Farewell to the Queen

Elizabeth Taylor on the set of Giant (1955). Photo by Frank Worth.

I didn't want any more time to go by without mentioning Elizabeth Taylor. On the morning of March 23, when I saw the headlines with her name, I was surprised at how sad I felt. I had always enjoyed her films but never considered her one of my favourite actresses. So it took me a while to figure it out—my sadness stemmed from the idea of her not being here. While other movie stars and celebrities passed away, she was always a constant, like that other Elizabeth in England. She was a stunning beauty, a better actress than many gave her credit for, and just real. Whenever you saw interviews with her she didn't shy away from speaking her mind or letting out that wonderful laugh. She was fiercely loyal to her friends and stood by them through the worst of times. She was a movie legend but never seemed to take herself too seriously. I loved the idea of Elizabeth Taylor in her home like some queen with her jewels and dogs, having done and seen it all (no actress today even comes close to matching her story). So the idea of her no longer being here is going to take a while to get used to. Farewell Elizabeth Taylor. The world is a little duller without you.