Did Audrey smoke?

She did, at least for a while.

Here are some excerpts from newspapers/magazines:

"'I love making movies,'' she says in that wonderfully elegant voice, as she leans forward so her press agent can light her cigarette ", New York Times, Jun. 4, '80

"'I was just sort of launched on this career,' she says, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a thin stream of smoke", Washington Post, Aug. 5, '85

"'I read these things and I marvel,' she says, lighting a cigarette ... reaching for another cigarette", Raleigh News & Observer, Mar. 3, '91

"The day typically wound down with Hepburn ambling around the house with a Kent cigarette and her nightly 'two fingers' of J&B Scotch", People Magazine, Oct. 31, '94

Many biographies describe her as a "chain smoker", a "heavy smoker", ever since she was 15.

Proof. But like others said, it was supposed to be elegant and the thing to do back then. And Audrey does make it look elegant, although its bad for your lungs.

She did smoke for a while but only because back then they thought it was elegant

claro! fue un vicio... =)

Yes, she smoked. It was "the thing to do" in her era, and she did it elegantly. She supposedly smoked only six cigarettes a day, saying that's what her mother told her was proper.

Audrey was smoking (cf to all the published biographies), especially when she felt nervous, anxious or depressed (e.g. she had been smoking up to 60 cigarettes/day after her 2nd miscarriage), but luckily Mel was there to drive her back to normality.