Julie Andrews, 91, Once Made a Surprise Appearance on This Beloved ’90s Sitcom

Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music star Julie Andrews turned 91 on October 1. And while fans know her as a spirited singing nanny in both iconic films, they may not realize she once made a cameo on the 1990s sitcom Caroline in the City.

Just in case you forgot, in the almost 30 years since it last aired, Caroline in the City was an NBC comedy starring Lea Thompson, of Back to the Future and Some Kind of Wonderful, as a cartoonist living, as the show’s name implies, in the city. More specifically, New York City. As part of the network’s “Must-See TV” Thursday night lineup, the series initially held the coveted time slot between Seinfeld and ER. This made it one of the most popular shows of the mid-90s.

Caroline in the City debuted in 1995, but Andrews would not appear until the following year. The singer/actress played herself in the Season 2 episode “Caroline and Victor/Victoria.” But technically, only Andrews’ voice and her photo were in the sitcom.

In the 1996 episode, Caroline (Thompson) and her BFF Annie Spadaro (played by Annie Pietz) sneak into a limo carrying the “Victor/Victoria” Broadway star to give Andrews an audition tape. It doesn’t go well, with Caroline scolding her friend, “You can’t kidnap Mary Poppins.” But that’s exactly what happens.

While Andrews doesn’t appear on-screen, her voice is heard from behind a limo screen. And if you had hoped to catch a glimpse of Andrews, don’t worry. She also tosses a headshot from the car, with the words “Help! Love, Julie” written across the bottom.

This rare cameo is one of only a few guest-starring roles. Andrews also made appearances as a musical guest on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Garry Moore Show, The Andy Williams Show, and The Muppet Show. She later appeared as the voice of Lady Whistledown in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton, winning two Emmy Awards (in 2025 and 2026) for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.