(born 1932) Academy Award-winning film actor. Although British-born, Taylor at the peak of her celebrated career was the definitive American movie goddess. Her lavish lifestyle and her unabashed appetite for romance fed the dreams of stargazers and sustained the gossip pages in the 1950s and 1960s. Taylor’s numerous, high-profile marriages—three to actor Richard Burton—were both a reinforcement and a rebellion against women’s dependence on men. After her acting career waned, Taylor became a tireless campaigner in the fight against AIDS. Her association with the cause was crucial to raising public awareness about the deadly epidemic.