Many people have wondered if the actress Renée Taylor, best known for playing Sylvia Fine on the sitcom The Nanny, is related to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor, who starred in films such as Cleopatra and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The rumor has been circulating for years, but is there any truth to it?
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The Short Answer: No
The short answer is no, Renée Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor are not related. They have different backgrounds, families, and careers. They never worked together or appeared in public as relatives. They just happen to share a common surname, which is not uncommon in Hollywood.
The Long Answer: A Tale of Two Taylors
To understand why some people might think that Renée Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor are related, we need to look at their lives and careers in more detail.
Renée Taylor: From Bronx to Broadway
Renée Taylor was born Renée Adorée Wexler on March 19, 1933, in The Bronx, New York City, to Charles and Frieda Wexler, an aspiring actress. Her mother named her after silent film actress Renée Adorée. She graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Arts and started her career as a comedian and improv actor in the 1950s. She married Frank Baxter in 1958, but they divorced in 1964.
In 1965, she married Joseph Bologna, an actor and writer who became her creative partner for decades. They co-wrote the Broadway hit comedy Lovers and Other Strangers, which earned them an Academy Award nomination for the film adaptation in 1970. They also co-wrote and starred in several other films and plays, such as Made for Each Other (1971), It Had to Be You (1989), and Love Is All There Is (1996).
Renée Taylor also had a successful solo career as an actress, appearing in films such as The Producers (1967), The Doberman Gang (1972), and How to Be a Latin Lover (2017). She also had recurring roles on TV shows such as Dream On (1992-1994), Daddy Dearest (1993), and How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014). However, she is most famous for playing Sylvia Fine, the overbearing Jewish mother of Fran Drescher’s title character on The Nanny (1993-1999). Her husband Joseph Bologna made two guest appearances on the show as well.
Renée Taylor is still active in show business at the age of 90. She recently starred in the one-woman show My Life on a Diet, based on her memoir of the same name.
Elizabeth Taylor: From London to Hollywood
Elizabeth Taylor was born Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor on February 27, 1932, in London, England, to Francis and Sara Taylor, who were American art dealers. She had dual citizenship of the United Kingdom and the United States. She moved with her family to Los Angeles in 1939, where she was discovered by a talent scout at the age of 10. She made her acting debut with a minor role in There’s One Born Every Minute (1942), but soon became a star after appearing in National Velvet (1944).
She transitioned to adult roles in the 1950s, receiving critical acclaim for her performances in films such as A Place in the Sun (1951), Giant (1956), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), and Suddenly, Last Summer (1959). She won two Academy Awards for Best Actress for BUtterfield 8 (1960) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966). She also starred in the epic drama Cleopatra (1963), which was one of the most expensive films ever made at the time.
Elizabeth Taylor was also famous for her personal life, which was marked by eight marriages, seven divorces, and numerous affairs. She married Conrad Hilton Jr. in 1950, Michael Wilding in 1952, Mike Todd in 1957, Eddie Fisher in 1959, Richard Burton in 1964 and again in 1975, John Warner in 1976, and Larry Fortensky in 1991. She had four children from three of her marriages.
She met and fell in love with Richard Burton while filming Cleopatra. Both were still married at the time, and their affair became a scandal that attracted worldwide attention. They were dubbed “Liz and Dick” by the media and starred in 11 films together. Their relationship was tumultuous and passionate, but ultimately ended in two divorces.
Elizabeth Taylor was also known for her humanitarian work, especially for her advocacy for AIDS research and prevention. She co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) in 1985 and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF) in 1991. She received many honors and awards for her contributions, including the Presidential Citizens Medal, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and the Legion of Honour.
Elizabeth Taylor died on March 23, 2011, at the age of 79, from congestive heart failure. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
The Conclusion: No Relation, Just Respect
Renée Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor are not related by blood or marriage. They have different origins, histories, and careers. They never met or interacted as far as we know. They just happen to have the same last name, which is a coincidence.
However, that does not mean that they did not admire or respect each other as fellow actresses and women. In fact, Renée Taylor once said that she was inspired by Elizabeth Taylor’s beauty and courage. She said in an interview:
I always loved Elizabeth Taylor. She was so beautiful and brave. She had a lot of problems in her life, but she always overcame them. She was a survivor. She was also very generous and compassionate. She did a lot of good things for the world. I think she was a great role model for women.
So, there you have it. Renée Taylor and Elizabeth Taylor are not related, but they are both remarkable women who have left their mark on the entertainment industry and beyond.
