Sharon Stone and Paris Jackson join Kim Kardashian and a host of stars for new BBC…see more

Sharon Stone and Paris Jackson join Kim Kardashian and a host of stars for new BBC Arts documentary boxset Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar
New three-part series explores the life and career of Elizabeth Taylor, featuring privileged access to those who knew her best

During her lifetime, Elizabeth Taylor’s story was often told as a soap opera. Now, in this landmark biographical series from BBC Arts, unheard recordings of Taylor herself along with the testimony of close friends and family, reveal her as a great actress, free spirit, entrepreneur and activist.

Sharon Stone first became friends with Elizabeth Taylor through her work campaigning for those with HIV/AIDS. In the series Stone speaks in depth about Elizabeth’s acting craft, their shared history of activism and experiences as women in the Hollywood studio system. As a friend, Stone notes: “She was the first person to send me one hundred roses when I had my stroke”.

Model, actress, singer and activist Paris Jackson was Elizabeth Taylor’s god-daughter. (Taylor was a close friends of Paris’ father, singer Michael Jackson).

Paris was 12 when Elizabeth passed away, but has followed in her godmother’s footsteps using her platform to help those with HIV/AIDS, and describes how Elizabeth “kind of paved the way for other people with that kind of integrity and power to come forth”, praising her godmother’s “badass approach to life”.

The series will also feature in-depth interviews Elizabeth Taylor’s son Chris Wilding, her granddaughter Naomi Wilding, stepson Todd Fisher and daughter-in-law, Aileen Getty, and Taylor’s friend, former boyfriend and star of film and TV, George Hamilton.

There are further insights from Sally Morrison, Elizabeth’s publicist and friend; Bill Misenhimer, first Executive Director of AIDS Project Los Angeles, who began working closely with Elizabeth in the early years of the AIDS epidemic until she died in 2011; Gianni Bozzacchi, her personal photographer; Jorjett Strumme, her stylist, assistant and friend; José Eber, the hair stylist who began working with Elizabeth in the 1980s and became a close friend, and author and journalist, Kate Andersen Brower, who wrote the only authorised biography of Elizabeth Taylor.

Previously announced contributors include Kim Kardashian; Dame Joan Collins; Margaret O’Brien, who went to school with Elizabeth on the MGM backlot and leading scientist Dr. Anthony Fauci, who worked alongside Elizabeth in the fight against AIDS.

Executive Produced by Kari Lia, Hamish Fergusson and Kim Kardashian, the series reveals the life and times of a superstar who transformed not just Hollywood but fame itself. Each episode will examine how she broke down barriers in every part of her life – and the price she paid for defying convention.

A Passion Pictures production for BBC Arts, Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar is distributed internationally by Fremantle. Passion Pictures is a multi-award winning production company based in London. Recent work includes Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, Lady Boss: The Jackie Colins Story and Caroline Aherne: Queen of Comedy.

James House is the Series Director, Jemma Chisnall is the Series Producer and Caroline Sciama is the Producer/Director. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Alistair Pegg.

The series airs on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer this autumn.

CB