Elizabeth Taylor: Controversies, Children, Health, and Marriages

Few Hollywood stars lived as publicly and as dramatically as Elizabeth Taylor. Between her eight marriages, her violet eyes, and her two Oscars, she became a figure whose life was debated as fiercely as her film legacy. In this article, we unpack the controversies, health battles, and family story behind the icon.

Academy Awards won: 2 ·
Number of marriages: 8 ·
Children: 4 ·
Years active: 1942–2003 ·
Date of birth – death: February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011

Eight key facts that define the life of Elizabeth Taylor are listed below — a summary of her career, family, and awards.

Why was Elizabeth Taylor so controversial?

Was Elizabeth Taylor a nice person in real life?

• Accounts from colleagues paint a mixed picture. Many co-stars and friends described Taylor as fiercely loyal and generous. She reportedly invited struggling actors to stay in her home. However, the public scandal around her marriage to Eddie Fisher — he left Debbie Reynolds for her — cemented a tabloid image of a homewrecker. Debbie Reynolds herself said publicly, “She stole my husband” (People magazine). The contradiction between private kindness and public scandal defines her legacy.

What did Elizabeth Taylor say about Marilyn Monroe?

• Taylor reportedly made comments that reflected a competitive undercurrent with Monroe, particularly during the making of Cleopatra. According to anecdotal accounts, Taylor remarked that Monroe used her sexuality to compensate for lack of acting training. The rivalry was fed by studio publicity machines — both were among the biggest stars of the 1950s and 1960s.

Who was Elizabeth Taylor jealous of?

• Sources suggest Taylor felt jealous of Marilyn Monroe’s effortless sexuality and the attention it drew. While no direct quote from Taylor confirms deep jealousy, biographers note she resented being compared to Monroe. The tension was partly manufactured by studios to fuel box office competition.

The pattern: Taylor’s controversies stemmed almost entirely from her personal life — her marriages, the Fisher scandal, and the Monroe rivalry. Professionally, she was rarely controversial; she was simply too talented to dismiss.

What is Elizabeth Taylor most famous for?

Elizabeth Taylor movies

• Taylor’s film career spanned six decades. She won her first Academy Award for Butterfield 8 (1960) and her second for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) — both high-drama performances that showcased her intensity (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Other iconic films include National Velvet (1944), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Cleopatra (1963), which at the time was the most expensive film ever made.

Elizabeth Taylor eyes

• Her striking violet eyes became her trademark. The rare color was caused by a genetic condition called hypertrichosis, which also caused excess hair at birth. The eyes fueled an entire industry of admiration — and made her the subject of countless magazine covers and beauty endorsements.

The trade-off: While her film legacy is undeniable, Taylor’s fame was always a double-edged sword. The same beauty that made her a star also attracted scrutiny over her age, weight, and appearance.

Did Elizabeth Taylor ever give birth to a child?

Where are Liz Taylor’s children today?

• Taylor had four children: Michael Wilding Jr. (born 1953), Christopher Wilding (born 1955), Liza Todd (born 1957), and Maria Burton (adopted in 1964 with Richard Burton) (Biography.com). Three are biological — two sons with Michael Wilding and a daughter with Mike Todd. Maria Burton was adopted during Taylor’s marriage to Richard Burton.
• Today, Taylor’s children live mostly private lives. Michael Wilding Jr. has worked as an actor and producer. Christopher Wilding is a businessman and artist. Liza Todd is a sculptor. Maria Burton works in philanthropy and fashion. None have remained in the Hollywood spotlight.

Did Elizabeth Taylor leave any money to her children?

• Taylor’s will, filed in 2011, left the bulk of her estimated $600 million estate to a trust benefiting her children and grandchildren. Specific assets were also bequeathed to her foundation for AIDS research. Reports confirm she wanted her family to be taken care of, but not to the point of wealth without purpose (Biography.com).

The implication: Taylor prioritized her children’s privacy and autonomy. In a life filled with cameras, she gave her family the one thing she never had: the choice to be out of the public eye.

Who was Elizabeth Taylor’s most loved husband?

Was Richard Burton unfaithful to Elizabeth Taylor?

• Richard Burton and Taylor had one of the most publicized marriages in Hollywood history — actually, two marriages. They wed in 1964, divorced in 1974, remarried in 1975, and divorced again in 1976 (Encyclopaedia Britannica). Both acknowledged affairs during the marriage. Burton had relationships with other women, and Taylor had her own dalliances. However, Taylor always called Burton the love of her life.

Elizabeth Taylor spouse

• Taylor’s list of husbands reads like a who’s-who of mid-century fame: Conrad Hilton Jr. (1950–1951), Michael Wilding (1952–1957), Mike Todd (1957–1958, ended by his death), Eddie Fisher (1959–1964), Richard Burton (1964–1974, 1975–1976), John Warner (1976–1982), and Larry Fortensky (1991–1996) (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
• Of all her husbands, Richard Burton stands out as the greatest love. She once said, “I love him, I love him, I love him.” The intensity of their relationship — fuelled by alcohol, passion, and competition — is the stuff of Hollywood legend.

What this means: Taylor’s love life was a mirror of her career. She sought intensity and risk. That brought her the greatest love of her life — Richard Burton — but also constant heartbreak.

What disease did Liz Taylor have?

Was Elizabeth Taylor born with hair all over her?

• Yes. Taylor was born with a rare condition called hypertrichosis, which caused excess hair growth over her body. The condition resolved naturally as she grew older, but it left her with the famously thick, dark lashes and distinctive eyebrows that became her trademark. It also contributed to the very rare violet color of her eyes (Wikipedia).

Other health struggles

• Taylor’s health was fragile throughout her life. She suffered from scoliosis, a curvature of the spine that required multiple surgeries. She had a benign brain tumor removed, underwent hip replacement surgery, and battled pneumonia. She also struggled with alcoholism, which she publicly acknowledged in the 1980s. The cause of death in 2011 was congestive heart failure (Wikipedia).

The pattern: Taylor endured chronic pain and illness for decades but rarely let it stop her working or advocating. She turned her own vulnerabilities into a platform for others — especially in the fight against AIDS.

Frequently asked questions

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