The Sound of Music’s von Trapp children left Hollywood for surprisingly ordinary lives – see them now

Return to HomepageEntertainment: New TV shows this weekTatyana Ali's 'DWTS' tributeInside the Victoria's Secret showBackstreet Boys extend residencyActor Richard Riehle dies 'DWTS' suspension'The Simpsons' surpriseVictoria's Secret showCindy Crawford on son's deathTikTok bans 'Musk' account(Getty Images)The Sound of Music is one of the most iconic films of all time, with the 1965 classic making stars of its leading cast and affirming others as box office juggernauts.

Starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and a host of child stars, the film made nearly $300 million worldwide at the time and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Since then, several of the main cast have gone on to become Hollywood stars of their own, although some left the industry soon after, and others have since passed away.

Here's where the von Trapps are now, six decades later…

Julie AndrewsDame Julie Andrews has remained an indelible part of Hollywood since 1965, coming off of her Oscar win for Mary Poppins, continuing her legacy with classics like The Americanization of Emily, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Victor/Victoria, plus box office successes like the Princess Diaries and Despicable Me franchises.

After her divorce from Tony Walton in 1968, she found love with Blake Edwards a year later, and they remained together until his death in 2010. They adopted two children together, and Julie is now a grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of three.

Julie's daughter, Emma, has followed in her footsteps, having minor roles in The Curse of the Pink Panther, Blind Date and Switch. She and Julie have also worked on several children's books, publishing 35 together.

Christopher PlummerThe Sound of Music made Christopher Plummer a household name, kickstarting a prolific career on screen and stage, with the star nabbing two Tonys and an Oscar for 2011's The Beginners. His final film role was 2019's Knives Out.

He divorced his wife at the time, Patricia Lewis, in 1967 and tied the knot with actress Elaine Taylor in 1970. They remained together until his death in 2021 at the age of 91.

His daughter, Amanda, became a famous actress with roles in Cattle Annie and Little Britches, Pulp Fiction and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. She won three Emmy Awards for her work in Miss Rose White and The Outer Limits.

Charmian CarrCharmian Carr played eldest von Trapp daughter Liesl when she was 22. She made appearances in a pair of TV pilots in 1965 and 1966 before leaving show business altogether.

She married dentist Jay Brent in 1967 and they welcomed two children before their 1991 divorce. She also owned an interior design firm in Encino, California. Sadly, Charmian passed away in 2016 at the age of 73.

Nicholas HammondFriedrich actor Nicholas Hammond, now 76, already had a few screen credits to his name before appearing in the musical at age 14. However, his list of credits is extensive, best known for playing the title role in the 1970s TV series The Amazing Spider-Man.

His most recent film credit was 2025's The Travellers. He moved to Sydney in the 1980s and has been with Australian actress Robyn Nevin since 1987.

Heather MenziesHeather Menzies played Louisa at age 14 and continued making appearances on TV and film up until 1990, her best-known appearance since being the 1977-78 series Logan's Run.

She found love with actor Robert Urich in 1974. They tied the knot a year later, her second marriage, and adopted three children. After his death in 2002, she devoted herself to the Robert Urich Foundation, created in his honour. She passed away in 2017, aged 68, from brain cancer.

Duane ChaseKurt actor Duane Chase, now 75, quickly pivoted away from acting, going to college and graduating with a degree in geology. He devoted most of his life to geology, forestry and wildlife studies.

He currently lives outside of Seattle and now lives with his wife Petra Maria, a nurse born in Hamburg he has been married to since 1987.

Angela CartwrightPrior to her appearance in The Sound of Music, Angela Cartwright, now 74, who played Brigitta, had already established a solid career as a regular cast member on The Danny Thomas Show from 1957-64. Her older sister is actress Veronica Cartwright.

She continued acting after the musical, appearing in Lost in Space from 1965-68, and carrying that appearance as far forward as 2018. She has been a photographer for over three decades and tied the knot with Steve Gullion in 1976, welcoming two children.

Debbie TurnerDebbie Turner, now 70, left the entertainment industry soon after playing Marta in the Oscar-winning film, although she remains close with her on-screen siblings to this day.

She left show business behind to continue her education, relocating to Minnesota with her husband Richard Lanson, where they raised their four children. She is now a floral designer.

Kym KarathKym Karath, now 68, who played the youngest von Trapp Gretl, continued acting after the movie, making brief appearances in several popular TV shows like Peyton Place, Lassie, Lost in Space, Family Affair, All My Children and The Brady Bunch.

After completing her education, she moved to Paris, where she briefly modelled. In 1985, she tied the knot with Philippe L'Equibec and welcomed a son with him before their 2005 divorce. Since 2016, she has been married to Jeff Apple.