Jessica Chastain sparkles in Elizabeth Taylor's jewels at a special screening of 'Cleopatra'
Jessica Chastain paid the perfect tribute to the queen of Hollywood glamour, Elizabeth Taylor, and her legendary love affair with Richard Burton on Monday evening. The actress hit the red carpet in Cannes for a special 50th anniversary screening of Cleopatra wearing a glittering diamond and sapphire necklace once given to Elizabeth by her Welsh husband.
The iconic silver screen couple famously fell in love in 1961 on the set
of the film. It was the start of one of the most intense and passionate
love stories that saw them marry, and divorce, twice.
Aware that she wearing a 'priceless' piece of movie history, Jessica
clearly wanted to put the beautiful Bvlgari piece centre-stage. She wore
a simple cream floor-length Versace gown that set the necklace off
beautifully, and a matching ring on her left hand.
Elizabeth was given the stunning jewels by Richard in the early 1960s.
They were purchased by Bvlgari at a Christies sale last year following
her death in 2011.
"It was a symbol of their epic love," Jessica, 36, told the Mail. "I call them the Cleopatra jewels because Richard Burton bought them for Elizabeth Taylor when they fell in love when they were shooting Cleopatra. I'm so excited to be wearing them.
"They looked so fabulous on her, and she was a movie star from her head
to her toes. That kind of glamorous star doesn't exist anymore, but the
diamonds do."
Despite her assertions, Jessica looked every bit a silver screen beauty
with her red hair swept to the side and in tumbling curls, highlighting
her porcelain skin with minimal makeup and dramatic eyes.
The Zero Dark Thirty actress was co-hosting the screening with Elizabeth's son Christopher Wilding, and Richard's daughter, Kate Burton. The celebratory event was attended by a host of Hollywood stars, including Milla Jovovich, Aishwarya Rai and Rosario Dawson.
Model Mila, 37, looked incredible in a daring midnight blue gown, that
was encrusted with crystals and celebrated her statuesque figure.
Aishwarya, meanwhile, looked flawless in an aqua silk gown, completing
her glamorous look with hot pink lips and her hair swept up into a high
bun.
![At the Forum, Charles delivered <a href=https://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/speech/speech-hrh-prince-wales-world-holocaust-forum-yad-vashem-jerusalem>a moving and powerful speech</a> in which he said humanity "must never cease to be appalled, nor moved by the testimony of those who lived through [the Holocaust]." He also recognized his grandmother's work and Israel's recognition of it in his remarks, and said calling out hatred is always important.
<p>"All too often, language is used which turns disagreement into dehumanization," he said. "Words are used as badges of shame to mark others as enemies, to brand those who are different as somehow deviant. All too often, virtue seems to be sought through verbal violence. All too often, real violence ensues, and acts of unspeakable cruelty are still perpetrated around the world against people for reasons of their religion, their race or their beliefs.
<p>"Knowing, as we do, the darkness to which such behaviour leads, we must be vigilant in discerning these ever-changing threats; we must be fearless in confronting falsehoods and resolute in resisting words and acts of violence. And we must never rest in seeking to create mutual understanding and respect. We must tend the earth of our societies so that the seeds of division cannot take root and grow. And we must never forget that every human being is be-tselem Elokim - 'in the image of God' - and even a single human life is ke-olam malei - 'like an entire universe.'"
<p>Photo; © Abir Sultan/Pool/AFP via Getty Images](/images/stories/0/2020/01/23/000/754/933/thumb_featured_5_3.jpg)
