Elizabeth Taylor: The stars speak

“I admired and respected her not only as an actress but for her amazing and inspiring work as an AIDS activist. She was one of a kind.”

-- Madonna frequently said in interviews that when she was growing up, she wanted to be Elizabeth Taylor. In 1996, at an event celebrating Taylor’s birthday, she praised Taylor “for your courage, for your strength, for your convictions, for your compassion, but most of all for your inspiration.”  (NELSON MACHIN/AFP/Getty Images)

“Elizabeth Taylor was a dear friend. I knew her from our days together at MGM when she was just a teenager, and I watched her grow into one of Hollywood’s finest actresses. She was passionate -- and compassionate -- about everything in her life, including her family, her friends and especially the victims of AIDS. She was truly a legend and we will miss her.”

-- Former First Lady Nancy Reagan was a longtime friend of Taylor.  (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

“Our loss in the motion picture business with Elizabeth Taylor’s passing is momentous. She was a lady who gave of herself to everyone. I know I consider it a great personal loss.”

-- Veteran actor Mickey Rooney starred with Elizabeth Taylor in 1944’s “National Velvet” and remained her friend ever since.  (CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images)

“We have just lost a Hollywood giant; more importantly, we have lost an incredible human being.”

-- Singer Elton John worked closely with Taylor in the fight to raise money for AIDS research and awareness. They were close friends.  (Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

“At a time when most Americans thought of HIV/AIDS as something that didn’t affect them, her commitment to the issue and considerable star power helped to take the fight against HIV/AIDS right into the mainstream of American society. Her dedication to raising money along with awareness has helped to save countless lives both by helping to treat people living with the virus and by preventing new infections.”

-- Don Blanchon, executive director of the Washington-based Whitman-Walker Clinic, praised Taylor as “the first major Hollywood star to take up the banner of HIV/AIDS activism.”  (JENNIFER YOUNG/AFP/Getty Images)

“She put human faces on issues. With her soft voice coming from that tiny frame, she held forth the giant purpose of the true meaning of love; that we are all equally valuable.”

-- Sharon Stone, who worked with Elizabeth Taylor for a number of years on the Macy’s Passport Gala to benefit HIV/AIDS.  (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)

“I loved Elizabeth Taylor. I loved the work we did together in the fight against HIV/AIDS. I learned from her to be passionate about what I did, because she was so passionate about her causes. It was infectious. She was one of the classiest, gentlest, most professional and elegant women I knew. She will be missed around the world.”

--Basketball legend Magic Johnson remembered actress Elizabeth Taylor, not for her contributions to film but for her contributions to HIV/AIDS awareness. Johnson learned he was HIV-positive in 1991.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

“It’s a terrible loss. A unique talent and a singularly spectacular individual.”

-- Actor Martin Landau worked with Taylor on 1963’s “Cleopatra.”  (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

“Elizabeth Taylor was a great friend, a great star and one gutsy woman. She was so special. You won’t see the likes of her again.”

-- Taylor was a frequent guest on Larry King’s talk show on CNN.  (CNN/Getty Images)

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Elizabeth Taylor. Her artistic contribution to the motion picture industry is immeasurable. In a career spanning more than 70 years and 50 films, her talent endured the test of time and transcended generations of moviegoers. She truly was an American icon, whose legacy went far beyond her acting skills, most notably in her efforts to lead the battle against HIV/AIDS. Our thoughts are with her family and her many friends and fans during this difficult time.”

-- Sen. Chis Dodd is chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America.  (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

“Elizabeth, on every level, was a mensch. Kind, generous, brave.”

-- Two-time Oscar-winning actress Jane Fonda appeared with Elizabeth Taylor in 1976’s “The Bluebird.”  (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

“She was warm and generous. I felt accepted and I had done nothing before. I felt hurt in the heart [when I heard the news]. She was an icon then and she is an icon now. She never stopped being one.”

-- Robert Forster made his film debut opposite Elizabeth Taylor in the 1967 melodrama “Reflections in a Golden Eye.”  (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

“She was the last of the true Hollywood icons, a great beauty, a great actress and continually fascinating to the world throughout her tumultuous life and career.”

-- Actress Joan Collins appeared with Taylor in the 2001 TV movie “These Old Broads.”  (Ron Galella/WireImage)

“She was witty and self-deprecating, which I found surprising and delightful. She loved to laugh.”

-- Actor, comedian and author Steve Martin was a presenter at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2002, the year Taylor was awarded her honor.  (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

“Such a sad day, Elizabeth Taylor was the last of the Hollywood greats, and a fantastically charming woman. ...She was also the only person I’ve ever met that had violet eyes. They were genuinely violet. So beautiful.”  (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“Elizabeth and I began our careers about the same time at MGM. Throughout her tumultuous life, she will be remembered for some unique and memorable work.”

-- Actress Angela Lansbury appeared in “National Velvet” in 1944 with Taylor. In 1980, she starred in “The Mirror Crack’d” with Taylor.  (Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

“So sad to hear about my beautiful friend Elizabeth Taylor, she was a great human being.”

-- Actor Michael Caine starred in the 1972 movie “X Y & Zee” with Taylor.  (Dave Benett/Getty Images)

“With the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, America has lost one of its greatest talents and fiercest advocates for HIV/AIDS research. Born in England, Elizabeth became thoroughly American royalty. For more than a generation, she brought to life unforgettable characters on film, and her tireless efforts to combat AIDS brought hope to millions of people around the world. We were honored to host her at the White House in 2001 when she received the Presidential Citizens Medal for her relentless crusade for more AIDS research and better care. In founding amfAR, she raised both millions of dollars and our level of awareness about the impact of AIDS in the United States and around the world. Elizabeth’s legacy will live on in many people around the world whose lives will be longer and better because of her work and the ongoing efforts of those she inspired. Our thoughts are with her family, her friends and her many fans. We will miss her talent, her heart and her friendship.”

-- President Bill Clinton presented Taylor with a Presidential Citizen’s in 2001. In 2008, Taylor was an avid supporter of Hillary Clinton’s run for the White House.  (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

“It wasn’t just her beauty or her stardom. It was her humanitarianism. She put a face on HIV/AIDS. She was funny. She was generous. She made her life count.”

-- Taylor and Barbra Streisand both appeared in the 1998 documentary “Hollywood AIDS”  (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

“We were always friends to the end. ... I shall remember her as a woman whose heart and soul were as beautiful as her classic face and majestic eyes.”

-- Sen. John Warner was Taylor’s sixth husband. They remained close friends after the dissolution of their marriage.  (AFP/Getty Images)