Elizabeth Taylor attempted suicide while married to Eddie Fisher: ‘Rather be dead than face divorce’

Elizabeth Taylor contemplated ending her life because she was so miserable in her marriage with Eddie Fisher, a new documentary about the late movie star reveals.

Taylor reportedly spoke about her relationship struggles in the upcoming doc “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes,” which features interviews the actress had with journalist Richard Meryman from 1964 to 1965.

Taylor reportedly once told Meryman that marrying Fisher was “one big friggin’ awful mistake.”

The couple scandalously tied the knot in 1959 just weeks after he had divorced actress Debbie Reynolds.

Elizabeth Taylor attempted suicide when married to Eddie Fisher, a new doc reveals. Getty Images The couple was married from 1959 to 1964. Getty Images

However, the honeymoon phase didn’t last long because Taylor told Meryman in one of their taped chats, “Eddie made sure that I felt lonely. We never went out,” according to People.

Taylor said she became depressed and began taking sleeping pills “deliberately, calmly and in front of” Fisher in a suicide attempt.

“I’d rather be dead than face divorce,” the “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” star could reportedly be heard saying in an audio tape. “I was fed up with living.”

The couple had allegedly been in an affair before getting married. Bettmann Archive Fisher was married to Debbie Reynolds (far right) prior to marrying Taylor. Bettmann Archive He then divorced Reynolds (seen here) and married Taylor just weeks later. The Harwyn Club

However, she reportedly later saw her attempt as “self-indulgent” because of the “horrific” consequences for her children.

Fisher was Taylor’s fourth husband. When they wed, she already shared sons Michael Wilding Jr. and Christopher Wilding with second husband Michael Wilding, daughter Liza Frances Todd with third husband Mike Todd, and adopted daughter Maria McKeown Burton with Richard Burton.

In 1964, Taylor finally left Fisher for Burton, whom she would go on to marry on two separate occasions.

Throughout her life, the “Taming of the Shrew” star had eight marriages with seven different men.

Taylor reportedly once told a journalist that she felt “lonely” in her marriage with Fisher. Getty Images She fell into a depression and tried to kill herself. Getty Images

Reynolds and Fisher’s son, Todd Fisher, spoke out about his late father’s extramarital affair in 2023.

“My father left my mother for Elizabeth Taylor. A lot of people were mad about that,” the business executive, 66, told Fox News at the time.

“A lot of people were like, ‘So your dad left the good girl for the bad girl’… Liz made no bones about being the bad girl. She came a long way from ‘National Velvet.'”

Nanette Burstein, the director of “Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes,” which comes out Aug. 3 on HBO, recently told Page Six exclusively that she though Taylor had been unjustly “slut-shamed” over her affairs.

Taylor reportedly once said, “I’d rather be dead than face divorce.” Universal Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Director Nanette Burstein recently told Page Six she felt Taylor was “slut-shamed” over her affairs. Bettmann Archive

In March 2011, the “Little Women” star passed away at the age of 79 at her home in Los Angeles after reportedly being treated for congestive heart failure.

Her son Christopher said in statement at the time, “My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humor and love.”

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.