Taylor Swift has delighted her fans by unveiling a new music video for her song Elizabeth Taylor, curated from extensive footage featuring the late silver screen icon.
In a departure from traditional music videos, Swift does not make an appearance; rather, she has crafted a "supercut" showcasing scenes from Elizabeth Taylor's films, complemented by archival clips and newsreel footage that depict the actress under the relentless gaze of paparazzi.
The compilation includes memorable moments from movies such as Cleopatra, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and the cult classic Boom!, where Taylor portrays a character grappling with the specter of mortality after six marriages.
Swift has previously expressed her admiration for Taylor, asserting: "Role models are pretty hard to come by, but I would say she is one of mine."
Born in London in 1932, Elizabeth Taylor emerged as one of the most prominent film stars of the 20th Century, celebrated for her distinctive beauty and powerful portrayals of complex characters. Once recognized as the highest-paid actress globally, she also remained a focal point of interest due to her tumultuous romantic relationships.
In an interview with the Elvis Duran show last year, Swift revealed that her admiration for Taylor inspired her to write the track on her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl. "She is always someone that I've looked up to as being this very glamorous, very beloved, but for some reason a polarising figure, and I found myself in that place, too."
She elaborated in another interview with Amazon Music: "She was under a microscope so, so intense, and she handled it with humour and continued on with her life. She continued to create incredible art, and this song serves as a love letter, framed through the lens of her experiences and reflecting the similarities I perceive in my own life."
The lyrics contain explicit references to Taylor's life, commencing in Portofino—the Italian destination where actor Richard Burton proposed to her and where she celebrated four of her eight honeymoons. The line "I'll cry my eyes violet" alludes to her famously mesmerizing eyes, while "what could you possibly get for the girl who has everything" pays homage to one of her films.
Swift obtained permission from the estate of Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 73, to release the song and incorporate her likeness in the music video. Proceeds from the streaming royalties will benefit Taylor's estate, which manages her legacy and also supports the Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation.
"My family loves the song, and grandma would have truly appreciated it as well," remarked Taylor's grandson, Quinn Tivey, when the track debuted last year. "I wish she could have heard it."
He added, "Taylor Swift not only created a beautiful tribute to Elizabeth Taylor, but it genuinely feels like she is speaking to her directly while honoring her legacy in a multidimensional, candid, and enjoyable manner. The song navigates the intricacies of fame and the emotional rollercoaster of love, incorporating poignant references from her iconic perfume White Diamonds to her jewelry, and, of course, her passion for romance."
Swift's twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, became the most commercially successful music release of 2025.
Similar to Swift's recent music video for Opalite - which featured Graham Norton and Lewis Capaldi - the promotional video for Elizabeth Taylor is currently exclusive to Spotify and Apple Music.
Industry experts speculate that the choice to avoid uploading it to YouTube correlates with recent adjustments to U.S. chart regulations, which now exclude streams from the platform in counting towards the Top 100. The BBC has reached out to Swift's team for clarification but has yet to receive a response.
However, in the case of Opalite, the video was made available on YouTube after a span of 48 hours, suggesting a similar outcome may await Elizabeth Taylor.
Additionally, astute observers noted that despite the song's official release in October 2025, the credits indicate "©2024 Taylor Swift," suggesting that Swift composed the piece while touring with her acclaimed Eras tour.
This release closely follows news that Swift faced legal action, as a writer claimed the artist infringed upon her trademark. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in California, Maren Wade, who writes a column for Las Vegas Weekly titled Confessions of a Showgirl, alleged that Swift's album release diminished the value of her trademark.
"A solo performer who spent 12 years building a brand shouldn't have to watch it disappear because someone bigger came along," Wade stated.
Swift has opted not to comment on this legal matter.
Share this story