Actress Elizabeth Taylor has passed away at the age of 79.  ABC News has confirmed that Taylor died of congestive heart failure this morning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Taylor’s career in Hollywood spanned five decades.  She was nominated for five Oscars and she took home the award for Best Actress for her riveting performances in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and BUtterfield 8.  While she retired from acting in 2001, she was one of Hollywood’s greatest legends and one of the most in-demand stars of the 1950s and 60s.  In 1985, she devoted herself to fund-raising and activism against AIDS and the family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Our deepest condolences go out to Ms. Taylor’s friends and family.  Hit the jump for a statement from her son Michael Wilding.