Sotheby's has just auctioned off Elizabeth Taylor's treasure chest (no pun intended) of jewels.
The booty (sorry!) fetched $117 million, including a necklace that features a 16th Century pearl, La Peregrina, which had was once painted by 17th Century Spanish artist Velazquez.
That alone sold for $11.8 million, which is a record for the gem.
Also on the auction block was the actress' infamous 33.19-carat diamond ring, which was given to her by her twice-spouse, actor Richard Burton.
Despite all her great movies — National Velvet, Giant, Splendor in the Grass, Cleopatra, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf – here was a time in Elizabeth Taylor's life when she was better known for what she wore around her neck, or on her fingers and ears, than her acting.
Personally, I think that's a shame, because I think she was an arresting actress. When she was on the screen, everyone else (well, except Montgomery Clift or Richard Burton) disappeared into the background.
But she was an even better celebrity. In that stellar firmament, everyone's got a gimmick.
Hers sparkled.
Taylor put it this way: "I adore wearing gems, but not because they are mine. You can't possess radiance, you can only admire it."
If only one of her earliest suitors, Howard Hughes, had known that. His way of courting was to wear down the prey-du-jour by offering a role in a movie at his studio RKO, cold hard cash–
Or jewels.
None of which worked with Taylor.
In fact, he stalked her to a gal pal's hideway in Palm Springs. There she was, soaking up the sun poolside when Hughes, piloting one of his helicopters, landed on the lawn. His greeting — to sprinkle her with diamonds — didn't get the result he wanted:
She ran away, giggling.
Smart girl.
I guess she meant it when she said, "I have a woman's body and a child's emotions."
When we were little, we all played dress up in our mother's clothes and makeup. I don't know a mom who doesn't enjoy acting as her daughter's makeup artists and and wardrobe mistresses. Live Barbies are more fun to play with, right?
The stylists and editors of fashion magazines get to do it for a living, with some of the most celebrated personalities of our time. Talk about fun!
Just ran across the September 2011 cover of W magazine, which features the hardworking, no-nonsense actress Kristen Stewart. Unless you've been underground for the last five years (werewolf in a cave, vampire in coffin, hint hint…bad analogies, I know) you'll recognize her as the female lead in the TWILIGHT movie series. What I love about this video interview (to learn the exact questions she was asked, click through to the text version as well) is how unassuming she is. There is no "playing to the camera", but an honesty and forthrightness about her background and her craft. She makes it sound as if she's an "accidental" actor. Having seen her in several non-Twilight movies over the years – Panic Room, Into the Wild, Adventureland, andThe Runaways, where she played musician Joan Jett – I think she has aptly proven that this is so not the case.
W used that renowned photographic team of Mert & Marcus show us a side of Kristen we've never seen before: a throwback to 1960s Bardot/Fonda sex kitten sensuality, giving her blown-out-to-there hair and real cheekbones. It may not have been her typical demeanor, but she certainly went with it: more proof that she's a great actress — and good sport to boot.
No need to pout when you can purr,
–– Josie
THE HOUSEWIFE ASSASSIN'S HANDBOOK Murder. Suspense. Sex. And some handy household tips.