Disney classic based on Travers’ children’s books. In October, Andrews talked about the film’s upcoming 50th anniversary.
“It’s mind boggling. I cannot believe it’s been 50 years since then. I’ve lost about 20 years somewhere,” she exclaimed to Matt Lauer during an interview with the Today show. “You always set a bar for yourself that’s high,” she said of landing such a role at the beginning of her acting career. “People are so lovely and you want to give them pleasure. You do the best you can. You hope that any movie you do is something people will enjoy and love to see.”
Indeed, love to see — and hear! Andrews went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for Poppins in 1965. And during the Saving Mr. Banks premiere Monday, the cast made sure to pay tribute to the musical. At one point, the Saving Mr. Banks cast — along with Andrews and Van Dyke — joined in for a spontaneous rendition of “Let’s Go Fly A Kite,” the rousing finale from the beloved film.
