Elizabeth Taylor’s estate is “deeply moved” by Swift’s “extraordinary” new music video that pays tribute to the late movie star.
“What makes this production so remarkable is its pure dedication to Elizabeth’s legacy. Comprised entirely of archival film clips, from her iconic screen performances to candid moments, it’s a celebration of Elizabeth from start to finish and a tribute in the truest sense of the word,” a representative for Taylor’s estate told TMZ on Tuesday.
The representative added that the “Cleopatra” star’s legacy is “in this celebration” and “we are thrilled that Taylor Swift has taken such care to shine a spotlight on what so many have long understood: that Elizabeth Taylor was a true icon and a trailblazer in every sense of the word.”
“She lived her life unapologetically and as herself, embracing public life with grace and courage while fiercely guarding the private world she cherished with her family and friends,” Taylor’s estate continued. “That balance, that duality, was one of her most remarkable qualities.”
Her representative concluded her emotional statement by congratulating Swift and her decision to honor the late Hollywood legend the way she did.
“If there’s anyone who has weathered the extraordinary pressures of global fame with equal authenticity and strength, it’s Taylor Swift,” they said. “The Foundation is honored that Elizabeth chose to honor her memory in this way, and we have no doubt that she loved every frame of this piece.”
Taylor died of congestive heart failure in Los Angeles in March 2011 at the age of 79.
Before her death, the big screen icon and trendsetter entrepreneur wowed audiences with her Oscar-winning roles in “Butterfield 8” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”
Swift, 36, celebrated Taylor’s accomplishments and International Women’s Month on Tuesday with a surprise music video for her “Life of a Showgirl” song “Elizabeth Taylor.”
The music video was assembled using hours of footage of the late screen goddess, including clips from Taylor’s films A Place in the Sun, Cleopatra, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and “Father of the Bride.”
Of course, the “Ophelia’s Destiny” hitmaker also included nods to Taylor’s iconic style, including the 33-carat Krupp diamond ring she received from ex-husband Richard Burton.
Swift opened up about her ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ song and how she approached the late actress’ estate about it during an appearance on BBC Radio 2 after releasing ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ last October.
“People like Elizabeth Taylor, we go to her mansion and let them know,” she explained at the time. “And they were very nice about it.”
Taylor’s descendants couldn’t be happier to hear Swift sing about their great patriarch.
“My family loves this song, and my grandma would have loved it too. I wish she had heard it,” Taylor’s grandson, Quinn Taibee, told Town & Country in October.
They added, “Taylor Swift has not only paid a beautiful homage to Elizabeth Taylor, but it feels like she is speaking directly to her, citing her legacy in a way that is three-dimensional, confessional, honest and fun.”
