When she was not dazzling viewers on the big screen, Elizabeth Taylor was playing her role as mother to four children who now have kids of their own. Among the iconic actress’ grandkids is one named Laela Wilding, who shares an uncanny resemblance with the late Cleopatra star.
Laela was born in the early ‘70s and now continues Taylor’s legacy as a humanitarian. The 50-year-old actively upholds her grandmother’s AIDS foundation, supporting its research into the disease. “We are determined to support the legacy of our grandmother and let the world know the foundation is thriving,” she said.
Laela shares old memories
Laela enthusiastically shares Taylor’s passion for AIDS victims, hence her determination to continue where the star left off. “I think that she very early on felt touched by the AIDS crisis. She felt like people weren’t recognizing the urgency of need. So she put herself front and center in a very sincere way,” she explained.
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During an interview with TODAY, Laela had nothing but sweet things to say about her grandmother. “Just because somebody is a superstar doesn’t also mean that they can’t be a loving, squishy, delicious grandma who was always welcoming us in,” she said, recalling a simple but significant moment when she watched her grandmother get ready.
Honored to meet grand-daughter of Elizabeth Taylor, Laela Wilding. Very sweet and a fellow designer! @ET_AIDS_FDN pic.twitter.com/fbEq5DX6pV
— Phil Conley (@flipsterAZ) October 29, 2014
Taylor’s life and successful career
Taylor was a force in the film and modeling industry, also as an activist, and she stood out for her headstrong personality, which kept her sought after for several decades. Taylor appeared in classics like Father of the Bride, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, and 1963’s aforementioned Cleopatra, where she met co-star and future husband, Richard Burton.
Taylor and Burton’s marriage to other people at the time did not stop their eventual romance, which ended up being a tumultuous one with divorce and remarriage until their final split in 1975. She started her activist career ten years later after her good friend, Rock Hudson, died from AIDS. Taylor organized the “Commitment To Life” event and co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AMFAR) to show her support for affected persons.