Elizabeth Taylor Found Out Rock Hudson Had HIV When Public Did; His Death Gave Her 'Life Purpose,' Says Goddaughter Paris Jackson

Elizabeth Taylor felt helpless learning the fate of her close friend along with the world.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic touched many people during the 1980s, and the actress was no exception. In the last part of the documentary Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstarthere is a review of how the disease prompted the actress to activism.

In the clip, Taylor explained, “My whole life I spent a lot of time with gay men. Jimmy Dean, Rock Hudson, who were my closest friends. They were just people that I loved and suddenly gay people stopped being human beings and started becoming enemies, I knew someone had to do something.”

When it came to Hudson’s HIV-positive status, Taylor shared the news with the rest of the world, just months before he died of AIDS-related complications in 1985.

“He didn’t tell anybody. I think my mom found out when everyone else did,” said Taylor’s son, Christopher Wilding.

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Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor in 1980.

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“Obviously it had a very big impact because they were very dear friends. I think she was upset by the fact that he had to keep it a secret,” he added.

In the video, Taylor recalled visiting Hudson in the hospital. “I went and saw him and we were laughing over our chocolate martinis. You know, he would have moments of being a carefree young man, but lying in this hospital he was a skeleton,” she said.

The last time she saw him was especially heartbreaking. “I knew Rock didn’t stand a chance. I saw Rock the day before he died,” she said, noting that he didn’t remember who she was at the time. The next day, she received the disturbing news that the actor had died at the age of 59.

“People were so shocked. It was like the city, Hollywood, became aware that one of its own had been hit,” Taylor said.

Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor on the set of the movie “Giant” in 1956.

API/GAMMA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty

Taylor dedicated herself to raising money for AIDS research, eventually starting the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation with money she raised from the sale of photos from her wedding to Larry Fortenski.

“At that moment, nobody did anything like that. Nobody risked anything,” said Sharon Stone, who also appears in the documentary.

Taylor’s granddaughter Naomi Wilding said the megastar had no idea she was cut out for the mission until she stepped into it.

Elizabeth Taylor testifies before Congress.

Jeffrey Markowitz/Sygma via Getty

“She came to a point in her life where all these other experiences of being a child star, being a packaged actor in the studio system, being a wife and mother, being loved, dealing with tragedy — all of those things made her perfectly equipped to be the activist she was,” she said.

“She was just being honest, she wasn’t screwing her,” added goddaughter Paris Jackson. “Like, ‘I don’t care, this is important.’ It’s that simple.”

“I think Elizabeth kind of paved the way for other people with that kind of integrity and power to come out. And you also can’t put a price on finding a purpose in life,” Jackson concluded.

Elizabeth Taylor; Rebel Superstar is broadcast on the BBC.

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Source: HIS Education