Elizabeth Taylor’s Granddaughter Shares How Grandma Found Her True Passion outside of Acting

April 02, 2019 | by Anna Chan

Classic beauty Elizabeth Taylor had a long, illustrious career in Hollywood, but her real legacy was her passionate advocacy for AIDS through her own foundation.

Through The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation which she founded in 1991, the iconic star found her purpose. She was the first one to host a benefit for the AIDS Project Los Angeles to shed light on the issues of people with HIV/AIDS.

My dear friend Elizabeth Taylor, long championed increased awareness and finding a cure for AIDS. Your support for @ETAForg this #givingtuesday will give the gift of life, treatment, community, and education and help end #AIDS for good. https://t.co/aKnDbrZFsG pic.twitter.com/7YkKFKl8Hq
— carolebayersager (@CaroleBSager) November 27, 2018

Known for her memorable portrayal of Cleopatra, Taylor lived the Hollywood life to the hilt.

"Elizabeth would encourage every woman in a negotiation to use whatever makes her special to articulate why she deserves that salary, raise, or promotion." https://t.co/xvymovH84x
— Elizabeth Taylor (@ElizabethTaylor) August 6, 2018

But her granddaughter Naomi deLuce Wilding shared this about Taylor’s advocacy.

“She spoke of it as being something that finally gave her a sense of purpose; she spoke of being relatively ambivalent about her fame and her acting career. She loved it, but when she found activism, it really made sense of her passion.”

Naomi continued proudly,

“She was one of the first celebrities to get up and not only do things like start a foundation but to be outspoken. She had a role in creating that expectation that we have now for celebrities to a certain extent. I think she’d be proud of herself.”

"I am glad that in my life I have never cut short my emotions. The most awful thing of all is to be numb." #ElizabethTaylor pic.twitter.com/CHcTCMcIaO
— Elizabeth Taylor (@ElizabethTaylor) February 25, 2019

Naomi is one of Elizabeth Taylor’s ten grandchildren. She is a fashion stylist and has a striking resemblance to her grandmother.

“It’s one of the most beneficial things that we as a family for ETAF have done,” says deLuce Wilding, who's attending AIDSWatch with sister Laela Wilding and cousin Quinn Tivey, Officer of ETAF. “It keeps us involved....which is really important to us.”https://t.co/XdbddRb4Gh
— The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (@ETAForg) April 1, 2019

She considers her grandmother, who passed away in 2011, an inspiration saying,

“We were very close, and she had a strong influence on my life. She convinced me to move to Los Angeles. She introduced me to Ingrid Sischy, who suggested I try fashion styling.”

The 42-year-old Naomi and her younger sister Laela grew up in Wales but made many precious memories with their grandmother on their visits with her in L.A.

"Naomi deLuce Wilding & Laela Wilding are messengers of Elizabeth Taylor’s original brand of compassion & advocacy. Together, they know that activism cannot just happen for one generation; it needs to reboot every generation." FRONTDESK by David Waggoner https://t.co/WEE0njBRPx pic.twitter.com/gZ0xEsgF7c
— A&U Magazine (@au_magazine) July 17, 2018

Naomi who later lived with Taylor for three years, shared,

“More than anything, my grandmother gave me confidence. She made me feel like I could do anything.”