What to Know About Elizabeth Taylor When You’re Listening to Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl

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The second song on Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, is titled after Elizabeth Taylor.

It’s understandable that a very famous pop star would mention a classic Hollywood icon. This isn’t the first time she’s alluded to the actor, either. Entertainment Weekly notes that her song “Ready for It?” includes the line “Burton to this Taylor,” a nod to one of the actor’s famous romances with Richard Burton.

In her song “Elizabeth Taylor,” Swift references Taylor again, seemingly writing about her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, as she questions, “Do you think it’s forever?”

I was still thinking about that beautiful view of Portofino when you called me at the Plaza Athénée,” Taylor sings. Portofino is a really special place for me-that’s where Burton first proposed, you know. It’s a memory I cherish, and it was definitely on my mind at that moment. It just brought me back.

Taylor’s personality shines through the entire song. Swift explains that if her romance were to finish, “I’d cry my eyes violet,” a nod to how the actress’s eyes were well-known. Later in the song, Swift solidifies her feelings by mentioning Taylor’s signature fragrance, White Diamonds.

In the song, Swift vocalizes, “All my white diamonds and lovers are forever,” followed by the possessive line, “Don’t you ever end up anything but mine.”

Elizabeth Taylor, starting her acting journey as a young child, received two Academy Awards for Best Actress. She first won in 1961 for her performance in Butterfield 8, and then again in 1967 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

As noted in her 2011 obituary by TIME’s former film critic Richard Corliss, she often portrayed women who were both practical and intensely emotional. He observed that in every performance, she began her creative process by exploring the intersection of contemporary womanhood-or early feminist ideals-and timeless glamour.

In 1949, she graced the cover of TIME magazine while being MGM’s leading actress. The accompanying article shared her desire to move beyond playing elegant roles. She explained, “When Elizabeth discusses her film future, her eyes light up. ‘I’d love to play,’ she said with enthusiasm, ‘a truly frightening character – a wild, rebellious one.’”

Behind the scenes, her personal life was quite dramatic, including eight marriages and seven divorces. She was also dedicated to helping others, co-founding the American Foundation for AIDS Research and collecting approximately $100 million for people battling various illnesses. Despite everything, she never lost her captivating charm. As Corliss noted in her obituary, “She bravely fought through numerous health challenges: skin cancer, a (benign) brain tumor, and injuries to her hips and back. She stated in 2005, ‘I use a wheelchair now, but I still get around.’ This remarkable woman also had a playful side.”

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2025-10-03 14:06