Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra. Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor was a British and American actress and Hollywood icon known for her violet eyes, beauty, and glamorous lifestyle. Her career began in the 1940s as a child actress, and her breakout role in National Velvet (1944) made her a star. In the 1950s, she was one of classical Hollywood's most popular stars. Taylor was the first actress to earn $1 million for her role in Cleopatra. She was also a humanitarian and fashion revolutionary. #women#