By Anna Fitzpatrick

Not many women can burn through five dozen film roles, two Oscar wins, three more nominations, seven husbands, six marriages, and four kids while still finding the time to look stunning - but actress Elizabeth Taylor makes it work, albeit with a few bumps along the way.

The woman we now know as Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was born on February 27, 1932 in Hampstead, England to American parents.  Taylor’s experience as a performer began at three years old, when she took ballet lessons in London.  However, World War 2 broke out when Taylor was only seven, forcing her family to return to the United States.

After a family friend encouraged Taylor to pursue a career in acting (a career that her mother had held years before), Taylor went to Universal Studios for screen tests. 

By the time she was 11, she had small rolls in films like There’s One Born Every Minute, Lassie Come Home and Jane Eyre.  At twelve years old, she landed the lead role in National Velvet, securing herself a steady position as a Hollywood starlet.