Fox News: Is it a true a lot of stars tried out for the role of Maria?
Cartwright: I don’t think it was for the main role because Julie was pretty much the one Robert wanted for this film. But I know so many stars auditioned for the role of Liesl, including Mia Farrow.
Robert had a hard time casting that role because he didn’t want a known face. He liked the idea of having someone who was new, but who was very talented and had a very beautiful voice. There was something about Charmian Carr. She has these amazing blue eyes and a very distinct voice. I think he made a very wise choice there. And she owned it.
Fox News: What’s a fun fact about “The Sound of Music” that would surprise fans today?
Cartwright: That’s actually a difficult question because fans pretty much know everything. It rained a lot and there were many days that we couldn’t shoot. But how lucky were we to be in a location like that? Salzburg still looks exactly the way it did 53 years ago. Everything looks the same and it always feels like you’re stepping right into the film. A lot of people don’t think there’s a place as beautiful as that where you can actually go and visit. It’s the real deal.
Fox News: Do you stay in touch with your cast mates?
Cartwright: Yes! It’s fascinating because sometimes you make a movie and you don’t really see each other anymore or stay in touch. But we’ve all stayed in touch. We’ve certainly gotten together for celebrations and reunions. Whenever we lose a cast member, it always feels like we lost a family member. We all know what’s going on in each other’s lives and we’ve continued to do that during the 50-plus years [since filming].
Fox News: Tell us about your work as an artist.
Cartwright: I’ve always loved art. I was given a camera when I was 15 by my dad. I got totally bitten by the photography bug. So I started shooting photographs. I would entice my friends to let me take their photo for free pizza. I loved it.
Later on, I started shooting the gardens near my home in Los Angeles and hand painting them with oil. It just resonated with me. So my art took off from there. I curated an art gallery. I’ve written three books on art and it’s just such a perfect way for me to express myself… Art just makes life better and I do it all the time. It’s my way of getting through my life.