Kim Kardashian produces, stars in BBC series on Elizabeth Taylor
Kim Kardashian is teaming up with BBC Arts to executive produce and star in a three-part documentary series about British-American actor Elizabeth Taylor, titled Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar. The series—produced by Academy Award-winning company Passion Pictures—will offer a fresh perspective on the iconic actor's life and career. The documentary is currently in production and will be available for UK viewers on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Here's everything to know.
Why does this story matter?
Born in 1932, Taylor commenced her acting journey as a child star, making her debut in There's One Born Every Minute (1942). She achieved the status of the world's highest-paid movie star in the 1960s. Although she had a highly successful professional life, her personal life continued to be riddled with eight unsuccessful marriages and alcoholism. Eventually, after years of struggling with declining health, she died, aged 79, due to congestive heart failure in 2011.
Series to showcase Taylor's life beyond 'soap opera'
Instead of focusing on her multiple marriages and scandals, the documentary will highlight Taylor's accomplishments as an actor, trailblazer, entrepreneur, and activist. A show description highlights: "For too long the story of Taylor has been told as a soap opera. The eight marriages, the diamonds, the addictions." "This series gives Taylor the significance she richly deserves, in all her incarnations: as an actor, rebel, business mogul, and activist - to reveal how Taylor created the blueprint for modern celebrity."
Unseen footage and exclusive interviews
Per BBC, Rebel Superstar will feature exclusive audio recordings, interviews, never-before-seen TV footage, and a vast collection of her films. Among the interviewees are stars who knew Taylor personally, such as Kardashian—who conducted her final interview before her passing in 2011. Other notable participants include Dame Joan Collins, Margaret O'Brien, Carole Bayer Sager, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Know more about Taylor's library of roles
In her illustrious career, Taylor graced the screens in Life with Father alongside Hollywood heavyweights William Powell and Irene Dunne. With a busy 1954, featuring films like Rhapsody, Beau Brummel, The Last Time I Saw Paris, and Elephant Walk, she solidified her status as one of the world's greatest beauties at just 22. Taylor won her first Oscar for the Butterfield 8 (1960), followed by remarkable performances in Cleopatra and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
