Elizabeth Taylor And Colin Farrell's Tight-Knit Bond Ignited Plenty Of Romance Rumors

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The late Elizabeth Taylor was just as renowned for her extremely lavish life as she was for her impressively lengthy resume of film and television appearances. Taylor married the first of her seven husbands when she was just 18 years old, and her seventh when she was 59. When that last marriage ended just five years later, the legendary star decided she was finally done with love. However, Taylor's romantic life remained a hot topic of discussion, even after she passed away in March 2011.

Fellow actor Colin Farrell helped fuel some of these relationship rumors when he appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2013. "It was kind of like the last — it feels like in my head, not her, I'm projecting, but the last kind of romantic relationship I had," Farrell divulged. He jokingly added, "I wanted to be number eight, but we ran out of road." Although the main source of the unlikely pair's bond was a series of late-night phone calls, their connection was platonic, not steamy. 

Taylor and Farrell's friendship wouldn't have even begun if it wasn't for their deep, and mutual, respect for each other. "I love Johnny Depp, and I love Colin Farrell — both brilliant, nuanced actors with great range," Taylor told Harper's Bazaar in February 2011. Back when they first became friends, in 2009, the "Banshees of Inisherin" star was delighted to learn that Taylor was familiar with his work. Farrell even spontaneously passed along well wishes to her when she was in the hospital.

Even though Elizabeth Taylor was 44 years older than Colin Farrell, she was no stranger to age-gap relationships. The "Cleopatra" star's third husband was 25 years older than her, while Taylor's seventh husband was 20 years younger. As for Farrell, he has a history of being attracted to older women who are also actors. A few years before he and Taylor got to know each other, the Oscar nominee was smitten with his co-star Eileen Atkins, who's 42 years older than him. Although their connection didn't go any further than being colleagues, Farrell and Taylor shared a deep friendship.

While some of their conversations were more light-hearted, the Hollywood icon also demonstrated her staunch support for him. When Farrell avoided her, while experiencing a low point in his life, Taylor reminded him that he could lean on her through anything. "She said, 'Well that's not the kind of friendship I'm interested in, if you're ever only going to bring me your sunny days,'" the actor shared in 2022 (via People). Farrell learned from the experience, and he's continued to honor his late friend by participating in causes that were close to her heart, like HIV/AIDS philanthropy.

According to author Kate Andersen Brower, who penned "Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon," the unlikely duo connected partly because of Taylor's romantic past. "Colin loved to joke with her," Brower dished to Fox News. "And she just loved that because he reminded her of Richard [Burton]." He famously had the distinction of being the only husband Elizabeth Taylor married twice, and the former couple's strong connection remained intact long after their second divorce.