'She was a spectacular woman': How Colin Farrell almost became Elizabeth Taylor’s ninth husband

'The last kind of romantic relationship I had. Which was never consummated,' said actor Farrell

UPDATED DEC 7, 2022

Colin Farrell would come to Elizabeth Taylor’s home and read her poetry (Dimitrios Kambouris/ George Freston/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Legendary Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor who was famously married eight times and had countless admirers, shared a surprising list of lovers. One such suitor Taylor had was reportedly actor Colin Farrell, who was 44 years younger than the actress. Their relationship blossomed and Farrell would often read her poetry claiming "she was a spectacular, spectacular woman."

The pair allegedly met in 2009, at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, California. Taylor was having a heart procedure and Farrell was there for the birth of his son. After their small encounter, 'The Banshees of Inisherin' star called his agent and asked if she could arrange a private visit at Taylor’s home, reported Page Six. After finding out about Taylor's proposal “Elizabeth was intrigued,” writes Kate Andersen Brewer in the new biography “Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon.”

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British born American actress Elizabeth Taylor. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Brewer wrote, “His Irish brogue and reputation as a non-conformist reminded her of her beloved Richard.” Taylor was famously married to Welsh-born actor Richard Burton twice, from 1964 to 1974 and 1975 to 1976. During Taylor and Farrell's first meeting at the actress Bel-Air mansion, Farrell brought along a copy of poetry by Yeats and “told her that if she ever wanted him to come back and read poetry to her he would happily oblige.”

Colin Farrell attends "The Banshees of Inisherin" UK Premiere at the 66th BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on October 13, 2022 in London, England (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures UK)

Afterward, Taylor wrote to the actor, “What a pleasure it was to meet you. And thank God … you really are a true Celt. You remind me of so many good things … so many happy things. Thank you for being so real.” He visited Taylor "again and again, to read to her,” writes Brewer. “He sat in an armchair beside her bed and she occasionally played recordings of Richard reading poetry.” The two continued to grow close over time and shared several late-night phone calls. “I’d call her at two in the morning, and the nurse would answer the phone, and I’d say, ‘Is she awake?’ … And we’d talk for a half an hour, an hour, into the wee hours.”

“It was really cool. I just adored her,” he continued of Taylor. “She was a spectacular, spectacular woman. I wanted to be [husband] number [nine], but we ran out of road.” Farrell revealed on 'The Ellen Degeneres Show' in 2013, “It was kind of like the last — it feels like in my head, not hers, I’m projecting — but the last kind of romantic relationship I had. Which was never consummated.”