Elizabeth Taylor

Dame Elizabeth Taylor was a British-American actress and philanthropist whose career spanned six decades, from child star to Hollywood royalty. She is widely regarded as one of the most glamorous and iconic film stars in history. Taylor won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, for BUtterfield 8 (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), and starred in classics like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and Cleopatra (1963). She was the first actress to negotiate a $1 million contract, and the American Film Institute ranked her seventh among the greatest female screen legends in 1999. Beyond film, she became a pioneering AIDS activist, co-founding amfAR and establishing The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Her distinctive allure and dramatic personal life made her a subject of intense public fascination. Taylor died at age 79, leaving behind a legacy of film, fragrance, and philanthropy.[edit]

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born on February 27, 1932, in Hampstead, London, England, to American parents. Her father, Francis Lenn Taylor, was an art dealer, and her mother, Sara Viola Warmbrodt, was a former actress. The family enjoyed a comfortable and cultured upbringing in their London home, surrounded by art and the performing arts. As the specter of war loomed over Europe, the family relocated to Los Angeles around 1939, when Elizabeth was seven years old. They settled in Southern California, where her father established an art gallery. It was here that her mother, leveraging her industry connections, began to actively encourage Elizabeth's entry into the burgeoning film world.

At the age of ten, Elizabeth had her first significant step into acting, auditioning for Universal Pictures and securing a small role in the 1942 film There's One Born Every Minute. Recognizing her budding talent, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) quickly signed her to a contract later that same year, also at age ten. Her initial role for the studio was in Lassie Come Home (1943). The studio executives quickly identified her immense potential and began to meticulously groom her for a more prominent career. For her pivotal role in National Velvet (1944), MGM invested heavily in her development, arranging for her teeth to be fixed, providing extensive riding lessons, and putting her through rigorous physical training. This dedication paid off handsomely, as National Velvet became her breakout role, transforming her into a star and a household name by the age of twelve. During her time under contract, she continued her education on set with studio tutors and successfully completed high school. [edit]

After National Velvet, Taylor became MGM's most valuable child star, appearing in Life with Father (1947) and Little Women (1949). She transitioned to adult roles with Father of the Bride (1950) and earned critical acclaim for A Place in the Sun (1951), opposite Montgomery Clift. The epic Giant (1956) paired her with James Dean and Rock Hudson, cementing her leading-lady status.

Taylor's dramatic range shone in Tennessee Williams adaptations: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). She won her first Oscar for BUtterfield 8 (1960), despite disliking the film. Her most famous role came in Cleopatra (1963), where she negotiated a record $1 million salary, becoming the highest-paid actress in the world. The production was plagued by delays and cost overruns but became iconic for her on-set romance with Richard Burton.

Taylor and Burton married in 1964 and made 11 films together, including The V.I.P.s (1963) and The Sandpiper (1965). Their most celebrated collaboration was Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), directed by Mike Nichols. Taylor's raw, unglamorous performance as Martha won her a second Oscar and is considered one of cinema's greatest. In the 1970s, she appeared in fewer films, focusing on television movies and stage work. Later, she built a successful fragrance line, including White Diamonds, and dedicated herself full-time to AIDS activism. [edit]

Taylor's public persona was a blend of old-Hollywood glamour and tabloid scandal. Known for her violet eyes, hourglass figure, and lavish lifestyle, she was the original celebrity fashion icon, often draped in diamonds and designer gowns. Her eight marriages, especially the two to Richard Burton, made her a constant subject of gossip columns. Yet fans admired her resilience and outspokenness. In later years, she reinvented herself as a serious activist, using her fame to champion AIDS research and destigmatize the disease. Her voice, breathy and deliberate, became instantly recognizable. She had a warm, often self-deprecating sense of humor in interviews, which endeared her to audiences across generations. [edit]

Elizabeth Taylor remains a towering figure in global culture, currently recognized as the the 94th most famous person in United Kingdom and the 69th most famous person from United Kingdom according to the iFANN Global Fame Rankings. These placements reflect her enduring resonance across media coverage and consumption signals worldwide. Her legacy is sustained not by a formal fan club with a specific moniker, but by a broad, multi-generational following often simply called fans of "classic Hollywood" or "Liz." This audience engages less through modern digital mobilization and more through archival preservation and cultural reverence. Recent efforts to save her Bel Air estate from demolition highlight this deep public desire to maintain her physical history. The mythology surrounding her includes verified iconic moments, such as the filming of Cleopatra where an affair with Richard Burton caused a media sensation so intense it led to the cancellation of the film's premiere in London due to massive crowds threatening to overrun the venue. Another legendary incident occurred at the Academy Awards, where she famously fainted on stage after winning her first Oscar for Butterfield 8, a moment broadcast live that became instant Hollywood lore. Her founding of amfAR in 1985 transformed her image from a glamorous actress into a serious humanitarian advocate, raising over $300 million for AIDS research while she battled her own health issues. Even decades after her passing, items like her Fendi Baguette handbag continue to set auction records, cementing her status as a style icon whose influence transcends her acting career.[edit]

