Elizabeth Taylor: A Life Fully Lived, No Regrets

Throughout her illustrious career, Elizabeth Taylor made headlines for countless reasons, but according to Nanette Burnstein, director of Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes, the legendary actress had no regrets about the life she led. Speaking exclusively to Closer at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 11, Burnstein shared her insights into Taylor's remarkable journey. "She lived her life fully," Burnstein emphasized. "She made mistakes, but she learned from them. And let's face it, she had an incredible life."

Love, Loss, and Lessons Learned

One of the most fascinating aspects of Taylor's life was her relationships. Her romances with Hollywood costars often made headlines, but some of them ended in heartbreak. Among her "mistakes," as she referred to them, was her marriage to Conrad "Nicky" Hilton Jr., which lasted from 1950 to 1951. In the tapes featured in the documentary, Taylor recounted her experiences with raw honesty. "The wedding was lovely," she said. "But soon came disillusionment. There were split lips, too. Nick was always in a tantrum. I couldn’t go back to that life of such mental and physical abuse. Our marriage was over and done with."

Taylor's marriage to Hilton was one of eight throughout her lifetime. Reflecting on their union, she admitted, "I was in love with being in love … infatuated with love." However, the relationship turned sour when Hilton allegedly kicked her in the stomach, causing her to miscarry. These experiences shaped her perspective on love and life, but they never broke her spirit.

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Living in the Spotlight

Taylor became one of the first Hollywood stars whose personal life overshadowed her professional achievements. "She talks about it in the film," Burnstein explained. "She says, 'I can’t control the media. I’m not even gonna try. It’s not gonna work.' People are gonna believe what they want to believe, and you can’t change their minds about it." Taylor accepted this reality with grace and resilience, choosing to live her life on her own terms rather than trying to conform to public expectations.

Her marriages and divorces, especially those with Cleopatra costar Richard Burton, became the stuff of legend. Burton was the love of her life, and Taylor was determined to make things work with him, even marrying and divorcing him twice. "I know Elizabeth would have tried a third time," author Kate Andersen Brower told Closer. "I’ve often wondered if she was more dedicated to him than he was to her." Despite the challenges, Taylor remained committed to her passions and her heart.

A Legacy of Love and Strength

Through her marriages, Taylor became a mother to four children: Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Edward Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton. Her granddaughter, Naomi deLuce Wilding, spoke about Taylor's resilience in the face of adversity. "I think her relationship with her mother, who was very dominant, pushed her into doing things that were difficult," Wilding told Closer in November 2023. "She learned her own strength from a young age. That’s how she was able to push through tragedy and illness. She believed you just keep going."

Despite her glamorous life, Taylor faced challenges that few could understand. As Brower noted, "In a lot of ways, she had a very charmed life. The flip side is that she had a very sheltered existence; she couldn’t be a normal kid, she didn’t have many friends her age." Yet, Taylor's ability to navigate these complexities with grace and authenticity left a lasting impression on those who knew her.

Taylor's image often divided the public, but she remained steadfast in her beliefs. "Maybe because of my personal life I suggest something illicit, but I am not illicit, and I am not immoral," she reflected. "I make mistakes, and I have paid for them. I know that I will never be able to pay the bill, but that is not something you can put in the story." Her words serve as a reminder that even the most celebrated lives are filled with imperfections, and it’s how we respond to them that defines us.