Elizabeth Taylor Would Have Been 90 Today — A Look Back At Her Last Milestone Birthday Celebration

Feb 27, 2022 by apost team

Elizabeth Taylor is a true Hollywood icon whose over six-decade-long career cemented her status in the film industry. Taylor was a well-versed actress, dedicated businesswoman and heartfelt humanitarian. She grew up quickly while working in the film industry, as much of her life was broadcast to the public eye. The stunning actress quickly found stardom due to her extreme perseverance and tenacity, as well as her unique and gorgeous looks. 

However, her appearance wasn't always to her advantage. In her youth she looked much older than other child stars she was competing against at the time, which hurt her career at first, but ultimately it helped her when it came time to land more critical and challenging roles later on.

Taylor passed away in 2011 and today marks what would have been her 90th birthday. Even after her death, she's continued to be an important name in the entertainment industry, and her legacy still inspires people to this day. 

Not only do her films and acting legacy live on, but so too do tales of the extravagant lifestyle and personal life that she lived, which were well documented during her lifetime. She was known for her love of diamonds and luxury items, and she was married eight times with seven different men, including Richard Burton, who she famously married twice. 

Naturally, Taylor's love of opulence extended to her birthday celebrations too. In honor of what would be her 90th birthday, let's take a look back at Taylor's life and many of her birthday highlights from the past.

Taylor's career in Hollywood was legendary. As one of the most popular stars of Hollywood's Golden Era, she appeared in countless films including "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Suddenly, Last Summer," "BUtterfield 8," "Cleopatra" and many more. She was nominated for five Oscars, of which she won two, and four Golden Globe Award nominations with one win. She was honored with multiple lifetime achievement awards, including the Kennedy Center Honors, and she was also recognized for her extensive humanitarian work.

But Taylor's personal life made the headlines as much as her career did. After she and Burton starred opposite one another in "Cleopatra," they began a love affair despite both being married to other people at the time, which caused a scandal. Nevertheless, the two continued their romance and were later married in 1964. They became a power couple in Hollywood and were cast together in 11 films in total, including "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

The couple's relationship surpassed their time together, as it continued to inspire the arts today, including the 2012 TV movie "Liz and Dick," the 2013 TV movie "Burton and Taylor" and even appearing as lyrics in the 2017 Taylor Swift song "...Ready for It?" 

However, their relationship was incredibly rocky, and they divorced in 1974 before they remarried in 1975 and then divorced for good in 1976. Even though the couple was incredibly iconic, it wasn't a complete surprise when they had broken up for good as Taylor's romances seemed to be fleeting based on the fact that she was married to a total of seven men over the course of her life. 

In any case, Taylor was still able to start her own family, as she had four children — Liza Todd, Maria Burton, Michael Wilding, Jr. and Christopher Edward Wilding.

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Although she passed away at the age of 79, Taylor still knew how to hold the spotlight even in her final years. For her 75th birthday, the star went all out with a bash in Las Vegas. Set to a New Orleans theme, the party was attended by many of Taylor's famous friends, including her former rival Debbie Reynolds, as well as her four children. Other attendees included Reynolds' daughter Carrie Fisher, illusionist duo Siegfried & Roy, casino mogul Steve Wynn and more. 

Taylor already suffered from ill-health, including chronic back pain at that point, which meant that she arrived in a wheelchair but she certainly didn't hold back on the glam. She wore a white gown with a white fur stole and accessorized with lashings of diamonds. Her bold red lips and nails and signature dark hair contrasted gorgeously with her outfit. 

She spoke with the press and told them she felt "phenomenal." She joked about her birthday wish being a "secret" and admitted that she was most proud of her children. When asked her secret to live to the age of 75, she said boldly, "hanging in." She was also asked about the secret to how she looked so good. She showed off her humor as she said, "just living a very healthy, clean life" while she batted her eyelids cartoonishly. 

That day Taylor showed that she was not only as gorgeous and funny as ever but that she still had the last laugh when it came to her life and how she was perceived by the press. A true icon, may she continue to rest in peace. 

Are you a fan of Elizabeth Taylor? What's your favorite movie of hers? Let us know, then pass this on so others can read about it too.