Elizabeth Taylor Called Out Her Own Scandals — What She Really Said About Her 7 Husbands and the Affair That Shocked America
It’s been more than a decade since Elizabeth Taylor passed away, yet her legend only seems to grow brighter with time. Fourteen years after her death in 2011, Hollywood is still obsessed with her story — the diamonds, the scandals, and the seven marriages that made her both adored and controversial. Now, a new docuseries, Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar, streaming on Fox Nation, has reignited conversations about the woman once dubbed “the most famous woman on planet Earth.”
One of the quotes that best captured Taylor’s unapologetic nature came during the height of her infamous affair with singer Eddie Fisher. When asked about the scandal — Fisher was married to Debbie Reynolds at the time — Taylor famously replied, “What do you expect me to do, sleep alone?” It was a line so bold, so perfectly Elizabeth, that it became a piece of pop culture history. To many, that single sentence summed up her entire approach to life: passionate, unfiltered, and unashamed of her desires.
Taylor’s love life became one of Hollywood’s greatest epics. She married seven times to eight men — twice to Richard Burton, the great love of her life. Each relationship played out like its own movie, complete with glamour, heartbreak, and headlines. She wed Conrad “Nicky” Hilton when she was just 18, a union that ended in less than a year. Then came Michael Wilding, a gentle English actor who offered stability but couldn’t match her growing fame. Producer Mike Todd followed — her third husband and, many said, her true match in spirit. His sudden death in a plane crash left her heartbroken and vulnerable, setting the stage for the affair that would shock Hollywood.
When Taylor fell in love with Eddie Fisher, America couldn’t look away. Fisher was married to her close friend Debbie Reynolds, and the love triangle dominated gossip columns. Yet Taylor never apologized for following her heart. “I’ve been in love with almost every man I’ve ever met,” she once said. “That’s the trouble.” The statement wasn’t arrogance — it was honesty. Taylor loved deeply and completely, and she didn’t try to hide that from anyone.
Her next great romance came with Richard Burton, her co-star in Cleopatra. Their chemistry was electric, on-screen and off, and their marriage — twice over — became legendary. They fought, adored, and challenged each other in ways that fascinated the public. “After Richard, the men in my life were just there to hold the coat, to open the door — all the things Richard wouldn’t do,” she once admitted with a laugh. Burton gave her chaos and passion in equal measure, and even after their divorces, they couldn’t quite stay away from one another.
Beyond the glitter of her love life, Elizabeth Taylor was far more than her headlines. She was one of the first major celebrities to use her fame for activism, especially in the fight against HIV/AIDS at a time when few others would. She co-founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and raised millions for research and patient support. Her work saved lives and changed perceptions — proving that behind the glamour was a woman of strength, conviction, and compassion.
Fashion designer and close friend Vicky Tiel told People that none of this enduring fascination surprises her. “She was the most famous woman on planet Earth,” Tiel said. “Every move she made, people wanted to talk about.” Taylor was, in many ways, the first reality star — her life playing out in front of cameras long before social media existed. She lived in full view of the world, flaws and all, and never pretended to be anything other than herself.
Even today, her words still feel alive — witty, defiant, and honest. Elizabeth Taylor once said, “You can’t cry over every pair of shoes you didn’t buy.” That spirit — unbothered, fiery, confident — continues to define her as a symbol of independence and self-expression. Whether she was falling in love, walking away, or lighting up the screen, she did it all her way. And maybe that’s why, after all these years, we’re still talking about her.
