“You are so fat, but you have a beautiful face.” Richard Burton’s first words to Liz Taylor on the set of Cleopatra.

Their volcanic romance captivated Hollywood and the world. Formed by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, the pair’s outbursts punctuated the 7th art world in the 1960s and 1970s. The duo met on the sets of the film Cleopatra, Joseph L. by Mankiewicz in 1961. The amethyst-eyed Hollywood star plays the Queen of Egypt, while he portrays Mark Antony, general and right-hand man to Julius Caesar. Although they fell in love immediately, their first exchanges, behind the scenes, had already set the tone for their relationship, a mixture of rampant passion and tragedy.

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Liz Taylor and Richard Burton meet for the first time during the shooting of one of the scenes of the movie. The actress revealed Great National arrives on the set accompanied by her fourth husband, American robber Eddie Fisher. He is surrounded by two secretaries, as well as make-up artists and hairdressers. As reported DailyMail:, the actress wears a mink, which she throws to the ground in front of the Gallic actor, himself married and the father of two children. “You’re very fat, but you have a beautiful face,” his teammate whispered to him. Inappropriate comments that clearly challenged the actress. Indeed, according to the film’s producer Walter Wanger, the two then began “conversing intensely”. “You could almost feel the electricity between them,” she explains.

Disputes and reunions

The rest of the story is known to the general public. Both leaving their respective marriages, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton dated for two years before marrying in 1964. Their love was passionate and destructive, their exchanges often violent. Between heated arguments and pillow reconciliations, the couple lasted thirteen years before divorcing in 1974. in June. Then, unable to live apart, reunited the following year before divorcing two years later.

In his diary, published in October 2012, Richard Barton recalled a scene that took place in 1966, apparently rekindling their tumultuous relationship. “I was so angry at dinner that I left the table complaining. “Sorry, I’m in a bad mood.” Shumdit (One of the nicknames he gave Elizabeth Taylor, editor’s note) answered with his tremendous natural tact. “Really, Richard?” I snarled again like “shut up, bard” and angrily walked away with Een So (their dog, editor’s note). When I got home, I kissed Shumdit, but he started attacking me again. Then we kissed and everything was fine.”

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