Taylor possessed a rare genetic condition called distichiasis, which gave her double eyelashes and striking violet-blue irises. She was the first celebrity to launch a mass-market perfume, White Diamonds, in 1991, which grossed over $1 billion in sales. Her collection included the famous 69.42-carat Taylor-Burton Diamond, purchased by Richard Burton in 1969. A close friend of Michael Jackson, she had her wedding to Larry Fortensky hosted at his Neverland Ranch. Taylor was a devoted animal lover who owned numerous dogs, cats, and a horse named Blue. Her favorite food was fried chicken, and she collected fine jewelry from Cartier and Bulgari. Baptized into Judaism in 1959 before marrying Eddie Fisher, she later returned to Christianity. Beyond these facts, legend holds that her marriage to Burton twice created a tabloid frenzy rivaling any modern scandal, with their divorce and remarriage dominating news cycles for decades. Stories also persist about her eccentric Easter parties featuring specific dishes like endive salad, treated now as nostalgic folklore shared by those who knew her.[edit]

Taylor's parents were Francis Lenn Taylor, an American art dealer who ran a gallery in London and later Los Angeles, and Sara Viola Warmbrodt, a former stage actress who encouraged her daughter's career. She had an older brother, Howard Taylor, who became a painter. Taylor was married eight times and had four children: sons Michael Wilding Jr. and Christopher Edward Wilding with Michael Wilding; daughter Elizabeth "Liza" Todd with Mike Todd; and adopted daughter Maria Burton with Richard Burton. She also had ten grandchildren. Taylor lived in a Bel Air mansion for decades, surrounded by her art collection and pets. Despite her glamorous image, she often described herself as a homebody who loved cooking for her family. [edit]

Taylor was closely associated with Richard Burton, her twice-married co-star and great love. She worked with directors George Stevens (Giant, A Place in the Sun) and Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?). Her friends included Montgomery Clift, Rock Hudson, and Michael Jackson. She was a mentor to later AIDS activists and a longtime supporter of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. [edit]

Taylor was married eight times to seven men. Her first marriage, to hotel heir Conrad "Nicky" Hilton Jr. in 1950, ended after less than a year due to his drinking and abuse. In 1952 she married British actor Michael Wilding, with whom she had two sons, Michael and Christopher; they divorced in 1957. She then married producer Mike Todd in 1957, a happy union cut short by his death in a plane crash in 1958. Todd's friend Eddie Fisher comforted her, leading to a scandalous affair and marriage in 1959; they divorced in 1964 after she fell for Richard Burton on the set of Cleopatra. Taylor and Burton married in 1964, adopted a daughter, Maria, and made 11 films together. Their tempestuous relationship ended in divorce in 1974, but they remarried in 1975, only to divorce again in 1976. She married Senator John Warner in 1976, serving as a political spouse until their divorce in 1982. Her final marriage was to construction worker Larry Fortensky in 1991, whom she met at the Betty Ford Clinic; they divorced in 1996. As of her death in 2011, Taylor was single and had stated she would never marry again. [edit]

The announcement of Elizabeth Taylor's passing on March 23, 2011, triggered an immediate outpouring of tributes from global institutions and peers alike. The White House issued a statement honoring her legacy as an icon and humanitarian, while the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences held a moment of silence during their annual events. Fan vigils spontaneously formed outside her former Nimes Road home in Bel Air, where thousands gathered to leave flowers and memorabilia. Taylor passed away peacefully in her sleep at age 79 at her home located at 700 Nimes Road in Los Angeles, California. Her final days were spent under hospice care at this estate, marking a quiet end after her last public appearance in a commercial for White Diamonds in late 2010.

A statement released by her family through her representative confirmed she died due to heart failure resulting from long-standing health issues, including kidney disease, lung disease, and chronic pain management complications. No police investigation or legal ruling was initiated, as the death was determined to be natural consistent with her known medical history. A private funeral service was held on March 29, 2011, at St. John's Cathedral in Beverly Hills, attended by close family members including her children Michael, Christopher, Liza, and Maria, as well as select friends like Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert Redford. The ceremony featured readings from literature and songs performed by her son, reflecting her wish for intimacy in her final moments.

She was subsequently interred at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. Posthumously, her legacy has been maintained through the continued operations of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which remains active in HIV/AIDS research and advocacy. Her historic Bel Air ranch house, purchased in 1981, faced preservation efforts decades later, with restoration projects preserving her bedroom exactly as she left it. The estate remains intact and managed by her heirs, ensuring her contributions to film and philanthropy endure.[edit]

iFANN currently estimates Elizabeth Taylor's estate value at $600 Million as of 2026. The bulk of her wealth originated from her film career, which peaked with a $1 million salary for Cleopatra in 1963. She also earned millions from her fragrance line, White Diamonds, launched in 1991, generating over $1 billion in lifetime sales. Taylor invested in real estate, owning homes in Bel Air and Palm Springs, and collected fine jewelry worth tens of millions, including the Taylor-Burton Diamond. Her estate continues to earn royalties from her films, perfume, and licensing deals, managed by her children and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Her net worth grew steadily after her death due to the enduring popularity of her brand.[edit]

Taylor won two Academy Awards for Best Actress, for BUtterfield 8 (1960) and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). She also received a Special Academy Award for her humanitarian work in 1993. She won a BAFTA for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and multiple Golden Globe nominations. Her career honors include the AFI Life Achievement Award and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. [edit]