Elizabeth Taylor's 1st Grandkid Embraces Her Gray Hair & Devotes Herself to Others Like Grandma

• Elizabeth Taylor's first granddaughter, Laela Wilding, supports her legacy no matter what.

• Wilding's resemblance to her grandma is uncanny, and like her grandma, she embraced her natural look.

• Besides being one of Taylor's many grandkids, Wilding also has a family of her own and loves being a mom.

The iconic actress Elizabeth Taylor was recently named one of the American Film Institute's Top 10 Actresses of All Time. Elizabeth found widespread fame at a young age, and she had countless titles to her name. She is famous for films including "BUtterfield 8," for which she was awarded the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Elizabeth caught the eye of the production company MGM at a young age, and by the time she was 12, she had already starred in 5 films. She became one of the most famous faces in Hollywood by the 1960s, and she was known for being an excellent leading lady.

In 1985, Elizabeth contributed her voice to create awareness surrounding AIDS. Along with several other popular actors and musicians, Elizabeth spoke at the first Commitment to Life gala — a fundraiser for AIDS Project Los Angeles. For the first time, a noticeable group of celebrities spoke up on behalf of people with AIDS.

Laela reminisced about her childhood, saying Elizabeth often did her makeup for her.

Years after that first big fundraiser, a new project has raised its head. In 2021, a group of filmmakers started the "Commitment to Life" documentary, which looks at the first days of the fight against HIV/AIDS. Another big supporter of Elizabeth's efforts to create awareness is her granddaughter, Laela Wilding.

Elizabeth Taylor's First Granddaughter, Laela Wilding, and Their Relationship

Laela is Elizabeth's oldest grandchild. Her father is Micheal Wilding Jr., and her mom is Johanna Lykke-Dahn. Like his mother, Laela's father found success as an actor, and he was known for his roles in "Dallas," "Deadly Illusion," and "Guiding Light." Micheal and Johanna gave Elizabeth her very first grandkid in 1971.

Besides being an impressively well-paid actress, Elizabeth helped causes to cure AIDS tremendously with her unfailing campaigns and ideas to build awareness.

Laela was very close with her grandmother as a child. She visited Elizabeth every holiday and even on many Sundays. Since they spent so much time together while Laela was growing up, Elizabeth left a lasting impression on the little girl. The actress taught her granddaughter invaluable lessons.

Laela reminisced about her childhood, saying Elizabeth often did her makeup for her. She also cut and styled Laela's hair and taught her to be confident. Laela praised her grandmother as an excellent role model who "didn't play favorites."

Elizabeth left a lasting impression on her granddaughter, since Laela decided to continue her grandmother's humanitarian endeavors and works with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Laela commented that Elizabeth was never really a movie star in the family's eyes but rather a loving mother figure.

Laela and Elizabeth's Similarities: A Physical Resemblance and a Shared Fight against Social Stigma

Elizabeth's grandchildren don't remember her as a celebrity. If there's anything the grandkids think of when they hear their grandma's name, it's her work in philanthropism and the effort she put into making people aware of the effects of the AIDS virus when no one broached the topic. Laela remembered:

"We didn't experience her as a movie star. She became impassioned about activism, and I can't think of anything more inspiring than our grandmother's compassion and determination for other people."

Besides being an impressively well-paid actress, Elizabeth helped causes to cure AIDS tremendously with her unfailing campaigns and ideas to build awareness. She even used money from selling photos of one of her marriages to found the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which aimed to help people living with HIV and AIDS.

Quinn commented that his grandmother and the effects of her work inspired him to get involved alongside his cousin.

These days, Laela is carrying her gran's torch. Not only is she working closely with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to ensure her grandmother's legacy persists, but she is also proud to wear her hair grey, just like her grandmother did in old age. Laela confided that Elizabeth gave her the confidence to wear her hair naturally.

Laela Wilding's Family and Her Private Life

Elizabeth had quite a large brood, and her family is only expanding over time. The actress had four children in total, and between them, the kids gave her ten grandkids in total. Now, the grandchildren are having their own children, making Elizabeth a great-grandmother. At the forefront of the slew of grandchildren is Laela.

The proud granddaughter is based in Portland, Oregon, and she makes a living as a graphic designer. She is married and shares two children with her longtime husband named Finn McMurray and Vivian McMurray. When she's not busy with work, she helps her grandmother's foundation organize events and fight the stigma associated with AIDS.

The Elizabeth look-alike isn't the only one of the grandkids who took up their gran's impressive mantle. Most of Elizabeth's grandchildren have been involved with her organization. With the help of her cousin, Quinn Tivey, Laela invests many hours into making the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation a success.

Quinn commented that his grandmother and the effects of her work inspired him to get involved alongside his cousin. Seeing how many people Elizabeth's advocacy has reached inspired her grandkids to keep carrying the torch and to help those in need. Quinn mentioned that he realized it was up to her family to keep doing her work.

With Laela and Quinn, other cousins who have been involved with Elizabeth's work include Naomi deLuce Wilding, Tarquin Wilding, and Lowell Wilding, although all the grandkids have contributed in some way or another over the years. Naomi opened up about her relationship with her grandma, saying:

"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."

Besides the big bunch of grandkids, Elizabeth has a total of four great-grandkids so far. Laela has two kids, Vivian and Finn, and Naomi and her husband, Anthony Cran, share a son called Declan Cran. Eliza Carson, one of the younger grandkids, also has a son, Christian Carson.

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