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The Secrets Behind Lindsay Lohan’s Elizabeth Taylor Transformation

06/05/2012 at 04:30 PM ET

Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor
Courtesy Lifetime

When Lindsay Lohan first walked onto the set of Lifetime’s Liz & Dick dressed as screen legend Elizabeth Taylor, “there was an audible gasp,” the movie’s costume designer, Salvador Pérez, tells PEOPLE. “You’d swear it was Elizabeth.”

Dressed in Taylor’s favorite styles — jewel-toned cocktail dresses, fur coats and those famous gems (well, good fakes) — the actress looked remarkably like her screen idol. “She just walked into the clothes and became Elizabeth Taylor,” says Pérez.

Producer Larry Thompson had some of Taylor’s most famous bling, including the 33-carat Krupp diamond, recreated for the film. “Part of the magic is the wardrobe,” he says. “And Lindsay said she wants to bring magic to the movie.” Many of the vintage dresses fit her like a glove, too; Lohan’s waist measures a tiny 23 inches, while Taylor’s was a mere 22 inches.

Lohan will wear 66 different looks in the 80-minute biopic, which begins in 1961, ends with Richard Burton’s death in 1984 and focuses on their tumultuous relationship (an affair while she was still married, two weddings and two divorces). To prep, Lohan hired a voice coach and even dyed her auburn hair a deep brunette to better match Taylor’s dark tresses.

Lohan’s hair and makeup will span all of Taylor’s looks, from the long lashes and red lips of the 1950s (attained using M.A.C’s “Hot Tahiti” lipstick) and the Cleopatra-inspired eyeliner and nude mouth of the ’60s to her teased ’80s bouffant, always with her trademark eyeliner to accentuate her famous violet eyes. (Lohan is wearing opalescent lavender contacts for the role.)

“She brings in makeup for me,” makeup artist Eryn Krueger Mekash, who’s using mostly Chanel, Dior and M.A.C products, tells PEOPLE. Adds the movie’s hair stylist, Beatrice De Alba, “She looks so much like her. There was a moment when she saw her picture on the monitor and said ‘I’m her.’ It was thrilling.”

–Liz McNeil, with reporting by K.C. Baker

SEE MORE STARS TRANSFORMED IN ‘LIGHTS! CAMERA! FASHION!’

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Showing 133 comments

Gozzip.se - Allt om Kändisar, Blogg och Mode Why Was Kristen Stewart Teased in Her Younger Years? | on

[...] Kristen Stewart was teased in middle schoolSofia Vergara meets up with her exThe secrets behind Lindsay Lohan's transformation into Elizabeth TaylorAmanda Bynes's plea to President ObamaNicole Richie has a new hair style Kommentera Postat i [...]

Gozzip.se - Allt om Kändisar, Blogg och Mode Why Was Kristen Stewart Teased in Her Younger Years? | on

[...] Kristen Stewart was teased in middle schoolSofia Vergara meets up with her exThe secrets behind Lindsay Lohan's transformation into Elizabeth TaylorAmanda Bynes's plea to President ObamaNicole Richie has a new hairstyle Kommentera Postat i [...]

Victoria on

I’ve never been a big fan of LL but – she looks so beautiful as Liz Tyler!! This movie could redeem her bad rep and restore her as a serious actress. I hope Lindsay does well as Liz and convinces us she’s the real deal.

Dani on

Instead of giving her a chance to see what she can do with the role, obviously people are going to assume because of her personal life that she can’t play the part and tear her to shreds before even seeing a sampling of her acting here. It is just one more thing that proves our world has become a negative place full of hate, cruelty and jealousy. I don’t have an opinion of her one way or another, but i’ll wait to actually see a clip before judging, unlike most of the grumps commenting on here! Grow up, people!

Tammy Cyr on

Add make-up and nice clothes and just about anyone can look glam

Dana on

She looks just like her! And anyone who says otherwise is just being a jealous ninny. There is a lady who commented on here that says she lived in the same town as Liz and her senator husband and her opinion is that LL looks nothing like her and doesn’t have the same personality… give me a break lady lol! Too funny! So because you shared the same zip code as Liz for a short time you are able to judge how she looked, acted and behaved and that LL (who you don’t know) does not look enough like her and doesn’t have what it takes to play her…. what is this based on? Oh, let me guess, you lived in the same state as her once?? HA! People on here are so jealous and bitter, it just makes me laugh! Bunch of bored women being catty ….get a life, ladies! I hope LL does amazing and you can all eat your shoes – either way you’ll say it sucks just cuz that’s how you all are! Have a lovely day eating your bags of chips and bon bons on the couch!

Now You Can Look Just Like Lindsay Lohan Looking Like Liz Taylor! :: Elites TV on

[...] Please, try to contain your excitement! For the past few days, we’ve been showing you photos upon photos of Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor. We’ve shown you photos of her costumes and photos of her popping out of her costumes. It’s been a whole lot of Lindsay as Liz action, and I know that many of you have thought to yourself, “wow, how do I get that look?!” Well, rest easy, friends, because I have that information and much, much more. From People: [...]

Diane on

I’m with Amanda. She’s been her own worst enemy, she doesn’t need any of you to help her. I’m hoping she’s learned something and decided to stop hurting herself and use her talent, because she’s got some. As far as looking like Elizabeth, I’ll just say this: She looks a lot more like Elizabeth than Angela Bassett looked like Tina Turner…but she WAS Tina Turner in that movie. She proved that with talent, it can be done. Good luck, Lindsay.

Stunning makeover brings Burton and Taylor to life – Sydney Morning Herald | Page3gossips on

[...] of her sundress in dramatic …Daily MailTaylor made: First picture of LiLo as LizNEWS.com.auPeople Magazine -Entertainmentwiseall 137 news [...]

swack on

I’m sorry, it still looks like Lindsay, just all made up. Not hating, JMHO. It is what it is and it is her life and career.

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