The legendary Elizabeth Taylor died this morning of congestive heart failure. She was 79.
Truth be told, I've never been into Elizabeth Taylor. Let's be honest, most people in my generation know her best for those White Diamonds commercials that still air occasionally, and less for roles like Cleopatra and Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf. But I recognize a true Hollywood icon when I see one.
Moreover, she was one of the first major celebrities (even before my Grand Diva Madonna) to speak out forcefully about the AIDS crisis. She founded the American Foundation For Aids Research (Amfar) after the death of close friend Rock Hudson in 1985, and received a special Academy award for her tireless efforts in 1993.
As of 2000, she'd raised $120 million for both Amfar and The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.'I am on a crusade against Aids and I'll battle forever even after a cure is found,' she once said.
Rest in peace Liz.
Comments