Julie andrews reflects on recent reunion with sound of music

Earlier this month at the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, Julie Andrews reunited with five of the seven actors who played the von Trapp kids in 1965's “The Sound of Music."

During an interview Wednesday on TODAY, she recalled what it was like to see Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich), Duane Chase (Kurt), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta) and Kym Karath (Gretl) again. She said they see each other periodically.

"We do keep in touch, but not on a really regular basis," Andrews explained. "I mean, Christmases, maybe birthdays and certainly get-togethers, but we just bonded so hard that I think we're family anyway."

While reflecting on the musical, Andrews, who famously played Maria, said it was special to her because it always brings back so many "funny" and "real" memories.

"It really was the most beautifully crafted movie," she said. "I mean, the details in the movie, first of all, the scenery, children, songs, music, all of it. But it means very, very many memories: funny ones, real ones, lovely ones, working with dear Chris Plummer also, whom I adored."

In the film, Plummer played Andrews' on-screen love interest, Captain Georg von Trapp.

"We were friends for years," Andrews said of their relationship.

Plummer died at the age of 91 in February 2021. Two of the actors who played the von Trapp kids also passed away in recent years. Charmian Carr, who played Liesl, died in 2016, and Heather Menzies-Urich, who portrayed Louisa, died in 2017.

On June 9, Hammond, Chase, Cartwright, Turner and Karath joined Andrews as she was awarded the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award.

When thinking about all of her accolades, which also include an Oscar and two Grammy Awards, Andrews said she doesn't just stop to appreciate all that she's accomplished because there's so much to do.

"I'm a busy mum," she said. "And I'm very busy writing with my daughter that writes books with me and we've done so many and we've got three more coming out in the next year."

Julie Andrews is keeping The Sound of Music family together!

In an interview with the TODAY Show Wednesday morning, Andrews, 86, reflected on her tight bond with the cast of the 1965 classic. The cast members reunited earlier this month at Andrews' AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, where Nicholas Hammond, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath, who played the von Trapp children, surprised the actress onstage.

"We do keep in touch, but not on a really regular basis," Andrews explained to TODAY. "I mean, Christmases, maybe birthdays and certainly get-togethers, but we just bonded so hard that I think we're family anyway."

Andrews also had kind memories of fellow costar Christopher Plummer, who played her love interest in the movie and passed away last year. "Working with dear Chris Plummer," she said, "whom I adored." Andrews added, "We were friends for years."

"It really was the most beautifully crafted movie," she said to host Hoda Kotb. "I mean, the details in the movie, first of all, the scenery, children, songs, music, all of it."

Andrews won a Golden Globe and received an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Maria in The Sound of Music, which also won the Oscar for Best Picture. The beloved musical film tells the true story of the von Trapp family, who escaped Nazis in Austria.

It unfortunately wasn't a complete reunion as Charmian Carr (who played Liesl) died at age 73 from complications with a rare form of dementia in Sept. 2016, and her onscreen sister Heather Menzies-Urich (Louisa) died at age 68 after she was diagnosed with cancer in Dec. 2017.

During the event, Andrews enjoyed a few other cast reunions including with her Princess Diaries costar Hector Elizondo, plus a virtual appearance from her onscreen granddaughter Anne Hathaway. Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke also paid tribute with a recorded message.

"This night reminds me with great clarity how many people are involved with making movies. What a huge collaborative effort it takes to bring film to the screen," Andrews said during her speech, after she was presented with the award by Carol Burnett.

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The Victor/Victoria actress previously told PEOPLE the advice she'd give her younger self. "What I know now is that there's always something more to learn, because you never stop really," she said in 2017. "You don't just grow up and get set, at least you shouldn't."

"What I know now is to remain curious and that nothing is wasted. Nothing you do in life is wasted. I used to travel endlessly around — even when I was a child performer — and think, 'What is this doing for me?' I have found so many ways to employ what I observed in those days and incorporate it now," Andrews added.

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