Julie Andrews talks iconic Sound of Music

Julie Andrews "could never have guessed" that The Sound of Music would be so successful.

The 79-year-old actress cemented her position as a household name after starring as Maria in the 1965 movie. But Julie admits in a new interview that she had no idea it would become as world famous and eternally popular as it did.

"I don't think I could have possibly guessed, ever, that it was going to be iconic as it has become," she told Billboard magazine. "If anyone had told me that 50 years after the fact I'd be still speaking to you about it and it's magic, I could not have anticipated that or believed it. But I think once it had opened and become a success I realised that we had a very good thing in that movie, that it was a good movie. But I don't think anyone connected with it that it would be that huge."

Prior to being cast in The Sound of Music, Julie had only starred in two other films – Mary Poppins and The Americanization of Emily.

And when she arrived on set to shoot her scenes alongside Christopher Plummer, her nerves hit the roof.

"I was nervous to start with in every way!" she said. "Because it was only the third movie I'd ever made and I wasn't that skilled, or I wasn't that knowledgeable! In general, yeah, I was just very nervous. I was nervous if I could match Christopher Plummer because his talent was so huge and he was a legitimate actor. My work, for so many years, was from the so-called illegitimate side of the business, which was musical. Pairing me with him I wondered if it would work, and of course we've been friends ever since, he and I, and it was a lovely, lovely friendship."