Elizabeth Taylor Asks For One-Day Reprieve From Strike

Elizabeth Taylor, for one, isn’t overly worried about a dearth of writers at next month’s AIDS benefit, to be held at the Paramount Pictures lot in L.A. On December 1, the bejeweled grand dame of Hollywood, 75, is slated to perform A.R. Gurney’s play Love Letters alongside venerable actor James Earl Jones, 76. If the strike continues into next month, Ms. Taylor is apparently optimistic that members of the W.G.A. will cross picket lines—for one day only—in the name of her charity, The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, which hopes to raise $1 million that night, also World AIDS Day. According to an AP story published this morning, an after-hours call placed last night to the Guild on behalf of the Cleopatra star was not immediately returned, but Ms. Taylor remains hopeful. "The Writers Guild of America has shown great humanity, empathy and courage by allowing our little evening to move forward," the actress said in a statement.